Flower Power! It’s what makes me tick. I adore flowers and what I can create when working with them. Based in the beautiful county of Kent, Moody Blooms is a florist with over twenty years’ experience specialising in wedding and event flowers. Offering a highly personal, friendly and attentive service to provide a memorable experience and flowers that will delight the senses. If you’d like to share my flower vision, please get in touch.

Need a bar on wheels? We serve Portobello Craft Lager, Fizz, Cocktails and a range of spirits and mixers all from our charming converted minivan. Double Bubble is always a great talking point of any event. We can cater for all types of events whether it’s a wedding, corporate, public or private event also festivals.

The Flying Pig Kitchen has been established for over 25 years and is based in the South East of England. We are a family run business with a highly experienced team and offer a vast range of menus and services. We cater for all types of functions, specialising in weddings, parties and corporate events, seven days a week, large or small numbers. No two events are ever the same. We can tailor the menu to suit your function and we can provide you with a full catering service inc

Doug saved a derelict Dode from conversion to a house in the 1990’s and since then has worked tirelessly to breath life back into this important piece of history. Inspiring countless devotees along the way, he has a special gift for attracting people to Dode who wish to preserve its legacy and revitalise interest in this most special of places. Some six miles upstream of Stratford, the river Avon runs sinuously through enchanted parkland that has little changed since Shakespe

Resident celebrant Paul is quintessentially everything you would expect from a man of Dode, although perhaps more “Middle Earth” in appearance. Proud to be a Man of Kent, I’ve spent the vast majority of my life living around the county and travelling in the UK, from Lands Ends to John O’Groats developing a love of the countryside & an appreciation of the numerous ancient places dotted in the landscape. In 2013 I experienced my own Handfasting in Orkney; the ceremony taking pl

My name is Sian, and I am the Dreamweaver here at The Lost Village of Dode. It is a privilege to guide you as you shape your special day within this ancient and sacred place. Whether you are planning a wedding, civil ceremony, handfasting or blessing, I will walk beside you throughout, helping to weave your vision into something seamless, meaningful, and deeply memorable. With a background in people-centred roles, I bring care, organisation, and a steady hand to organise each

Matt is the steady hand behind many of the quiet workings that keep Dode standing strong. A master of practical skill and patient craft, he answers the call whenever something needs mending, shaping, or setting right — ensuring that the village continues to endure as it has for centuries. Yet Matt’s gifts are not only of wood, tool, and repair. He is also the one who captures Dode in its most fleeting moments. As the village’s photographer, he weaves light and shadow into las

Every ancient place has its keepers. At Dode, one of them just happens to have four paws, a soft tail, and a gift for knowing exactly when someone needs a gentle welcome. Gwen arrived at the Lost Village of Dode entirely on her own terms. No one brought her here; she chose Dode and decided it was home. Since then, she has become part of the fabric of the village, as present and reassuring as the old stones themselves. Visitors quickly learn that Gwen takes her role seriously.

Becca is the quiet force behind the comfort and care that surrounds those who stay at Dode. As warden of the retreat cottages, she ensures each guest arrives to a place of warmth, rest and welcome, tending both the details of booking and the gentle art of preparing each space. Her care extends beyond the cottages to the ancient church itself, where she brings a watchful eye and steady hand, helping to keep the sacred space as inviting and serene as it has been for centuries.

Bernard is Dode’s Warden of Lore: the keeper of its stories, its digital hearth, and the many small workings that keep the village alive in the modern world. From shaping the website and tending to all things technical, to helping with practical tasks that come with caring for an almost thousand‑year‑old place. Not long ago Bernard introduced a marvel so wondrous it would surely have been declared sorcery in the 12th century. With great care he has woven invisible threads of

Deep in the corners of the Lost Village of Dode, where ivy clings to ancient stone and the seasons turn in gentle rhythm, dwells Chris, known to villagers as The Green Man. Guardian of growing things, Chris tends the living heart of the village. Under his watchful care, flowers find their courage, herbs their fragrance, and grass its quiet strength. The old church walls are softened by climbing ivy that whisper of centuries past. It is said that he knows every root, every bra

