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A Place of Refuge: An Experiment in Communal Living—The Story of Windsor Hill Wood
Five years ago, Tobias Jones and his wife set up a woodland sanctuary for people in a period of crisis in their lives.
Windsor Hill Wood quickly becomes a well-known refuge, and a family home is transformed into a small community. Most people arrive because of a desperate need—bereavement, depression, addiction or homelessness—while others come simply because they are dismayed by modern life.
A Place of Refuge is the story of an evolving community: the characters and conflicts, the miracles and mistakes. As the seasons turn in the bustling woodland, an ever-changing group of people try to share their money, their meals and ideals; making furniture, growing vegetables and rearing livestock. Encountering both violent antagonism and astounding generosity, the family open up not only their house, but also themselves, to the most demanding of judgements and transformations.
This book is not about a retreat from the world, but about a deeper engagement with it. Living alongside troubled guests, Jones examines the consequences of our way of life—seeing up close the scars of war, abuse and loneliness—and contemplates the ways in which nature and stillness offer solace to those in torment.
Windsor Hill Wood quickly becomes a well-known refuge, and a family home is transformed into a small community. Most people arrive because of a desperate need—bereavement, depression, addiction or homelessness—while others come simply because they are dismayed by modern life.
A Place of Refuge is the story of an evolving community: the characters and conflicts, the miracles and mistakes. As the seasons turn in the bustling woodland, an ever-changing group of people try to share their money, their meals and ideals; making furniture, growing vegetables and rearing livestock. Encountering both violent antagonism and astounding generosity, the family open up not only their house, but also themselves, to the most demanding of judgements and transformations.
This book is not about a retreat from the world, but about a deeper engagement with it. Living alongside troubled guests, Jones examines the consequences of our way of life—seeing up close the scars of war, abuse and loneliness—and contemplates the ways in which nature and stillness offer solace to those in torment.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2015
11 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Tobias Jones
27 books50 followersTobias Jones was on the staff of the London Review of Books and the Independent on Sunday before moving to Parma in 1999. He is a regular contributor for the British and Italian press.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 29, 2020
Upon starting this book, I quite fancied myself setting up something similar; a community to help those of us who need help. However, having just finished it, I have to be honest with myself...
I really don’t think I have what it takes to do what the Jones family has done/continues to do.
They deserve our utmost respect and admiration. They raise the bar on compassion, openness, patience, forgiveness, and let’s not forget love.
This book perfectly illustrates how difficult life is for so many of us. In that respect it’s a meditation on the art of being human, with all of our faults and follies unashamedly laid out on the table for all to see.
But it’s also a meditation on nature; and how by taming her, she tries to tame us.
And when she succeeds the tamed becomes the tamer.
Working with nature heals us. And she heals us because, in her subtle way, she reminds us that by working on her we’re working on ourselves, because we are her.
Humans are nature, and we’d be foolish to think otherwise.
As Alan Watts said, “The universe peoples, just as the apple tree apples.”
I really don’t think I have what it takes to do what the Jones family has done/continues to do.
They deserve our utmost respect and admiration. They raise the bar on compassion, openness, patience, forgiveness, and let’s not forget love.
This book perfectly illustrates how difficult life is for so many of us. In that respect it’s a meditation on the art of being human, with all of our faults and follies unashamedly laid out on the table for all to see.
But it’s also a meditation on nature; and how by taming her, she tries to tame us.
And when she succeeds the tamed becomes the tamer.
Working with nature heals us. And she heals us because, in her subtle way, she reminds us that by working on her we’re working on ourselves, because we are her.
Humans are nature, and we’d be foolish to think otherwise.
As Alan Watts said, “The universe peoples, just as the apple tree apples.”
