KENT TIMBER-FRAMED HOUSE
Restoring this listed house was neither quick nor cheap, but the result made it all worthwhile
Research,
teamwork and careful planning were all requisite ingredients in the renovation of this incredible Grade Ii*-listed 15th-century Wealden hall house, with owners Jenny and Tim Backshall leaving nothing to chance. ‘Our restoration builder, David Cox, even came along to some of our earlier property viewings to be sure we were buying a house that had real restoration potential,’ says Tim. ‘We all agreed this place offered a rare opportunity to revive a historic timber-framed building and turn it into a home.’
It was important for the couple that their children felt connected to the project before they left for university, so they would always feel like it was their home, too. ‘Thankfully, the sale completed quickly,’ says Jenny. ‘But the restoration was not something we could rush – it took us more than two years to complete.’
By the time the Backshalls took it on in 2013, the ancient building had been empty for three years. ‘It had no mains electricity, no central heating and was supplied by spring water,’ says Tim. ‘The house had been a tenant farmhouse for centuries, and although it desperately needed updating to suit modern living standards, we were fortunate that very little had been done to undermine the original fabric of the house.’ There were many Victorian additions, such as a bay window, staircase and scullery, along with Thirties windows throughout, but the conservation officer who assessed the building was happy with the couple’s plan to strip those away to bring back the medieval character.
‘We also removed false ceilings and partition walls,’ says Tim.
‘Our bedroom suite, for instance, had been two bedrooms and a bathroom, but we opened it all up to celebrate the beautiful timber structure and the original voluminous proportions.’
The Backshalls involved an interior designer in the project very early on, as they were keen to ensure that decisions were made about the layout well before services and wiring went in. Indeed, Belinda Benton, from Evernden Interiors, did more than just help them choose new furniture. ‘Belinda is really good at planning spaces from a practical point of view, as well as from an aesthetic perspective, so she had a huge amount of input,’ says Tim.
‘We did our own research into the history of the architecture,’ says Jenny. ‘But each person who was involved is an expert in their respective field, so we wanted to hear everyone’s ideas to make sure all potential problems were thought of, addressed and made part of the plan,’ she says. ‘Every room needed that little bit more work to ensure the integrity of the medieval structure was preserved and enhanced,’ adds Tim. ‘So it wasn’t exactly cheap to restore this house, but we think it was worth it.’
‘We did feel a great sense of responsibility to ensure this home can be enjoyed by many generations after us,’ says Jenny. ‘We are only a tiny piece of its history, and subsequent owners may change the design to suit their tastes. But I hope we’ve secured the bones of this old house, and it will stand for many more centuries to come.’
What we love most about living hereé ‘this house makes us want to do things, to get outside and enjoy the countryside. We are project people and this place definitely has plenty of those for us to do’
What makes this house a home… ‘The people in it. We designed this house with our family in mind, and our children love coming back; hopefully they’ll come to stay with children of their own one day’