Worfolk Cottage

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Welcome to Worfolk Cottage, North Yorkshire.

Worfolk is a large stone built cottage at the north end of the village of Staintondale, in the North York Moors National Park.  Situated near the coast about halfway between Whitby and Scarborough, the cottage can be located on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 sheets 94 or 95 and 1:25,000 Outdoor Leisure map 27.  The grid reference is 987991, and the post code is YO13 0EL.   The cottage has ¾ acre of grounds, which include a former Quaker burial ground, a wooded area and a small paddock.

For the past 35 years Worfolk has been used as a place of recreation and spiritual retreat for a variety of groups including families, walking and outdoor pursuit parties, people with special needs, young people and charitable bodies.

The cottage has had Quaker connections since 1659 and has been in the ownership of Pickering & Hull Area Meeting since 1912.

We are developing Worfolk to reflect our concern about the environment, climate change, the end of fossil fuels and the need for sustainable development. We know Worfolk to be a treasured and spiritual place and want to make Worfolk a beacon for the future.

Development Our Vision

We wanted to undertake this work in a way which would:

• be in keeping with our commitment to peace, simplicity and equality
• reduce the impact on the environment to the lowest possible extent within the capabilities of current technology
• be sympathetic to the building and to the beautiful location
• be fit for purpose (including the ability to cater for disabled people)
• act as a stimulus for change through education and example

The long term aim was to help to meet our commitments to reducing energy use and carbon emissions, thereby reducing damage to the environment.

The short term aim was to re-establish Worfolk as a place of spiritual retreat, with access to the wonderful resources of the National Park, as soon as possible.

By providing a beacon of sustainability we want to enhance knowledge and awareness of the link between human activity and the quality of the environment.  We expect that users and others will be inspired to take further steps to reduce their ‘carbon' footprint' and to live with greater sensitivity to the natural world.

The Worfolk cottage refurbishment will be the first fully ‘carbon- neutral' development within the National Park.  The design, by Andrew Yeats of Eco Arc (the architect for the project), will include energy saving and sustainable features.

There is accommodation for 14 people in 5 bedrooms. Upstairs there are two rooms with two single beds, one room with one single and one bunk bed, and one room with one bunk two single beds. A cot is available. Each bedroom has a washbasin. There is a bathroom and a shower room, both with toilets and washbasins. A ground floor wheelchair access room with a double and single bed is available with en suite toilet, washbasin and shower. Duvets and pillows are provided but visitors need to bring their own bed linen (sheets, duvet covers, and pillow cases).

Downstairs, living accommodation comprises of a snug, sitting room leading to a patio, and a light and airy dining space. The front porch is used for storage; the main entrance is at the rear through a small lobby with toilet off. There is a central kitchen and pantry; facilities include an electric cooker with twin ovens and a fridge/freezer. Crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils are provided.  Towels and basic materials for washing up and cleaning will need to be brought.

Worfolk is designed to be fully carbon neutral. Electricity is generated from a ground source heat pump, wind turbine and photovoltaic panels.  Water heating is supplemented from solar panels. The cottage is heated downstairs by under floor heating and upstairs by radiators and there is a high degree of insulation throughout. The wood burning fire between the snug and sitting room can supplement the heating if necessary.

The garden comprises grass areas with trees, shrubs and dry stonewalls. There is parking space for 3 or 4 cars.

For Holiday Cottages Contact:

Worfolk Cottage,

Or Write to Christopher Bostock

5 Westbourne Park

Scarborough

YO12 4AS

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