Having bought the property, our client wanted not only to preserve its 14th and 19th Century heritage, but wanted a home that was fit for the 21st Century.

Our task was to reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable.

Our solution was to add a new kitchen by extending underground which meant that the outline of the building was undisturbed, but immediately made the house far more liveable. For the upper floors we designed and constructed bathroom units that while having all the fixtures and fitting one would expect of a luxurious modern bathroom, were in effect pods that had no impact on the fabric or historical importance of the building and could easily be removed at some future date.

From then on it was a matter of careful restoration - from finding the right lime-mortar mix for seamless repairs and making sure that previous inappropriate materials such as cement and and 20th Century engineering bricks were replaced with lime mortar and hand-made bricks, failing structures were invisibly supported with steel, and plumbing and electrical services were rendered invisible rather than poking into ancient rooms.

To tie the whole property together the gardens were revived and extended by Lady Mary Keen - the renowned garden designer, writer and lecturer.

The end result, is a property that unquestionably retains its historic interest and importance, but is a supremely comfortable house that is fit for the 21st Century.