August 18, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has lived in an intentional community or would like to know what living an intentional community can be like. Tobias writes about the different stages (a large chapter per year) and the emotional impact on him and his family by sharing his family life with people with all kinds of problems. Having lived in a community, in some aspects similar to his, a lot of what he writes about is very recognizable e.g. the lack of having any downtime, the never ending demands, but also some of the lessons learned. He shares the insights gained by living this way. He says that 'the majority of people who come here don't want to be helped, they want to help out'. The real problem in society nowadays being 'a lack of belonging': people want to be part of something and he refers to authors like Henry Nouwen and Jean Vanier. According to Tobias, most his guest are suffering primarily from loneliness. Tobias vividly describes the many guests that come and go. He realizes that for many it is the first time that the virtual world of the screen is being replaced by manual labour such as splitting wood, taking care of the pigs, and planting trees and notices how people love doing these manual jobs which connect them back with nature. He also raises the question of the effectiveness of the conventional established medical healthcare, the so called 'professionals' vs the simple practice of compassion in small homelike, quiet, supportive and tolerant social environment by a 'non'-professional staff.
December 6, 2019
Windsor Hill Wood is an experiment in communal living on a small forested property in the UK. Five or six (typically off-balance) people are hosted, taught, and counseled by the generous Jones family: Toby (the author), his wife Francesca, and their three young children. The book is a curious depiction of a wide variety of personalities working together, some who stay for years while others stay for only a few days. No plot or HEA, the book is more of a diary of what happened there during their first five years of operation. As a report on the pros, cons, and challenges of communal living, it is a fascinating read.
July 20, 2020
Really interesting and engaging diary. The author manages to explain how to balance sharing his family and home with complex characters with insightful self reflection and analysis of human trauma. The energy required from Tobias and his family to make Windsor Hill Wood a success is inspiring and downright exhausting to read about! Their patience and ability to give people their space to 'be' really leaves the reader with a lesson to reflect on long after the book has ended. Hats off to the author for documenting a truly unique part of his and his guest's lives.
4.3/5
4.3/5
May 21, 2019
Fascinating insights into the making of a community with an open door policy. The writing at times was challenging, felt like a diary jumping from one character to another, with no other aim. Still worth the reading.
December 29, 2018
Interesting and well-written, providing deep insight into human psychology.
November 13, 2021
Such an interesting book. The human stories it contains are discussed with such care and thoughtfulness
August 19, 2015
A Place of Refuge (The Story of Windsor Hill Wood)~ An Experiment in Communal Living by Tobias Jones. Published in 2015 by Quercus Publishing, Ltd, London.
‘This is a story about a woodland sanctuary in Somerset. My wife, Francesca and I set up with the sole purpose of offering refuge to people going through period of crisis in their lives.’ Is how this books begins!
Tobias Jones and his wife and small family, two daughters and then during the five years of the experiment, a son, Leo decided after spending time in a community in Dorset that they would try and set up one of their own. They moved into a large family house in the middle of a long forgotten land, next to an abandoned quarry and began, what appears to be a crazy and sometimes bizarre community of those struggling with ‘addictions, bereavement, separation, depression, penury, eating disorders, homelessness, PTSD, and all other ailments, illnesses and misfortunes that beset us in life.’
He says that those five years were ‘gruelling, exhilarating…’ and all words in between. They welcomed into their sanctuary such colourful characters that even their two daughters gave them unusual nicknames, such as; Roadkill Kev, Trevor Whatever, Mary Poppins and Marshmallow and many more. All those that came to the sanctuary had to abide by strict rules, no alcohol, drugs, swearing, violence, or intimate relationships between others at the sanctuary were allowed and several of the members were asked to leave because of violation to the rules.
However, after many struggles, and burn out experienced both by Tobias and Francesca the community began to come together and although they accepted, that there would always be problems, it was actually working and people were being helped to get their life back on track, not by medical intervention or even counselling, but by working together within nature. The people that came to stay at the community helped to physically build it to. They built shelters, pig pens, chicken coups, a Forest school and even a large lake, they also had to work in the house, cooking, washing up, cleaning etc.
