The owners of the listed Grade II, cottage asked me to help them out with a side extension. Their 200 year old house is cellular and dictated an equally divided way of living. They wanted to get over this problem with an open plan living space that engaged with their garden. Fortunately, they had recently found a historic image of their house with a 1 ½ storey side extension. With this image we approached the council’s conservation officer with the idea of recreating this volume. Their view was favourable as it would help restore the original narrow streetscape of the village.
The ivy covered telegraph pole was removed, the stone wall remains of the historic building were recorded and the wall was carefully deconstructed and all the stones set aside for reuse.
Externally it was agreed to rebuild using the same stone but rather than roofing with thatch we used handmade clay tiles to match the house. These were set below the gable parapet to resemble a historic thatch cottage with a replacement roof covering.
The gap between the house and the extension is maintained with the flat roof over hidden behind what appears to be a garden wall. The illusion of a detached building is reinforced by the non-functioning oak gate applied to that front elevation. Internally the gap is studded with a row of roof lights to provide daylight light in what would have been the darkest area and, again, remembers the historic, daylit alleyway.
The NE corner facing the church uses stone mullioned windows, ashlar stone to the chimney rising out of the gable and catslide dormers to the flank wall facing the lane.
Conversely, the discrete SW corner of the house is fully glazed with aluminium framed doors and windows for a contemporary connection to the SW facing back garden.
Internally the ground floor is one large open plan but notionally divided by a steel staircase defining the kitchen with a loft over and vaulted dining space facing the garden.
