A quiet pursuit
- Jamie Crocker
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Words By Jamie Crocker The past lingers at Middle Colenso Farm. But it is a place with a renewed purpose.
It clings to the Cornish stone, worn smooth by wind and rain and settles in the folds of the Penwith landscape, a land of gorse and granite where the modern world feels distant. Once a working farm, its history stretches back to the Elizabethan age, but today it is something else entirely – a place of stillness, of retreat, where the hurried pace of life is exchanged for something altogether slower. Among the old barns and simple dwellings, redesigned with an eye for natural materials and mid-century elegance, is a venture unlike any other. It is here, beneath low-beamed ceilings and by the glow of lamplight, that The Reading Party unfolds.
Christen, who runs Middle Colenso with her husband Chris, remembers the seed of the idea taking root nearly three decades ago. At university, she took part in a reading party – an academic tradition where students would gather in a grand house, balancing scholarly discussions with long walks and solitary hours buried in books. The concept lingered with her, resurfacing years later when she began hosting fitness and writing retreats. Then came the realisation: why not extend the idea to reading? Not an academic exercise, nor a structured book club, but a simple invitation – to read, uninterrupted, in the company of others who cherished books as much as she did.
Much of what makes The Reading Party so seductive is its location. Removed from the distractions of daily life, Middle Colenso is hushed and contemplative. Participants arrive carrying their own books or selecting something from Christen’s library, and within hours, an unspoken rhythm settles over the group. There is no enforced conversation, no expectation to socialise, only the quiet companionship of others similarly lost in their pages.
“We spend so much time feeling guilty for taking a moment to read,” Christen reflects. “There’s always something more pressing – emails to answer, chores to do. I wanted to create a space where people could read without guilt, where the act of reading was not an indulgence but a purpose.”
That purpose is reinforced by the cadence of the days. Meals – prepared by Christen’s friend Helen, who sources local, seasonal ingredients – punctuate the hours of reading. Guests gather around the table, discussing books or drifting into other topics entirely. The conversation is fluid, shifting between literary discoveries and the small pleasures of the moment. In the afternoons, there are opportunities to visit the Morrab Library, an inconspicuous bibliotheca in Penzance filled with maritime lore and antiquarian treasures, or to wander the cliffs where the Atlantic scours the land’s edge. St Ives, with its galleries and sea-blown streets, is a popular excursion, though many guests choose to remain at the farm, book in hand, as the light slopes through the old windows.
Middle Colenso itself is a place of quiet and reverence. Set within a hamlet where farms have stood for centuries, its history is tangible in the stone walls and weathered beams. The buildings, some dating to the 18th century, have been restored with a sensibility that respects their rural heritage while embracing understated elegance. Christen has drawn inspiration from the buildings themselves, blending rustic textures with mid-century design. Slate, reclaimed wood, and linen dominate the interiors, creating an atmosphere that is as tactile as it is visual. The accommodation, though self-catering, is anything but impersonal. Christen and Chris live on-site, albeit discretely distanced, offering guests a personal welcome and, as a small gesture of hospitality, freshly baked scones with homemade jam on arrival. For some, the simple act of reading in company is a revelation. “I’ve been surprised by how natural it feels,” Christen admits. “Even though everyone is reading their own book, there’s something companionable about it. Readers are solitary by nature, but sometimes it’s a quiet pleasure to be alone together.”
The Reading Party is not prescriptive. Guests are free to follow their instincts – some consuming entire novels in the course of a weekend, others lingering over passages, annotating and reflecting. Christen introduces an optional theme: before arriving, each participant is sent a book with a Cornish setting or by a Cornish author, offering a literary map of the landscape surrounding them. Those unfamiliar with Cornwall often find their reading takes on a new resonance when walking its moors and cliff paths.
The sense of place is integral to the experience. West Cornwall is an ancient land of small open moors, vernacular hedged fields and shifting light, where the landscape itself tells stories. Those who venture beyond their books find themselves walking the same paths that inspired generations of artists and writers. The light here is particular, luminous in a way that has drawn painters to St Ives for over a century. But it is not only the coastline that captivates. The proximity to ancient monuments – the upright standing stones and stone circles scattered across the Penwith Moors – holds a fascination, too. Even those who arrive seeking nothing more than a few days of uninterrupted reading often find themselves drawn outdoors, if only for a brief, bracing walk before returning to their books.
TOP Christen in the barn
ABOVE There's plenty of comfortable seating for reading
One of the most memorable moments from the last retreat came when a guest proposed a question over dinner: name your desert island book. “It sparked a huge discussion,” Christen recalls, laughing. “No one could choose just one. Most of us struggled to pick three. But that’s the joy of it – being among people who understand the agony of narrowing down a list.”
There is no strict itinerary, no required reading list, and no expectation to contribute beyond one’s presence. Pilates and sauna sessions are available, offering another layer of happiness. In the end, the retreat is shaped by those who attend. Each group forms its own quiet chemistry, its own rhythm. Some guests remain in touch long after the weekend has ended, bonded by the simple experience of reading in the same room, sharing the same meals and walking the same paths.
Evenings settle softly at Middle Colenso. Lamplight glows in the barn where guests gather, books in hand. The crackle of a log fire punctuates the silence, and beyond the windows, the Cornish night unfurls, deep and dark. It is in these moments that the true essence of The Reading Party is felt – not in grand gestures or carefully orchestrated activities, but in the stillness, the shared reverence for the written word, and the quiet understanding that reading is a creative act worth dedicating time to.
“I’m happy with how it’s evolved,” Christen reflects. “Each retreat is different because each group brings something new to it. But at its heart, it’s always the same: a time to slow down, to read, to breathe.” Beyond The Reading Party, Middle Colenso offers other opportunities for those seeking a different kind of stillness. Its restored barns provide self-catering stays where the same unhurried atmosphere lingers, inviting guests to explore Penwith’s wild interior or simply enjoy the comfort of the thoughtfully designed spaces. The cottages offer a similar sense of retreat. Lovingly restored, each space balances simplicity with comfort, featuring open-plan living areas, wood-burning stoves, and carefully chosen furnishings. Large windows invite in the ever-changing Cornish light, while private gardens offer a secluded spot to sit and reflect.
Whether guests choose the snug familiarity of The Dairy or the generous proportions of The Barn, every detail has been considered to create a space for letting go of the outside world.
