Last updated: July 2026. These terms should be read alongside the house rules in the welcome book in your shepherd's hut.
Bookings for stays at Wickham Orchard are accepted by Wickham Orchard Ltd (the Company, we, us). Wickham Orchard is a trading name of Wickham Orchard Ltd.
The contract is deemed to have been made once the Guest has made a booking and we have dispatched a confirmation of booking. The Guest must be over 18 years of age at the time of booking.
All Guests must read, agree, and adhere to these Terms and Conditions and the house rules set out in the welcome book within the shepherd's hut. This should be done upon arrival, failing to do so is a breach of Wickham Orchard's Terms and Conditions and we reserve the right to end the stay without refund.
Booking
The Guest who makes the booking is deemed to have agreed to these Terms and Conditions and will be responsible for all persons included in the booking and should ensure that they are all aware of these Terms & Conditions. We reserve the right to decline any booking, or refuse to hand over an access code, to any person who has not complied with these Terms & Conditions.
Payment
Unless we agree otherwise in writing, full payment is taken by card at the time of booking through our payment provider. Your booking is not confirmed until payment has been taken and a confirmation sent to you.
Security hold
Shortly before or at the time of booking we place a refundable hold of £200 on the payment card used for the booking. Nothing is taken so long as the shepherd's hut is left as it was found and no damage or additional cleaning is required. The hold is released within 48 hours of check-out.
Cleaning
A cleaning fee is included in the price of your stay. The Guest is nonetheless responsible for leaving the shepherd's hut in a similar state to which they found it, reasonable wear and tear excepted; otherwise, an additional cleaning charge will be levied. Please abide by this convention so we can continue to offer good value to Guests.
Number of People staying at Wickham Orchard
Each shepherd's hut sleeps a maximum of two guests, and we permit only those named on the booking (and no one else) to occupy the shepherd's hut. The Guest must declare the correct number of guests at the time of booking and, if this changes, must inform us before the stay commences. We may refuse entry, or make an additional charge, where the number of Guests differs from the number on the booking.
Arrival/Departure
Unless otherwise agreed, shepherd's huts are available for occupation from 4.00pm on the day of arrival and must be vacated by 10.00am on the day of departure. Check-in is by keypad, using a code sent to you before arrival, so you may let yourself in at any time from check-in. Early check-in and late check-out can sometimes be arranged for a small fee; please ask and we will let you know if it is possible around other bookings.
Availability during school term time
Wickham Orchard is used as a Forest School by a local primary school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Lewisham school term time, and in line with our planning conditions we are not able to offer stays on those nights during term time. These nights are available during school holidays, and weekend nights are available throughout the year; our booking calendar reflects this automatically.
Cancellation or Changes by the Guest
Once a stay is booked the Guest has entered into a binding contract. If a cancellation is made more than 14 days before arrival, the amount paid is refunded in full, less any non-recoverable card fees. Within 14 days of arrival the booking is non-refundable; where we are able to re-let the nights we will refund what we are able to recover, less a reasonable administration fee.
It is recommended and expected that the Guest will have or will take out a travel insurance policy (which includes cancellation cover for sickness and other unavoidable reasons) prior to their stay, as we are not able to refund outside the terms above.
Pets
We are not able to welcome pets at Wickham Orchard. Please do not bring animals to the shepherd's hut.
Guest Responsibility
The supervision of children, and of any adults requiring care, remains the responsibility of the Guest at all times. Please keep the shepherd's hut secure and the access code private.
Guests should put all furniture etc back to where it was at the beginning of the stay.
Guests should not leave any items at the shepherd's hut and, if left, we have the right to charge for the removal, return or disposal of those items.
Damage, Loss, Theft
Guests agree to inform us of any damage or loss however caused, excluding reasonable wear and tear incurred during the stay. Guests should not remove any item from the shepherd's hut. We may ask for reasonable repair or replacement costs, which may be taken via the payment card provided at booking or the security hold.
Quiet hours, noise and behaviour
Wickham Orchard is a quiet residential orchard. Quiet hours run from 10.00pm to 8.00am, and parties and events are not permitted. Guests should not cause nuisance or annoyance to neighbours or other occupants of the orchard.
If, in our reasonable opinion, a Guest is behaving unreasonably, or causing damage or nuisance, we may treat the contract as discharged and end the stay with immediate effect. The Guest will remain liable for the whole cost of the stay and no refund shall be due.
No Smoking
Wickham Orchard has a strict No Smoking policy within the shepherd's huts, which also applies to vaping and e-cigarettes. Where evidence of smoking is found, an additional cleaning charge may apply.
Access
Guests must allow reasonable access to the shepherd's hut and grounds for maintenance, given reasonable notice, except in an emergency.
The orchard and wildlife
Wickham Orchard is a working, rewilded orchard and nature park, and cannot be sealed off from the surrounding countryside in the same way as a modern property in the city. We celebrate and embrace this, as it is a beautiful place to stay, and encouraging wildlife is part of the enjoyment of the orchard for many Guests. Please therefore expect to meet some wildlife, including spiders, birds, bees and other creatures, which may make their way into a shepherd's hut unbeknownst to us. Spiders are not considered to be a pest. Please bear this in mind before booking and if this is likely to be a problem, it would be best not to book. In most cases it is best simply to open a window or door and let the creature out, as most wildlife is keen to be outside. As you will understand, we cannot be held responsible for wildlife coming into a shepherd's hut. Please also note that on weekday mornings in term time, parts of the grounds are used for the Forest School.
Complaints Procedure
If a Guest has a complaint, it should be raised with us at the earliest opportunity and during the stay, so that we have the chance to put it right while you are here. No complaint can be accepted unless notified during the stay, as we should be given an opportunity to make good the reason for it.
Descriptions
Shepherd's Hut descriptions and all details, both written and verbal, are given in good faith and believed to be correct, but interpretation can be subjective and their accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Shepherd's Hut details may vary over time from photographs and descriptions on the website.
Liability
We do not accept responsibility for any material loss, damage, additional expense, or inconvenience directly or indirectly caused by or arising out of the shepherd's hut, its plumbing, gas, electrical or heating services, or exceptional weather, except where caused by our negligence.
We do not accept responsibility for loss of or damage to belongings (including pets), vehicles or vehicle contents belonging to the Guest or any member of the party during their stay.
Our maximum liability to you will be the total cost of the stay as paid to us. We do not accept liability for other costs such as travel or alternative accommodation. Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited or excluded by law.
Cancellation by us
We reserve the right to cancel a booking if a shepherd's hut is unavailable (e.g. through fire, flood, damage or other reasons beyond our control), subject to a full refund of all monies paid (but no further liability). We will always try to help you find alternative dates or arrangements where we can.
Force Majeure
We cannot accept responsibility or liability for any alteration, delay or cancellation, or any other loss or damage, caused by war, civil strife, industrial disputes, fire, flood, severe weather, illness or epidemic, acts of any government or public authority, or any other event outside our reasonable control.
Waiver
Our failure to enforce or exercise, at any time or for any period, any term of, or any right pursuant to, this agreement does not constitute and shall not be construed as a waiver of that term or right.
Miscellaneous
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute between the parties shall be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales.
Wickham Orchard is a trading name of Wickham Orchard Ltd, The Shepherds Huts, Wickham Mews, London SE4 1PQ.
Use of our website and services is bound by these Guest Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy, which outlines how we use and protect your data in delivering these services. For any question about these terms or your booking, please contact us at Caesar@wickhamorchard.com.
