For me these two have been a couple of the most inspirational and influential people I have met in the Ecovillage Findhorn Community.

Cally and Harley Miller are probably best known as the initiators of the Newbold Community. When this beautiful Victorian mansion came on the market in 1978, having previously been run as a hotel, it was first leased to the Foundation and run by them as a workshop centre.

But after two years the Foundation decided to pull out of this arrangement, as their own financial position needed stabilising. However Cally and Harley felt this would be a greatly missed opportunity and privately arranged for loan finances to purchase the property, setting it up as a separate charitable trust. Many different people were inspired to join them, giving of their time and energy to run it as a community, financing it through workshops and visitors.

Initially it was run entirely by donations – people could pay whatever they were inspired to in support of the venture. All members’ needs were met from the community funds, and both members and visitors could put in or take out of “the pot” whatever they felt appropriate.

Incredibly with this in place, all the loans taken to make the purchase of the property were paid off within ten years. This had been achieved despite challenges in their own relationship, leading to them separating for a time. At this point they decided to leave the community while remaining Trustees of the Newbold Trust.

Essence of Findhorn group of 1986-7. Cally Miller (then called Margaret) is third from left in the front, co-focalising with Charles photo Findhorn Foundation

I first met Cally and Harley and heard of the Newbold Trust in 1986, when I was part of a three month programme “Essence of Findhorn”, being focalised by Cally. It was then that I was first introduced to Newbold, but despite being impressed, at that time I was more drawn to go and live on Erraid. However I had been inspired enough to become a Trustee in 1988.

By this time the membership was overflowing with around twenty members. As Trustees we considered encouraging the members to split in to two groups, with help and financial support from the Trust, so that half of them could start a second community elsewhere. This seemed particularly pertinent as two very different visions of the future of the community were emerging. However this unfortunately never happened, and in the end half of the members left.

With more time on their hands, Cally and Harley became free to explore new ventures. For Harley this included exploring ways of connecting with and making peace with members of the Soviet Union. He travelled there taking books of the Findhorn Foundation with him, and a magnificent large glass sphere, that he had commissioned by Caithness Glass, with an air bubble right in the centre. A bit like a fortune teller’s sphere. This he called “The being of humanity in the mind of God”, and it was taken as a gift on his peace mission.

The next event that I recall is their decision to build a home for themselves. Harley was an architect, but neither of them had any significant savings, just enough to buy a plot of land in Roseisle. On this they put a caravan, and simply started to build as funds came in from donations and earnings. They somehow managed to persuade the bank to give them a loan, and within a couple of years had constructed a most magnificent home, with a quirky roof and fantastic views over the Laich of Moray.

Harley was a talented artist and for several years made an income by getting commissions for paintings, illustrating businesses and large homes. One of his paintings hung in Inverness airport for many years.

That satisfied them for a few years, but they became itchy for something more inspiring. They decided to buy a mobile home and travel around the UK running workshops on “how to make a living from art”. They sold their house, and with the proceeds brought a massive camper bus that was last used by Dame Judy Dench, and for the next few years became nomads, sharing their inspiration throughout the country.

Eventually they returned to the area renting Sluie Lodge, a cute wee house just above the Findhorn river, where they stayed, entertaining friends in their inimitable style.

Harley continued his creative ventures, writing a wee book on the Findhorn river, complete with his illustrations, and making illustrated inventories of the high street properties of both Elgin and Forres.

Sadly Harley died in 2018, after which time Cally moved briefly into Forres, before going to stay near her family down south, where she is currently living.

Cally and Harley Miller at Woodhead during a Paint Your Dragon workshop photo Hugh Andrews

Hugh Andrews

Born in Sussex. Graduated as chemical engineer living in Pembrokeshire. Became Circle dance teacher and explored alternative communities. Erraid was magic and formative in creating Woodhead Community