‘Our mutual ownership principle enables a fine building like this to be shared.’ | Photo of Maningham courtesy of Jackie Carpenter
Body building: Jackie Carpenter on community living
‘A spiritual basis strengthens community life.’
Friendship Cohousing, a Quaker Recognised Body, has purchased a property in Cornwall and community members are moving in. We intend to create a centre that will enable and encourage people to set up more cohousing communities. We also want to help with aspects of climate change, including climate justice, self-sufficiency, permaculture, rewilding, regenerative agriculture, adaptation and spiritual awareness.
Community living is an important option in this uncertain world. Cohousing communities are intentional communities, created and run by their residents. Each household has a private unit as well as shared community space and land. Residents come together to manage their community, share activities, and regularly eat together. I would like to work with Friends in other areas who wish to set up Quaker-based communities.
The new community members at Maningham believe that a spiritual basis strengthens community life, and they are looking forward to living with people who also consider spirituality to be important. This includes not only Quakers but Buddhists and others with an unspecified naturalistic approach. Although the new community will be for people of all faiths and none, its ethics are based on the Quaker testimonies of Truth, Peace, Equality and Sustainability.
In the community, quiet meetings will be held in the old dining room, where once the butler served meals. Maningham, built in 1783, is near the church in Illogan and close to the sea on the north coast of Cornwall. The community’s mutual ownership principle enables a fine, quality building like this to be shared by ordinary people who are willing to club together. This can create spaces for people who don’t have the capital to enable them to be equal members.
Twelve founder members are moving into the building. They will form a single household and will share communal spaces. The new owners plan to respect the beauty of the large gardens and establish areas for growing food, including a forest garden. An additional three acres of woodland is open to the public.
We are so lucky to be moving into this beautiful house and garden. Pooling resources and working together is going to make a big difference to our own lives, and we hope we shall be in a good position to help others develop sustainable lifestyles too.
Once the community has settled in, we plan to hold open days, retreats and educational activities. Please do keep us in mind.
Jackie is a director of the UK Cohousing Network. For more information please visit www.friendshipcohousing.org.uk.
