Spielplatz was the first residential Naturist community in Britain. It was founded by Charles & Dorothy Macaskie, who bought 12 acres of virgin woodland in Bricket Wood Hertfordshire in 1929. The Macaskie's called the Utopian community they founded Spielplatz - 'Play Place', and they also called it their 'Green Monastery'.

Ross Nichols, founder of The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, joined in the 1930s, erecting a small hut and spending most of his free weekends and holidays there until about 1947. Other Druids were also members, and a frequent visitor was Gerald Gardner, a friend of Nichols, who later was responsible for the development of Wicca. It is also possible that Dion Fortune was a regular visitor, though research has yet to confirm this.

Most of these photographs, and many more, can be found in No Shadows Fall - The Story of Spielplatz by Iseult Macaskie, (Coast & Country Naturist Publications 1994) available from the Order's bookshop on this website. The photographs here are reproduced by kind permission of Iseult Macaskie.
1. The entrance to Spielplatz in the 1930s
 2. Charles Macaskie - co-founder of the community - with helpers. Charles did much of the spade-work himself, clearing parts of the woodland, building huts and creating paths.


3. Dorothy Macaskie - co-founder of the community calls members to lunch at the clubhouse. The clubhouse shown here burnt down in 1943, whilst Gerald Gardner was visiting. A local paper ran the headline 'Nudists fight holocaust for three hours' 4. The swimming pool in the 1930s - from 'Health & Efficiency Magazine'
5. Ross Nichols, founder of The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, outside his hut at Spielplatz - Winter in the late 1930s or early 1940s 6. Community children return from school in St.Albans 1939
7. Tea Time 1936
8. Two families in the sun in the 1930s
9. Fun in the Snow 1947 - the year Ross Nichols probably moved from Spielplatz to the Five Acres Naturist club nearby
10. 1930's era ad for Spielplatz.