Summer 2025 Craft Retreat
Accommodation, Facilities
and Location
This page is full of information. Use the menu on the left to help navigate to the various sections, or you can simply enjoy scrolling and reading.
About Kingham Hill School
Main School
Durham House
Severn House
Veritas Building
Norwich House
Lodge House Entrance
Accommodation
Let's get straight to the point... The accommodation is basic!
The beds and rooms are designed with students of the boarding school in mind who live there throughout the academic year. It's actually very clever how the beds have been designed, with the wardrobes, drawers and desks being an integral part of the construction. The mattresses are all super comfy memory foam with a tough protective cover on.
Bedding is provided but, bringing a few extra home comforts like an extra pillow, a blanket or sheet just makes sleep much easier when in a new place.
The single rooms are exactly that, small with a single bed, wardrobe, drawers and desk space, but they provide the privacy that most adult students are looking for.
Single and twin rooms are limited in number but the dormitories offer a much larger space and a great place to stay with friends, new or old.
Just imagine you're back on the best school field trip you ever had, making friends, telling stories and sharing midnight snacks but having to keep quiet in case the teachers came around to tell you off. Someone always starts giggling and before you know it, there's 3 or 4 of you laughing so hard together and making memories.
The beds vary in height - low, mid and high. At Curious Creatives we try our best to make sure everyone is in either a low or mid bed. But, several tutors and students have also regressed back to childhood memories and put the mattress on the floor, indoor camping style, and have found this to be comfortable and fun. Just don't make a fire pit in the room!
5 Bed Dorm - Mid Height Beds
3 Bed Dorm - Mid Height Beds
Twin Room - Low Bed & High Bed
Single Room - Low Bed
4 Bed Dorm - Mid Height Beds
Step-up without stool
Using a Step-Stool to get in and out of a Mid Height Bed
* Note: Stool is students own and not provided
by KH School or Curious Creatives
Sitting on Mid-Height Bed
Facilities
Toilet and shower facilities are shared but don't worry, every individual shower and toilet is contained within its own cubicle (phew!).
Sneaking out at 1am to use the toilet whilst trying not let any doors slam is an adventure in itself. But, students and tutors have reassured us at Curious Creatives that this only adds to the fun of the 'Boarding School' experience.
House Social Areas
Each boarding house has a lounge and full kitchen/diner (for storing those midnight snacks). Residents on the Craft Retreat will benefit from eating together daily in the main dining room whilst enjoying the delicious and fresh food prepared by the excellent catering team.
Norwich House Games Room
Norwich House Lounge
Durham House Kitchen
Norwich House Kitchen
Durham House Lounge
Severn House Lounge
Severn House Games Room
Lodge House Lounge
Lodge House Kitchen
Wifi and Mobile Signal
There is free wifi accessible to all guests on the Craft Retreat, however there is very little in the way of mobile phone signal. Students and tutors regularly comment about how nice it is to be free of the constant connectivity of their phones and subsequently completely embrace the retreat and the beautiful surroundings.
Swimming
Kingham Hill School has a 25m swimming pool which is available for Craft Retreat Guests to use during 'Membership Open Hours' during the week. Additional cost applies.
Food and Drink
The catering team at the school really do care about the food they prepare, cook and present. They are able to accommodate nearly all dietary requirements and provide excellent, healthy and nutritional meals. Below is a sample of the 2023 Craft Retreat menu
The Shep Bar
There is a bar on site! The school operated this on an 'Honesty Bar' policy in 2023which meant that the bar was open whenever students wanted. Here's the price list for 2023 (please note it may change slightly in 2025). Requests for specific drinks are also catered for, so long as we give the hospitality team enough notice.
Accessibility
The Veritas building, where most of the craft courses take place is wheelchair accessible and has a lift installed. This building was built in 2016 and therefore is very mobility friendly. However, the Student Houses were built in the 1800's and have steps outside as well as steps and stairs inside.
Whilst the school may be able to provide ramps to allow access to the house, we cannot guarantee that the room allocated would be on a level floor with toilet and showering facilities.
Potential students may be able to join the retreat on a non-residential basis but transport and accommodation would be the responsibility of the student. If this is an option you are considering please use the form below to discuss this further.
Location Maps & Travel
Travelling by Car
Kingham Hill School is situated in the Cotswolds, with the nearest urban areas being Stratford-upon-Avon (M40), Oxford (M40), Swindon (M4) and Cheltenham Spa (M5). The nearest major airports are Heathrow and Birmingham. The School sits between the market towns of Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford, with the nearest villages being Kingham and Cornwell.
Road Directions: Sat Nav or internet directions that go via Hastings Hill in Churchill are misleading, as this is a private road and a card operated security barrier prevents access to School grounds.
From the North: Take the A44 from Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Norton. At the Greedy Goose pub turn right on to the A436 towards Stow-on-the-Wold and after 1 mile take the 2nd left, signposted Kingham Hill School. Take this road through the trees for half a mile, go straight across at the crossroads (towards Kingham) and the School is half a mile up the hill on the left.
From East: Take the A44 from Chipping Norton to Moreton-in-Marsh. At the Greedy Goose pub turn left on to the A436 towards Stow-on-the-Wold. After 1 mile take the 2nd left, signposted Kingham Hill School. Take this road through the trees for half a mile, go straight across at the crossroads (towards Kingham) and the School is half a mile up the hill on the left.
From the South: Take the A361 from Burford to Chipping Norton. 6 miles out of Burford take the left turn signposted Kingham. After 2.4 miles there is a T- junction; turn left towards Kingham (B4450). Take the first right turn to Kingham, and follow the road right through the village, past the village green, then straight on and up the hill. The School is situated one mile beyond the village, near the top of the hill on the right.
From West: Take the A436 from Stow-on-the-Wold to Chipping Norton. After 3 miles go over the railway bridge near Adlestrop, and ignore the right turn to Daylesford and Kingham, instead continuing for another mile up the hill, and take the right fork marked Cornwell. Go 0.8 miles along the road bordered by trees and dry stone walls. At the first crossroads turn right towards Kingham. The School is half a mile up the hill on the left.
Travelling by Train
Kingham village is served by Kingham train station with regular services from London Paddington and Worcester.