Vast undertaking

It took eight years and plenty of blood, sweat and tears for Gill and Tim Denham to transform a derelict 200-year-old cow barn into a five-bedroom home called Skyline. Heather Dixon reports. Pictures by Dave Burton.

Gill and Tim Denham’s marathon labour of love tested relationships, budgets and commitment, but they both agree that the results have been worth the highs and lows of a journey that started in 2010, when they acquired a 200-year-old former cow barn through the family.

“There was planning permission to convert it into a dwelling but we didn’t like the design,” says Tim, a farmer. “We met with architect Mike Rassmussen and reworked it, creating more light and space and using the height of the building to create the wow factor.”

The couple agreed to do most of the conversion work on the property near Barnard Castle themselves, with the help of family and friends, so they could save money and get the results they wanted.

“We were both working full time and living on the farm, so we could work on it whenever we had time,” says Gill.

“Without the pressure of a moving-in date, we could also do it exactly as we wanted. There were no rash decisions and therefore fewer mistakes.”

The first job was to demolish a small, unwanted outbuilding and preserve the materials, including stone mullions, for reuse later. It then took three years just to restore the stone slate roof.

Part of it, which was covered in tin, came off altogether to be replaced with more slates. Rotten timbers and huge beams were replaced and the green oak A-frames dried out and made on site by their friend and joiner Martin Blenkin.

“There was one particularly cold winter when Tim was up on the roof in howling gales just trying to hang on while he was working,” says Gill.

With the roof finally finished, and with the help of daughter George, her husband Neil and builder Trevor Wright, they turned their attention to the floor. Together they dug out the entire ground floor to create depth for underfloor heating, insulation and screed, topped with limestone.

The handmade windows were made over a period of time by Tim’s school friend Peter Grieves and the original stone walls were rough rendered. Internal walls were dry lined and insulated, new plumbing and electrics installed and a biomass heating system installed.

Gill’s vision for the interior was to create a warm, welcoming home which would withstand a rural lifestyle. “We are a family of dog lovers and love the outdoors, so we wanted the house to be as resilient and practical as possible without compromising on the style and comfort,” she says.

Still conscious of saving money, Gill embarked on the mammoth task of