Ashton Manor Residents Build a Miniature Village With Big Personality
At Ashton Manor Care Home in Lancaster, a small idea has grown into something truly special – a resident-led creative project that has transformed part of the garden into a joyful, handcrafted community known as Gnomesville Retirement Village.
It all began with a simple donation from one of our residents: a set of seven garden gnomes, each over 50 years old. During craft sessions, the gnomes were lovingly restored – or, as some residents put it, “given a much-needed facelift.”
But the imagination didn’t stop there. After a series of lively group discussions, residents decided the gnomes needed a place to call home. So, they set about designing and building an entire miniature village, complete with gnome-sized homes, streets, gardens, and even a newspaper – the Gnomesville Gazette.
Each gnome now has a name, a personality, and a life story created during creative writing sessions that have brought laughter and a real sense of togetherness across the home.
Two of Gnomesville’s most well-known residents include:
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Rodney – a retired bricklayer from Hornby who loves salmon fishing. Known for his colourful past (including an incident involving fishing without a licence), Rodney is now a proud Gnomesville resident with a lot of stories to tell.
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Winston – a scholarly gnome from Arnside who once earned a scholarship to study botany at Lancaster University. He’s passionate about toadstools and once ran a successful toadstall at Garstang Market.
These characters – and many more – are celebrated in the Gnomesville Gazette, a handmade publication created by residents to document life in the village.
Home Manager Joanne Tyson said:
“It has been a wonderful way to bring the residents together. We’ve all laughed so much at the wild and wonderful life stories they’ve created for the gnomes. The residents didn’t need much encouragement to take this project on a great journey – the whole home community has joined in the fun.”
The Gnomesville project continues to grow, with plans for seasonal events, new gnome arrivals, and more stories in the Gazette. It’s just one of many creative and meaningful activities that bring residents together at Ashton Manor.
As resident Mary put it:
“Gnomesville is not just a village – it’s a tiny, special world built on big imagination, collaboration and joyful community spirit.”
At Ashton Manor, we believe that later life should be full of purpose, fun and creativity. Gnomesville is proof that it’s never too late to build something magical – even if it’s only six inches tall.
