About Us
A Sanctuary & Place of Learning
Escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the tranquility of our gardens. Our homegrown and locally sourced foods will tantalise your taste buds, while our workshops will help you learn new skills and discover something new about yourself. Take time to reenergise, heal, and recuperate in the fresh air, surrounded by the sounds of nature. End your day with new friends by the open fire, chatting about your day and enjoying the peacefulness of the night sky.
Our Story
Yondercott House is home to the Unwin Family. Laurence, Sarah, their two children Mathew & Jessica, along with their friendly dog’s.
Sarah and Laurence grew up in the outskirts of East London, although both have family roots in Devon. They have been together for over 25 years after meeting on an MBA course. The couple have two children Matthew and Jessica both now in further education.
In 2018, they decided the time was right to move away from the hustle & bustle of London. They decided to head West to seek a better work life balance & to be closer to family.
Yondercott House was not exactly what they had in mind when they started looking for their new home, but after one visit they all fell in love with the old, magical house & gardens. They purchased the house in December 2018, but due to the children’s school exams they did not move in until the summer of 2019.
Big plans to renovate the house in 2020 did not materialise due to the Pandemic. This time gave the family time to think & reconsider the renovation plans & most importantly listen to Yondercott House.
“Sometimes event’s just have to run their natural course to force you to challenge your preconceived ideas & to allow you to open your mind to what now seems obvious!” (Laurence)
Yondercott House has been a family home for generations, not just the human families who have been born & grown old here but also the wildlife & nature that is in abundance in this little oasis. A sanctuary & a place of learning. Yondercott is all of this & so much more. There is a wonderful peace, & magical feel about this old house & so the idea of the Yondercott House Art and Wellness retreat was born!
Meet The Owners
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Laurence Unwin
Laurence is an Electrical Engineer, working from home for a multi-national company. Laurence spent a decade on the PTA as a chairperson & committee board member. During this time, Laurence also coached his children’s rugby club & school teams as a level 2 rugby coach.
Laurence has always loved arts & crafts & is looking forward to sharing this passion through the Yondercott House Art Retreats & Workshops.
Sarah Unwin
With a passion for neuroscientific research spanning over 10 years, Sarah has explored the connection between the mind, well-being, and learning. She earned an MBA in Business Management and later worked at a top London law firm. As a mother of two neurodiverse children, she pursued SEN teacher training and a postgraduate qualification in specific learning difficulties. Wanting to create real change beyond the limits of school SEN departments, she founded and ran an SEN learning centre.
Through her own experience living with ME, she discovered the transformative power of meditation and mindfulness for both body and mind. Inspired by its impact, she became a certified mindfulness practitioner to share its benefits with others. She now offers wellness programs within the beautiful woodlands and grounds of Yondercott House in Devon.