Cutest cottage on the road: It has period decor, a king-sized bed, even a wet room. And if you don't like the view, drive it to a new one 

  • Anne Bingham, 42, came up with the idea for the holiday cottage on wheels after quitting her job to set up campsite
  • Made the first one two years ago and have now created a further eight to keep up with the growing demand 
  • Basic shell of a Love Lane Caravan starts at £17,000 while a fully-finished deluxe one comes in at £38,000 

Awoken from my slumbers by the bucolic mooing of a distant herd of cows, I raise myself from my king-size bed and head next door into the wet room for a shower.

Suitably refreshed, next stop is the open-plan kitchen-diner for a plate of bacon and eggs cooked on the wood-fired stove and shared with the children.

Taking in the stunning view through the window, I point out a kestrel hovering over unseen prey in the valley below.

‘Boring,’ says my daughter Martha, a response that’s par for the course for a truculent five-year-old who dismissed The Shard as ‘not that tall’ on the train journey that took us from our home in Kent to our holiday in Devon, via London.

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Happy campers: Tom Rawstorne and his daughters Bea, left, and Martha, right, journeyed to Devon for the holiday

Happy campers: Tom Rawstorne and his daughters Bea, left, and Martha, right, journeyed to Devon for the holiday

Cramped caravan? Not this one - the steeply pitched ceiling, large windows and sunny colour scheme make a small space seem bright and airy

Moving on: It's legal to pull caravans with a standard towing vehicle - here's another dinky model

Moving on: It's legal to pull caravans with a standard towing vehicle - here's another dinky model

‘No problem,’ I tell her, only half in jest. ‘If you don’t like the view — we’ll change it.’

Because while the accommodation we are staying in is as luxurious and well-appointed as the most chi-chi of country cottages, there is a fundamental difference — this one is on wheels.

So to satisfy moaning members of the party it’s possible to simply wind up the legs, hitch the house to the back of the car and tow it to somewhere new.

Of course, some might say, isn’t that what caravans are for? But this isn’t a bog-standard beige tourer, all plastic trim and nylon furnishings. It’s bigger, better and much, much more beautiful — both inside and out.

Inspired by tin tabernacles — the pre-fabricated chapels used by Victorian preachers to spread the gospel around Britain and beyond — they have been designed to add to, rather than detract from, whatever setting they are installed in.

As for their interiors, no expense has been spared to create a space that combines vintage chic with luxury living.

‘They’re like doll’s houses for grown-ups,’ explains Anna Bingham, 42, who came up with the idea for a holiday cottage on wheels after quitting her job as a leading lingerie designer to set up a Cornish campsite with her partner.

‘We just thought anything that could combine outdoor living with quirky style had to be fun. We made the first one two years ago and have made a further eight — people really love them.’

But while the price tag may seem steep to some — the basic shell of a Love Lane Caravan starts at £17,000 while a fully-finished deluxe one comes in at £38,000 — the idea is they provide a permanent living space, rather than a glorified shed.

‘People rent them out as holiday lets or we do a version that would make the perfect home office,’ says Anna. ‘Others use them as overspill for grown-up children who either won’t leave home — or who have left, but boomeranged back.’

Not only are the tabernacles easy on the eye but, because they are mobile, they are highly practical, too. Despite their generous proportions, they have been designed so their overall measurements — four metres tall, 2.55 metres wide and up to 6.7 metres long — and wheels mean they fall within the legal definition of a caravan.

Anyone for bacon? Tom whips up breakfast for three on the wood-fired stove in the kitchen-diner area of the moveable home

Anyone for bacon? Tom whips up breakfast for three on the wood-fired stove in the kitchen-diner area of the moveable home

Plush surroundings: The cottage boasts vintage decor and all the home comforts that Tom and his children needed 

Plush surroundings: The cottage boasts vintage decor and all the home comforts that Tom and his children needed 

This means people can put them in their gardens without fear of falling foul of planning authorities.

‘Every planning authority has its own little rules but basically it means that within the grounds of your garden you can put a tabernacle, just as you could any normal, touring caravan,’ Anna says.

And, as I pointed out to Martha, there is the added advantage that if you tire of the view, all you need do is tow it into a new position. While their central axle and pneumatic tyres will easily cope with a short, slow tow, for those of a more ambitious bent, it is possible to have the tabernacles built on an even more substantial chassis, allowing them to be taken on the open road.

Again, they have been designed to be the maximum legal height, width and length to be towed on the highway by a regular car without the requirement of an escort.

‘They are fun to tow and we tow ours hundreds of miles with our Land Rover,’ says Anna.

‘However, it is a job for a patient person, as we recommend sticking under 45mph. And be prepared for a few odd looks as you go.’

Of course, for most people the joy of owning one of these architectural gems is the stylish living space.

Prospective owners can specify and tweak the basic layout.

Some feature a pair of double-bed bunk beds or an outside veranda, but the one I stay in with Martha and her sister Bea, ten, comes with its very own wet room.

The cottage, which features a wood-burner, is being rented out near Hartland in north-west Devon for between £300 and £550 per week, depending on the time of year

The cottage, which features a wood-burner, is being rented out near Hartland in north-west Devon for between £300 and £550 per week, depending on the time of year

Sleeping soundly: The steeply pitched roof inside the cottage gives an airy feeling, accentuated by the Cole and Son wallpaper 

Sleeping soundly: The steeply pitched roof inside the cottage gives an airy feeling, accentuated by the Cole and Son wallpaper 

It has recently been delivered to a field near Hartland in north-west Devon, where its new owner, Chris Underwood, runs Southole Barns, a collection of self-catering properties. The idea is that it will provide an additional pull for visitors wanting to stay somewhere secluded and special. It will be rented out per week for between £300 and £550, depending on the time of year.

And special it certainly is. From the outside, the first thing that strikes you is the pointed bell tower that sits atop, a nod to the original use of the buildings. Then there is its distinctive corrugated cladding, the stained glass windows and dinky porch.

Inside, the steeply pitched roof gives an airy feel, accentuated by beautiful Cole and Son wallpaper.

No detail has been missed — from the Bakelite switches for the lights, powered by a photovoltaic panel on the roof, to the exposed copper pipework. As for the practicalities, heating is provided by a cute wood-burner, cooking via a gas stove and on-tap hot water courtesy of a gas-powered boiler. There is also an electric fridge.

Of course, such mod-cons wouldn’t have been found in the original tabernacles. They date back to the mid-19th century when corrugated, galvanised iron began to first be used in buildings.

Realising the versatility of this material, several manufacturers began to produce pre-fabricated buildings that could be delivered by rail or sea anywhere in the world. Kits were first sent to the colonies and later to California and Australia for the gold prospectors. Soon after, the first iron-clad chapels, churches and school-houses were built.

That they were both popular — and durable — is shown by the fact that to this day 73 tabernacles survive in England, many of which are still in use.

Among them is St Mary’s Church at Cadgwith in Cornwall, the building that provided the inspiration for Anna’s modern-day take on the tabernacle.

No expense spared: The open-plan kitchen-diner. The basic shell of a Love Lane Caravan starts at £17,000 while a fully-finished deluxe one comes in at £38,000

No expense spared: The open-plan kitchen-diner. The basic shell of a Love Lane Caravan starts at £17,000 while a fully-finished deluxe one comes in at £38,000

The tabernacle stayed in by Tom and his two daughters comes with its very own brightly painted wet room for washing

The tabernacle stayed in by Tom and his two daughters comes with its very own brightly painted wet room for washing

Tom said the tabernacles, with their wide range of potential uses, are likely to appeal to people of all ages

Tom said the tabernacles, with their wide range of potential uses, are likely to appeal to people of all ages

At the time she and her partner, Dan Mullaly, were running a campsite in the nearby village of Constantine, converting and renting out vintage vehicles for people to stay in.

They had moved to the South-West eight years ago, having quit successful careers in London — Anna designed lingerie for Victoria’s Secret, Selfridges, Liberty and Topshop, while Dan was a tour manager for bands such as Madness and The Waterboys.

As their camping business grew, they found it increasingly difficult to source old vehicles to convert and so came up with the idea of making their own from scratch.

‘The idea of re-modelling a historic building really appealed to us,’ says Anna. ‘They are very much miniature houses, rather than elaborate garden sheds, and when they are fully fitted out they feel super-cute.’

While Anna uses her design skills to equip each tabernacle with reclaimed items of architectural interest and to fine-tune the finishes, Dan overseas a team of local craftsmen to ensure they are both practical to use and built to last as long as the originals.

The end results are unique and, with their wide range of potential uses, likely to appeal to people of ages. Even if the occasional five-year-old can’t be persuaded to admit it.

 

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