Rosie Lee Wilson, a 34-year-old graphic designer, made a life-changing decision eight years ago when she traded her cramped London apartment for a self-built home in Rockaway Park, a hidden artist community nestled in the rural Somerset countryside between Bristol, Bath, and Glastonbury. The move represented a deliberate choice to prioritize community connection over urban convenience, a decision that has reshaped her daily experience and professional life. Wilson now works remotely for major clients like Carhartt and Champion from her converted barn home, which includes her own studio space, while paying just £85 per week in rent. This alternative living arrangement has not only reduced her housing costs significantly but has also provided her with an intergenerational support system that she found lacking in London's fast-paced environment.
Rockaway Park was established a decade ago by Mark, a former punk singer turned car broker, who created the five-acre community as an experiment in cooperative living. The site features a cluster of self-built structures constructed primarily from recycled and reclaimed materials, including open fields, a permaculture garden, a small library, a chapel, a café, and a venue for talks and performances. Approximately thirty residents across fifteen households contribute their weekly rent toward maintenance and development rather than profit, creating a sustainable model that has now become fully legal under English law after operating without formal permission for ten years. The community operates with remarkable flexibility, allowing residents to contribute through non-financial means when possible, such as the chef who runs the vegan café five days a week or the videographer who creates social media content for the site.
The community boasts a diverse mix of creative professionals ranging from actors and creative directors to carpenters and festival workers, with ages spanning from mid-twenties to sixties. Four children live on-site full-time, with another five visiting regularly, creating a grounded, intergenerational atmosphere that Wilson finds particularly meaningful. Notable residents include the creative director of Glastonbury's Shangri-La area and Bertie, the artist behind the famous Arcadia spider installation. This concentration of creative talent transforms the isolated location into a hub of artistic collaboration, where like-minded individuals constantly pass through, drawn by the unique environment and shared values.
Wilson's living situation has dramatically improved both financially and professionally, as she now saves £260 monthly compared to her £600 London rent, which would be equivalent to approximately £1,200 for a one-bedroom apartment in today's market. Her studio space sits seconds away from her living quarters, an unattainable luxury in London where artists typically juggle multiple jobs to afford both housing and workspace. While she occasionally takes the train to Bristol for in-person meetings, remote work has become second nature in her field, making the rural location irrelevant to her productivity. The financial freedom has allowed her to be more intentional with her lifestyle, cooking from scratch and avoiding the constant consumer temptations of city living.
The sense of community extends beyond casual friendship into practical, everyday support that Wilson compares to her upbringing in a new age traveling community. Single mothers with babies receive help that makes the difference between barely surviving and truly living, with neighbors responding to emergencies and providing last-minute childcare. This "it takes a village" approach creates a quiet security, where residents know someone will be there to lend tools, provide rides to medical appointments, or offer assistance during health scares. Wilson believes this multi-generational living model, common in many cultures but missing from modern urban life, allows people to age with dignity while being supported by younger community members.
Reflecting on her eight years at Rockaway Park, Wilson has rediscovered the profound value of intentional community that she didn't realize she had missed. The experience has taught her that choosing engagement levels and living in tune with seasons and forests provides a nourishing alternative to urban overstimulation. While she still enjoys visiting London's galleries and museums, she has no regrets about leaving behind conveniences like food delivery services. Though uncertain whether she'll stay forever, the prospect of growing old alongside friends who will care for one another represents an idyllic vision of aging that simply couldn't exist in a city apartment building.
