Ruthlin’s Family
James and Sarah have lived at Ruthlin since 2016, raising their two daughters, Hermione and Eleanor. The family live in the converted barn, but you can still see remnants of the original farm house in the grounds.
It's fortunate Ruthlin stands alone, because James has recently taken to learning the chanter which is a prerequisite before playing the bagpipes.
Ruthlin Farm was originally part of the Hilston Park Estate. On 17th October 1947, a Mr. G. A. Meek successfully bid on the fishing rights on a two and a half mile stretch of the Monnow. The less valuable part of the Lot was a dilapidated farm house and barn by the river – Ruthlin. (‘The History of Hilston Park’, Pamela Pugh).
Moving to Monmouthshire in 2007, James and Sarah were always drawn to Skenfrith, and by a fortuitous turn of events were able to move into the barn in September 2016, eventually purchasing Ruthlin in 2024.
Now the garage conversion is complete the next project is Operation Allotment. Watch this patch.
Comfortable night in the prettiest place ever!
Clementina, UK
The River Wild
Every now and again, the river reminds you whose valley it is.
On 14th November 2025, at 11:15pm, Storm Claudia caused the Monnow to rise rapidly, reaching a record-breaking peak of 5.08 metres at Skenfrith. Tragically, the village was devastated, while large areas of Monmouth flooded, triggering a major incident.
The resilience of Skenfrith families when the river rises is remarkable. They say it takes a village to raise a child. In Skenfrith, it takes a village to look after one another.
