About Us
Hi! We’re Chris & Vicki Jarvis.
We’d always dreamed of owning a home with land — somewhere we could embrace a bit of The Good Life, grow our own food, keep animals, and enjoy the peace of the countryside. For years we couldn’t quite agree on the right place… until we discovered Pembrokeshire.
After a few visits, we completely fell in love with the area — the space, the scenery, the community. That was it. We sold our cottage in Oxfordshire and started searching for a new home here. But so was everyone else! It was during the covid pandemic, and properties were being snapped up before we could even view them.
Then one day, while scrolling through Facebook, we spotted Thorny Bush. At first, we almost didn’t arrange a viewing — but thankfully we did. As we arrived on a beautiful sunny day in July, we were immediately struck by how much better it looked in real life than in the photos (a rare treat!). We wandered through the gardens and fields, and by the end of the visit, we already knew — this was the place.
We moved in at the end of October 2020. Despite everything being new, it felt like home right away. Our son Harry had to adjust to a new school in the middle of lockdown, but he’s taken it all in his stride — we’re incredibly proud of him.
Now, we run a smallholding here at Thorny Bush, growing produce, keeping chickens, and welcoming guests to stay and enjoy a little slice of Pembrokeshire life. We’re so happy to be here — and even happier to share it with others.
Building The Hive
When spring arrived, it was time to bring our next dream to life — building a cabin for guests to enjoy the peaceful beauty of Thorny Bush. But first, we had to clear the old sheds that had seen better days.
Sustainability and resourcefulness are important to us, so we reused as much of the original materials as we could. The old sleepers now form the border of the flower bed behind the cabin. The tin roof sheets have been repurposed for another project, and the concrete blocks were used to create the cabin’s foundation.
Originally, we had planned to build a glamping pod — but, as is often the way with creative projects, one idea led to another. Before long, The Hive was born.
We welcomed our first guests in June 2021, and to our delight, they loved The Hive just as much as we did.
By September, slightly ahead of schedule, our second cabin was ready to go — and from there, our little haven began to grow.
We’ve been incredibly lucky to host so many wonderful guests — many of whom return time and time again. It means the world to us.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple goal: to offer our guests a peaceful, comfortable base for their Pembrokeshire holiday — a space where they can truly relax and feel at home.
There’s always something to do at Thorny Bush — and weeding definitely keeps us on our toes! But we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’ve got several exciting projects in the planning stages and are really looking forward to what the next twelve months will bring.
We feel incredibly lucky to call this beautiful place home, and we can’t wait to welcome new guests to share in the peace, space, and simple joys that make Thorny Bush so special.
Chris & Vicki