He ends the book by quoting Henri Nouwen, ‘Hospitality becomes community as it creates a unity based on the shared confession of our basic brokenness…a community not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision.’ Windsor Hill Wood has, I hope been a place of visions. It’s somewhere people glimpse a future they thought they didn’t have.’
The book takes you on a five year journey through the ups and downs of the community and the colourful characters that come along, their frailties and ailments and how through physically working within nature many of them were healed and sent on their way to a better future and a greater belief in themselves. Tobias Jones had a vision and set about bringing that vision alive, by helping those misfits the world had abandoned in some way or other. He made a difference to others and it also changed the way he saw his own life and that of his children. Well written and pleasing to read, very enjoyable.
‘This is a story about a woodland sanctuary in Somerset. My wife, Francesca and I set up with the sole purpose of offering refuge to people going through period of crisis in their lives.’ Is how this books begins!
Tobias Jones and his wife and small family, two daughters and then during the five years of the experiment, a son, Leo decided after spending time in a community in Dorset that they would try and set up one of their own. They moved into a large family house in the middle of a long forgotten land, next to an abandoned quarry and began, what appears to be a crazy and sometimes bizarre community of those struggling with ‘addictions, bereavement, separation, depression, penury, eating disorders, homelessness, PTSD, and all other ailments, illnesses and misfortunes that beset us in life.’
He says that those five years were ‘gruelling, exhilarating…’ and all words in between. They welcomed into their sanctuary such colourful characters that even their two daughters gave them unusual nicknames, such as; Roadkill Kev, Trevor Whatever, Mary Poppins and Marshmallow and many more. All those that came to the sanctuary had to abide by strict rules, no alcohol, drugs, swearing, violence, or intimate relationships between others at the sanctuary were allowed and several of the members were asked to leave because of violation to the rules.
However, after many struggles, and burn out experienced both by Tobias and Francesca the community began to come together and although they accepted, that there would always be problems, it was actually working and people were being helped to get their life back on track, not by medical intervention or even counselling, but by working together within nature. The people that came to stay at the community helped to physically build it to. They built shelters, pig pens, chicken coups, a Forest school and even a large lake, they also had to work in the house, cooking, washing up, cleaning etc.
He ends the book by quoting Henri Nouwen, ‘Hospitality becomes community as it creates a unity based on the shared confession of our basic brokenness…a community not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision.’ Windsor Hill Wood has, I hope been a place of visions. It’s somewhere people glimpse a future they thought they didn’t have.’
The book takes you on a five year journey through the ups and downs of the community and the colourful characters that come along, their frailties and ailments and how through physically working within nature many of them were healed and sent on their way to a better future and a greater belief in themselves. Tobias Jones had a vision and set about bringing that vision alive, by helping those misfits the world had abandoned in some way or other. He made a difference to others and it also changed the way he saw his own life and that of his children. Well written and pleasing to read, very enjoyable.
October 30, 2016
Tobias and Francesca Jones open up their home in Windsor Hill Woods, Somerset to guests going through a crisis of one sort or another and create an extended household in the woodlands. Guests come and go through the five years this book covers and we get a reflection on what worked and what didn't work. It's a therapeutic community with no 'professionals' just people with increasing amounts of experience and friendly folk around to give a hand, and a place where everyone in the household can have the space to start looking at their own lives.
Community living is rarely very fluffy and the Jones's open door policy means they do have people come through that door who have very big challenges and issues to deal with. Community living is also not new and I really appreciated some of the glimpses of wisdom from other settings that they were able to bring, and adapt, into their own setting. Creating connections with people is a powerful thing to do and this place of hard work seems to have offered refuge to many people along the way.
And they heated the whole place by wood?? Respect. That is hard, hard work! (I would also be totally up for reading Francesca's view on these five years if she ever wrote them.)
