Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes

General information

Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes started as the Diplocks Cottages which were built in 1936 as a memorial to Caleb Diplock, a wealthy Polegate resident and landowner. They were for the poor and needy living within three miles of the Parish Church.

In 1945 his distant relatives succeeded in contesting his will and the Cottages were put up for sale.

Under the Trusteeship of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), with the generous help of the Bernhard Baron Trust and many other donors, the cottages were purchased and renamed the Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes. The Homes are for anyone in need (social, physical, economic or other), of any religion or political opinion and of any race.

The first Residents were elderly evacuees who had been made homeless in the 1939-45 war.

As a charity our care is focused on the residents and does not need to make a profit for anyone else.There are 24 cottages, each consisting of a sitting room, a bedroom, a bathroom with a bath or a shower, and a small kitchen. Half the cottages are particularly suitable for couples. Our main building has 34 en-suite bed-sitting rooms in addition to lounges, dining room, facilities such as hairdressing, and the inevitable administration and support facilities. Several of the bed-sitting rooms are particularly suitable for couples.

We provide three course lunches with choices for each course in our state-of-the-art kitchen. Breakfast and tea are served in the dining room or in residents’ own rooms and friends and family are welcome to join everyone for a meal. The kitchen staff know and respond to the needs and preferences of every resident.

The Homes are set in beautiful gardens with a path designed especially for wheelchairs and for those who need walking aids. The Millennium Path winds through flower beds and wooded areas with benches along the way, offering lots of opportunity to sit and take a rest. A carer will accompany residents who need a little help.