Southernwood Castle makes up part of The Rocks, which began as a modest house among a large agricultural estate.

The house and grounds were extended throughout the late 18th and mid 19th century. The Rocks was valued as a romantic and private retreat during its heyday. An 18th century dovecot, 19th century towers, gateways, pleasure ponds and grottoes hidden in the woodlands, all combined into a picturesque landscape of great power. 

However, the solitude of The Rocks was shattered when in 1940 an airfield was built at nearby Colerne. The planes flew directly over The Rocks, and in 1957 over half of the buildings, including the original house were demolished.

Between the 1950’s and 1980’s the estate was used for arable farming, the remaining buildings left to ruin before being sold once again in 1980 to Hedley Smith and Edward Wittke. Saving the ruins from complete destruction a process of restoration and rebuilding began.

A portion of the site changed hands in 2019, and the owners - Stephen and Rebecca West have new ambitions for the grade 2 listed estate - to create a self sustaining collective of inhabitants and studio tenants, who wish to invest in the site and the wider landscape.