Community living is rarely very fluffy and the Jones's open door policy means they do have people come through that door who have very big challenges and issues to deal with. Community living is also not new and I really appreciated some of the glimpses of wisdom from other settings that they were able to bring, and adapt, into their own setting. Creating connections with people is a powerful thing to do and this place of hard work seems to have offered refuge to many people along the way.
And they heated the whole place by wood?? Respect. That is hard, hard work! (I would also be totally up for reading Francesca's view on these five years if she ever wrote them.)
January 5, 2016
Wonderful
Incredibly honest story of a family sharing their home, land and life with numerous strangers in crisis. At times I felt exhausted just reading about their experience, can't imagine what the reality must have been. Have read that this has been optioned for film - what a fab film this would make, there's romance, comedy, high drama , politics and its all set in Somerset, home of the Wickey Hole witch, Glastonbury and numerous strangely named villages where countless other British films have been filmed e.g.. Hot Fuzz. Toby, you write beautifully and its been an education reading this book, but I think all praise must go to the leading ladies in your life, namely, Francesca, Benny and Emma who truly enrich this tale, your love for them is palpable.
Incredibly honest story of a family sharing their home, land and life with numerous strangers in crisis. At times I felt exhausted just reading about their experience, can't imagine what the reality must have been. Have read that this has been optioned for film - what a fab film this would make, there's romance, comedy, high drama , politics and its all set in Somerset, home of the Wickey Hole witch, Glastonbury and numerous strangely named villages where countless other British films have been filmed e.g.. Hot Fuzz. Toby, you write beautifully and its been an education reading this book, but I think all praise must go to the leading ladies in your life, namely, Francesca, Benny and Emma who truly enrich this tale, your love for them is palpable.
February 18, 2017
A cautionary tale of sorts chronicling the slow demise of an idealistic communal living solution in the present day, where the well-intentioned efforts of the journalist and his wife to offer refuge to those living on society's fringes doesn't quite prove as rewarding. It has some really lucid and engaging bits of living-off-the-land and botanical descriptions but the overall narrative written with that tiresome 20/20 hindsight, alternating between apologia and dismay conveying idealism inevitably melting into pragmatism was somewhat repetitive and rather depressing. I also founds parts of it over-written, and the aimless-diary feel of it was hard to shrug as it ran flitting from one character to another in broad strokes.
October 13, 2015
An amazingly honest insight into the trails and tribulations of running a commune with a true open door policy. A book that makes you want to run and join them in the woods if only for a few days - to find peace and an escape from the rampant consumerism and commercialism of modern life.
October 29, 2015
Fascinating but strangely silent on the Christian motivation behind the community. I would have loved to read more about what spurred them into communal living and what the five years has taught him about the heart of God.
July 23, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this. An honest, inspirational and well-written description of helpful people creating community. I'm both envious and well aware that I would not be capable of doing what the family are doing! Kudos to them.
August 24, 2022
A transportative and positive book about humanity that doesn't shy away from the trials and tribulations of this kind of living. It is a hopeful book, and one that was a well-needed literary forest-bath during lockdowns.
August 9, 2015
Real stories of life
Accessible, descriptive psychology, and difficulties of recovery and lots of humour. Really liked the characters , very readable . Just excellent.
Accessible, descriptive psychology, and difficulties of recovery and lots of humour. Really liked the characters , very readable . Just excellent.
July 11, 2016
loved the stories, the growth of Windsor Hill Wood, the changing of the seasons and the writing. Inspired by the value of community, despite and in spite of the frailty of humanity.
October 24, 2016
I loved this book. If only I had the guts to do it. Really liked how well he sprinkles theory with practice, so it never gets boring but is still really informative.
Must read Bonhoeffer now.
Must read Bonhoeffer now.
Read
December 22, 2015Excellent abd insightful book. Enjoyed his insights and really admirable way of living.
August 11, 2016
Inspiring and funny.
June 8, 2017
If the idea of communal living and social work is interesting to you, then this is a very interesting book, which is also well written. I very much enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews