Anna Ashmole

I manage the website, marketing and social media presence of Martin Swan Violins and am a co-director. My academic background is in philosophy, followed by a PhD about the motivations of organic farmers. I was employed by Edinburgh University as their interdisciplinary Environmental Co-ordinator and worked with the organic charity, The Soil Association, for fifteen years – including setting up and managing their devolved Scottish office. In 1995 I was a partner in establishing Scotland’s first secure ecommerce site. I was also a founding member of the ecological restoration project Carrifran Wildwood. In 2008 I took on my local village store in order to rescue and re-launch it. In 2010 Martin and I bought and developed an abandoned farmstead in rural Croatia – see Dobra River Studio.

The internal renovation of Avenue House has occupied much of my time in recent years and I am now turning my attention to bringing life to the garden. I have two low-key Instagram accounts, one for Avenue House and one which is an impressionistic photo diary, and my daughter and I collaborate on a recipe website – maggiesmacaroni.com. If you want to know more about me look here www.anna-ashmole.com. Contact me at anna@martinswanviolins.com.