We know, we know... Looking at the existing photos below, it wasn't all that much of a barn to begin with... But due to planning constraints the listed buildings were to be retained and built on. 

A quick sprint up the M5 takes us to Whiteball, particularly a stunning Georgian property called Werescote, named after its original creators and occupiers, the Were family, with Cote being an old colloquialism for where a person lives. 

The house sits proudly above the Whiteball tunnel, built by the unparalleld Isambard Kingdom-Brunell and was the site where the 100mph barrier was broken by a train in the 1800s. 

The site is filled with history and the proud present day owners, Karen and Harry have lovingly overseen the restoration of the property, as part of a 10 year timeline of works. They have a full history of the property here, and it is a fascinating read.

One element of the renovation works included two old out-buildings on the southeast corner of the grounds. The ruins were originally barns for the property, as it was successful farmland up until the 1990s. However the buildings had fallen into a state of dereliction and disrepair. There was a consideration to the merit of demolishing the buildings and replacing, but given the history of the area, it was agreed it would be only right to renew the original buildings.

Using the original stone and footprint of the building to create two garage/workshop units for the property/estate. It was important to utilise craftsmanship and expertise on this project to ensure it was fit for future generations, so expert woodworkers used solid oak with traditional joints/fixings to create a new roof structure, on top of a reclaimed stone wall build up.

The newer phase unit features bright timber which will silver over time, blending into its environment and becoming considerably less glaring to the eye. The oak pillars and framework add a stunning authenticity to the project and ensure longevity.

We think this transformation is a fantastic example of using quality materials and tradesman expertise to get a resilient, authentic and characterful project. It is always a worthy investment to build like this. 

We are absolutely thrilled with the results.

If you'd like to discuss a conversion/conservation project with our experts, please get in touch.