Following proverbial advice, the roof of the Shippon at Cylinders Estate has been fixed whilst the sun has been shining, with local builder Mike Hodgson retaining as many of the original slates as possible and only replacing with local Lake District blue slate where necessary.

Mike Edmondson, who farms in the Langdale, has removed the concrete floor of the dairy. Charlotte Skene Catling is designing an underfloor heating system powered by a masonry stove which will be installed in the coming months, then a level concrete floor will be poured.

Our aim is to have a working space ready by next spring. The grounds of Cylinders have also been prepared for winter, with Grizedale Arts’ team of volunteers using a flail mower in areas where brambles have been removed to prevent grow back.

In early December, Adam Lowe and Ferdinand Saumarez Smith will be travelling to the Lake District to talk about the project at a seminar titled “Reform Life”, organised by Grizedale Arts.