The Forest Cottage by the Gardens entrance is believed to have been built in 1560 with timbers reputed to have come from the Tudor boatyards at Lymington: the shape and style indicate their having been cut for shipbuilding. In fact, recent restoration work confirmed not only that the beams are ancient ships' timbers but also that the floorboards were once decking. Just imagine them being swept by sea gales and spray! Some of the oldest deck timbers which were dug up from under the floor in 2006 now form part of "Typhoon Tower" in the gardens so once again feel the full force of wind and rain.

In Regency times the parlour was "modernised" with the present windows, and stairs replaced what would have been a wall ladder up into the two bedrooms. During renovation work Mormon newsprint, dated 1860 sent from Salt Lake City, was found to have been used as a lining paper on the ceilings.

A Rayburn cooker was removed from the fireplace, which had been bricked and rendered in with the chimney sealed over. Fortunately, as the rendering was chiselled away the original fireback was found, also the bread oven, which was opened up and repaired. The tallest gardener went up the chimney with a Holly tree and swept it, then installed the light.

Children love to see the tiny bedroom where 13 children once slept. This has now become the focus of "The Furzey Oak" storybook which tells the tale of a great Oak tree from the Forest which in turn became a ship, then a house and is now a fine place to see how people used to live. Also located upstairs in the cottage is a storytelling room which parents are welcome to use.

Outside, the gardens of the cottage are laid out in formal style, and during the summer months students may be found tending a wide variety of vegetables.