A couple who bought a cottage for £1,000 have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses.

Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in 1964 after buying the 17th century derelict property for £1,250.

The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home, now called Spindle Cottage.

But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren.

The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 with a spiral black staircase inside. The second one was an Elizabethan shed for Tom in 2003 made with oak railway sleepers. The third one for Charlotte looks like a post office and shop, built in 2005 with Indian bricks and sandstone blocks.

Ruth’s Cottage. Release date November 25 2024. A couple who bought a cottage for £1K have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses. Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in Somerset in 1964 - after buying the 17th Century derelict property for £1,250. The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home - now called Spindle Cottage. But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren. The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 - with a spiral black staircase inside.
Ruth's Cottage (Tom Wren / SWNS)
Angel Bunting inside Ruth’s Cottage. Release date November 25 2024. A couple who bought a cottage for £1K have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses. Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in Somerset in 1964 - after buying the 17th Century derelict property for £1,250. The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home - now called Spindle Cottage. But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren. The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 - with a spiral black staircase inside.
The spiral staircase inside Ruth's cottage (Tom Wren / SWNS)

It is now of the most unique gardens and holiday cottages in Britain.

The cottage, shepherd’s hut, gardens and playhouses have featured on BBC’s Gardeners’ World, Open Gardens and Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces.

Angela said: "As soon as we knew there was a baby coming and Alban waited for the birth and he made it for Ruth - she absolutely loved it when she came on holiday.

"Tom loved his playhouse - he told Ruth and Charlotte 'you can't go in here unless you have my permission' - he was quite a character.

"Once he got a mobile phone he could take pictures of them and said 'if you break in here I am going to take pictures of you and I am going to call the police'".

Asking why they moved from Hertfordshire to Somerset Angela explained they spotted a cottage in a village in Somerset that was in need of repairs.

She said: “When we found this one we thought this is in the worst stage but it has the most potential.”

Ruth’s Cottage.Release date November 25 2024. A couple who bought a cottage for £1K have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses. Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in Somerset in 1964 - after buying the 17th Century derelict property for £1,250. The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home - now called Spindle Cottage. But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren. The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 - with a spiral black staircase inside.
Ruth's Cottage (Tom Wren / SWNS)
Ruth’s Cottage.Release date November 25 2024. A couple who bought a cottage for £1K have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses. Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in Somerset in 1964 - after buying the 17th Century derelict property for £1,250. The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home - now called Spindle Cottage. But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren. The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 - with a spiral black staircase inside.
Ruth's Cottage (Tom Wren / SWNS)

Ruth’s Cottage. Release date November 25 2024. A couple who bought a cottage for £1K have turned it into the ultimate playground for their grandkids - including three life-size playhouses. Alban, 86, and Angela Bunting, 82, moved from Hertfordshire to Binegar in Somerset in 1964 - after buying the 17th Century derelict property for £1,250. The pair moved their lives from Hertfordshire to the small village and Alban skillfully renovated the falling down home - now called Spindle Cottage. But when Alban was told him and his wife were going to be grandparents he decided to design and build three playhouses for their much-loved grandchildren. The first creation was a cottage in Gothic style built for Ruth in 2002 - with a spiral black staircase inside.
Ruth's Cottage (Tom Wren / SWNS)

When they moved in three years later after buying the house they came back with two boys, and their third son would be later born in the cottage's upstairs room.

When their boys left they decided to turn the cottage into a holiday let to make extra money - with people from all over the country and abroad visiting.

With their middle son having three kids, Alban let his creative side take over once more and build the three playhouses for their grandchildren.

Angela said: "People on holiday, once they got to know what we were doing, would gather tins and things for the post office and people kept bringing things for us and that's how we filled it all up - including a metal till."

But now as their grandchildren have grown up to play in their designed houses they are used by kids in the village or tourists who stay in the cottage.

The year each element was built or created within the cottage by Alban has been carved in stone, wood and beams.

For more information visit Spindle Cottage here: https://www.spindlecottage.co.uk/