Space to be creative at farmhouse
WHEN the Rev Sue Nightingale and her husband Nick bought their farmhouse in 1981 they knew that the huge barn and other outbuildings had potential, though they didn’t realise quite how special they would become.
For a few years the 55ft long barn was used as a makeshift badminton court for the couple and their three children, but after a makeover that gave it new floors, a woodburning stove and lighting, it has been used for everything from choral and orchestral concerts to fundraising fetes, parties and family wedding receptions.
“It’s proved very useful indeed especially for music and drama. We’ve had concerts, a Friends of Opera North event here and choir workshops. It has lovely acoustics,” says Nick.
The space and its adjoining 30ft meeting room, which has kitchen and toilet facilities, has also given peace and solace to many as a venue for the International Quiet Garden Movement.
The Rev Nightingale says: “I read an article on the movement and I thought it would nice to allow other people to share the garden here. So we’ve had lots of groups using the barn to have talks and discussions and then enjoying the outside space. It’s very tranquil and private. We have weeping trees and lots of birds and wildlife. It was very popular and we had 50 groups one year.”
The Nightingales also created a self-contained flat above an original cartshed. This has two bedrooms, sitting room, bathroom and a kitchen.
The six bedroom farmhouse, which they renovated, has an entrance porch and hall, cloakroom, sitting room, dining room, drawing room, office, kitchen with electric Aga, small laundry and boot room.
On the first floor, there are six bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Outside, there is a courtyard, tennis court, orchard, kitchen garden and a pond. The grounds extend to 4½ acres and the property is reached along a halfmile drive that is surrounded on all sides by the beautiful mature gardens and grounds.