About Us

The Magdalen Project is a residential centre at the heart of its own 132 acre organic farm on the Dorset/Somerset border, within half an hour's drive from the dramatic Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis.

The Magdalen Project is the working name of the environmental charity – The Wessex Foundation. Our managed farmland and diverse natural habitats provide the basis for a wide range of courses, workshops and eco-adventures, encouraging children and adults to learn new skills, enjoy new experiences and develop a greater understanding of the countryside and a more sustainable approach to life.

The Centre

19th Century farm buildings have been imaginatively converted into a multi-purpose centre ranged around a landscaped south-facing courtyard. As well as residential accommodation for up to 36 people, it includes seminar and teaching rooms and a dining room / meeting hall.

The centre is based around a landscaped south facing courtyard with views out across the Dorset countryside. When the weather’s good, this is just the place to linger over coffee and flapjacks.

For a night under the stars, Magdalen also has its own campsite complete with two tipis, fire pit and composting toilets. The campsite is a popular choice for school and youth groups as well as our adult visitors who enjoy the great outdoors.

Dining Room / Long Barn

A large ground floor room overlooking the courtyard, the dining room is used for daytime and evening receptions. For residential groups it acts as a refectory incorporating a comfortable seating area with sofas at one end.

The dining room seats up to 85 guests for a formal dinner or buffet style for 120. A mini marquee can be erected in the courtyard adjoining the dining room for larger parties.

Licensed for Civil Ceremonies.
(15.5m x 5.25m)

Granary

The top floor of a historic two storey barn, the Granary has natural stone walls and a beamed roof space. The semi sprung floor makes it an ideal venue for conferences and meetings, movement and dance, meditation, and teaching. When beautifully decorated with flowers it is the ideal venue for a civil wedding ceremony.

Conference equipment including, flip charts, overhead projector, laptop and multimedia projector. Wireless broadband is available.

The granary seats up to 105 people theatre style, 60 classroom style, 40 boardroom style
(12m x 5.5m)

Seminar Room / The Smithy

A ground floor fully equipped meeting / teaching room with doors opening onto the courtyard, this doubles up as a convenient bar / refreshments area for events and parties.

Bedrooms

Each of our eight simply-furnished bedrooms has its own wash basin and hanging space. The bedrooms are arranged in three sections, each section having its own shower/toilet facilities. One section is accessible for visitors with disabilities. Linen is provided.

Kitchen

The large, modern fully-equipped kitchen is designed to cater for groups of up to 120 people. We aim to produce menus with food, where possible, sourced from the farm. Special dietary requirements are not a problem. We also like to support local suppliers, keeping food miles to the absolute minimum.

Roundhouse

Made from straw bales and other sustainable recycled / reclaimed materials, the roundhouse is situated slightly away from the main centre views views over the floodplain and River Axe. This unique and beautiful building is a very special, peaceful space for gatherings of up to 40 people. Meeting facilties can be provided. An ideal venue for an intimate family occasion such as a marriage or naming ceremony.

Courtyard

Beautifully landscaped with raised flower and herb beds, rustic seating and a small pond, this is the ideal setting for outdoor receptions, barbeques or teaching activities. A picturesque - but practical - feature is a handcrafted earth oven which is used for making home-made pizzas.

Tipis

Two tipis on the camp ground are available for meetings / breakout space and parties in the summer months. Schools can use them for a variety of activities from storytelling to crafts and games.

The Land

Provides a wonderful area for country wildlife walks, recreation, team building activities, fieldwork. We like all our visitors to experience the land and what our local countryside has to offer.

For more information about us please contact us

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