{"id":33733,"date":"2024-05-15T11:54:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T09:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/065cd103-f81c-4504-9538-8a5b46b5e2fc"},"modified":"2024-05-15T12:38:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T10:38:02","slug":"this-dorset-farmhouse-is-one-of-the-oldest-domestic-dwellings-in-the-uk-the-transformation-is-amazing","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/this-dorset-farmhouse-is-one-of-the-oldest-domestic-dwellings-in-the-uk-the-transformation-is-amazing\/","title":{"rendered":"This Dorset farmhouse is one of the oldest domestic dwellings in the UK. The transformation is amazing!"},"content":{"rendered":"

A crumbling Dorset barn nestled in a beautiful garden has been transformed into a quirky open-plan home, filled with art and antiques. Photographs: James Balston <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 15 May 2024 at 09:54 AM<\/p>

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A derelict stone barn, with a coffin-sized hole in the floor, was a bit more of a project than Jane and Colin Brownrigg planned to take on. And yet something about the building\u2019s situation in the landscape felt special, says Jane. \u2018It was a unique place, with amazing views in every direction \u2013 even so, the scale of the project was terrifying!\u2019<\/p>

The barn lies on the fringes of one of Dorset\u2019s most picturesque villages, which is built around an ancient abbey, and it transpired that the alarming hole in the floor wasn\u2019t from an exhumed corpse, but the remnants of an archaeological excavation.<\/p>

A row of loose box stables adjacent to the barn, built by a previous owner, were quickly converted into temporary living accommodation so the couple could live on site during the renovations on the barn. These days, the space comes in handy when family comes to stay, says Jane. \u2018We also use it as holiday accommodation, so visitors can enjoy this lovely part of the country.\u2019<\/p>

The couple wanted their new home to be as\u00a0 environmentally friendly<\/a> as possible, so they installed a ground-source heating system, as well as their own water supply. \u2018But there were months when I looked out over a sea of mud, portaloos, skips and builders\u2019 vans and thought, \u201cWhat have we done?\u201d\u2019 Jane recalls.<\/p>

You might also like<\/strong> A 18th-century barn renovation in York<\/a><\/p>

The open-plan living space is divided into a kitchen, sitting area and dining area, and is flooded with light. Country furniture, including an oak sideboard and joint stool, reflect the barn\u2019s pastoral setting. On the sideboard below, The Eagle Slayer, a 19th-century sculpture by John Bell, forms a striking focal point alongside an assortment of objects. – James Balston –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Jane
The Ham stone fireplace was specially commissioned to reflect the stone exterior of the building. Above it hangs an 18th-century French painting depicting Aurora and Tithonus and, to the right, a portrait by John Hanson Walker. – James Balston –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Jane
Detail of the mantelpiece, decorated with a 19th-century Boulle clock and a small silver travelling clock. – James Balston –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Jane
The kitchen units are painted in Three Farm Green by Little Greene. Wall cabinets are used to display a collection of blue-and-white vases; some modern, some antique. The delftware chargers on the wall above were mostly bought at local auctions. A note of modernity comes from the Wish bar stools in beech, which were bought from Cult Furniture. – James Balston –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>