At the edge of field and flint, where the path bends gently toward the ancient church, stands Anna, known among the villagers as the Guardian of the Gathering It is she who opens the door to Dode at open days and other public events. With care and a knowing presence, Anna prepares the space before each gathering: unlatching old wood, letting in the light, and ensuring that every arrival is met with warmth. To those who come seeking stillness, celebration, or simple curiosity,

In a quiet corner of the Kent countryside, where the breeze rustles through wild grasses and the birdsong is older than memory, lies a place that has always felt touched by the sacred. The Lost Village of Dode—cradled by the North Downs and wrapped in legend—is a haven for those seeking something ancient, something meaningful, and above all, something beautifully real. And now, Dode offers something entirely unique: Holly Henge, a solemn and sacred circle of ancient stones ne

Most fairy stories begin with ‘Once upon a time’. It’s a lovely opening line but it’s all a bit vague isn’t it? Here’s a story that’s isn’t about fairies (although I imagine they could well have the same problems) and a time line that isn’t in the least bit vague. In this promised tale of 700 years ago we know the actual days involved (thankfully not of the cause, but certainly of the effects!) But it’s such a good beginning that I’m going to use it anyway. Grab a cuppa and e

Here are 5 facts you may not know about Handfasting ceremonies at Dode. 1. Handfasting ceremonies predate Christian wedding ceremonies. Handfasting ceremonies were first documented almost 9,000 years ago, in Ireland. The Celtic tribes would symbolically join a couple using cord, ribbons or plaited cloth. The couple would declare their intention to marry in front of their families and the tribal elders. Some tribes would regard this as the full wedding, others had an engagemen

Deep in the North Kent countryside is a small ancient building with soul, it is all that remains of the village of Dode. The structure was built in 1100 and was once a place of worship for the villagers of Dode. In 1349 the Black Death swept through the village and wiped out the community. Without a congregation the small church was abandoned, never to be used for regular worship again. The church stood empty for centuries falling into ruin until it was bought by a local arch

The strange and compelling story of Dode If you would learn of history – of a fragment of rural history in these hidden vales of Kent – come with me to this Ghost Village of Dode – So wrote Donald Maxwell – 1926. This Little Norman Building is a rare and magical place indeed, looking almost exactly as it did over 900 years ago when it was first built in the reign of William Rufus, the son of the Conqueror. As you stand beneath the massive stone arch, you stand where, over 800

On Monday we held the first of our Carol Concerts, amongst a very full church it was lovely as always to see a good ‘smattering’ of couples whom we have married, unfortunately, with a lot going on I did not get a chance to chat with everyone. One of the people that we did have the opportunity of speaking to was Helen. Helen is one of those whose story brings home to both Mary & I the fact that Dode touches peoples lives, sometimes very deeply, and I know that she would not mi

The history of Dode is not the history of Kings & Queens, of great people- it is the story, individually and collectively of ordinary everyday people, people like myself, and if you will excuse me, Karen, people like you, who recently posted a picture of your unforgettable Christmas wedding in the snow back in 2009 with the warning ‘be careful what you wish for’. I have often wished that more people had recorded their own experiences and over the years I have written, for my

Wooded and winding in the road That leads to the mystery church of Dode Hiding high on Holly Hill Holy then and holy still At first they said “just a touch of ague” But far, far worse a monstrous plague “It won’t last long” the wise ones said Hardly stopped speaking and they too were dead Nobody left to mourn or to weep The village of Dode had gone to sleep Nobody left to work or to play The farms and the cottages crumbled away Joining the villagers under the clay A tragic si

One of the interesting things about looking after Dode is that you never know who you will meet next. Over the last 30 years I must have met literally thousands of people, I have been cuddled by an exceptionally tall Bishop, earnestly discussed Dode’s future with two Archbishops, answered the phone only to discover a Princess on the other end of the line, and (inadvertently) told a Foreign Sectary who had turned up unannounced that I was too busy to talk to him. Yesterday I a