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I’m excited to introduce you to the Pixie Palace Hut Company that’s based in Northern Michigan. It’s a family owned business specializing in building English style Shepherd’s Hut Tiny Houses.
These Shepherd’s Hut tiny homes are unique because they’re designed and built on trailers with cast iron wheels. Originally beginning in the 1600s these structures were used as shelter for Shepherds while they tended their flocks during lambing season and they would tow them with by horse.
Inside you would find a tiny living space with a cooking area, sleeping quarters, sitting/living area, heat, and storage for all of your supplies. Today structures like these are being used as backyard accessory structures, tiny guest homes, bed and breakfasts, offices, writing cabins, and more.
English Shepherd’s Hut Tiny Houses: Pixie Palace Hut Company
Images © Pixie Palace Hut Co.
Original story by Rebecca Cameron with more information is available for you to read and enjoy below:
Images © Pixie Palace Hut Co.
Revival of the English Shepherd’s Hut by Rebecca Cameron owner of the Pixie Palace Hut Co. Makers of traditional English Shepherd Huts. www.shepherdhutsusa.com
The Shepherd’s Hut has been around for a long time dating back as early as the 1600’s from what records tell us. In Thomas Hardy’s “Far from the Madding Crowd” where Gabriel sat and tended his lamb in front of a warm stove, these huts evoke thoughts and memories of another era.
Their charm lies in their simplicity and portability! Originally starting in the 1600’s all the way through to the 1970’s they were designed as shelter for Shepherds while they tended their flocks especially during lambing season, often far from home. The hut combined, cooking area, sleeping quarters, sitting area, stove for heat and storeroom for supplies all rolled into one. Windows were on all sides of the hut so that the Shepherd could keep a watchful eye on his flock. A hinged stable door, which was always positioned away from the prevailing wind, enabled him to hear the sheep. Strong axles with cast iron wheels were used to withstand the motion whilst being towed by horse and later tractor from field to field.
Over the past few years Shepherds Huts have had quite a revival. There are over twenty independent craftsman companies in England, Australia & Canada restoring or reproducing this wonderful piece of English Heritage enabling many to enjoy the taste of this English rural idyll.
The remerging popularity as a delightful retreat has grown enormously, the ultimate mobile home for charm and character. Finding their way into people’s back yards, country estates, vineyards and campsites, the Shepherds hut is very versatile. Guest room, home office, den, teenage hangout, summer house, pool house, music room, artist studio, suana…. the list of uses are endless not forgetting that bathrooms, kitchens, wiring, bunk beds, sofa beds, cabinetry, lighting & heating can all be added.
There is also the commercial aspect. These make ideal units to rent out as mini vacation homes. Glamorous camping aka “glamping” offers people all the home comforts whilst still retaining the feeling of being in a romantic, get away from it all stresses of everyday life haven in a beautiful setting, maybe by a lake or on farm land or camp ground.
Owners of the Pixie Palace Hut Co. Rebecca & Larry Cameron have recently opened their business making these wonderful huts here in America in beautiful Northern Michigan. Years of painstaking research including several trips “across the pond” to meet with shepherd hut craftsman and visiting blacksmith’s forges, has gone into every aspect of the design and materials used to ensure maximum efficiency, beautiful esthetics and outstanding durability whilst remaining faithful to the classic proportions, taking pride in creating a bespoke and unique piece of art that will stand the test of time.
Larry builds the huts to the highest specifications using time-honored skills in his rural workshop in Northern Michigan. Contrary to the modern trend of modular built structures he is proud of the time that is involved in producing each individual hut to your specifications. Another important factor is sourcing materials for the shepherd hut from local vendors and artisans including using a small local metal fabricating company to build the running frame, a beautiful piece of engineering in itself!
A shepherd hut is for everyone who wants to get far from the madding crowd!
For more information contact [email protected]Â and you can also visit their website:Â http://www.shepherdhutsusa.com/
If you enjoyed these Shepherd’s Hut Tiny Houses by Pixie Palace Hut Company you’ll absolutely LOVE our free daily tiny house newsletter with even more! Thank you!
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Alex
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Very nice, always liked these wheeled huts. Kind of made me wonder how far back a wheeled tiny shelter goes and I bet not too long after the wheel came the idea to put up a tent in a chariot at night. The prospect of a nice dry floor up off the ground would make just as much sense then as now.
Adorable, but there is nothing glamorous about no bathroom.
We built this hut to augment ones existing accommodation, but certainly we can build them with a bathroom but we suggest the 16 foot length hut to accommodate this. This particular Shepherd Hut is 14 feet.