In 1986, filmmaker, artist and activist Derek Jarman moved to Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, a remote shingle headland on the Kent coast. The modest fisherman’s cottage soon became a place of creative transformation.It became a home and escape from busy London life, studio and living artwork that reflected every aspect of Jarman’s imagination. Here, surrounded by the stark beauty of the landscape and the looming presence of the nearby power station, Jarman found new inspiration and purpose.
Prospect Cottage became a meeting point for artists, writers and friends, a space where creative practices intertwined. The cottage and its garden, sculpted from driftwood, stone and resilient coastal plants, stand as a testament to Jarman’s ability to find beauty and meaning in even the most unlikely places. His journal, Modern Nature, written during his years at Dungeness, captures the poetry of the landscape and the rhythms of daily life there.
More than twenty-five years after his death, Prospect Cottage remains a site of pilgrimage for visitors from around the world. It continues to embody Jarman’s spirit of openness and experimentation. Thanks to Keith Collins (1966–2018), Jarman’s close companion and custodian, the cottage was lovingly preserved, ensuring that this remarkable place remains an enduring source of inspiration and creativity.
Learn more about how I can help you develop your own gravel or coastal garden.
