New beginnings

Rachel and David Ellershaw’s sensitive restoration of their Georgian home has changed the enterprising couple’s lives in more ways than they could have ever imagined

Full of classic country charm, the Ellershaws’ 19th-century cottage is as splendid as its rural setting

These days, as Rachel and David Ellershaw glance out of their lovingly restored Georgian cottage to see lambs gambolling in the adjacent fields and trees bursting back into life, the couple can’t believe that they didn’t want to even view this property initially. ‘When we first started househunting back in 2009, I noticed this cottage for sale in Barbon – the picturesque village where I grew up,’ says Rachel. ‘I realised the house was in a spectacular location with amazing views over what has become the Yorkshire Dales National Park. But I totally dismissed it because the cottage was way over our budget, clearly needed a lot of work and, since Barbon is extremely sought-after, I assumed it would be instantly snapped up.’ Nearly 18 months on, as the property still languished on the market, Rachel’s mother suggested the pair take a look.

‘David and I have always been fans of Georgian homes and, from the moment we stepped inside, we were enchanted,’ says Rachel. ‘We loved the room proportions and realised there was a wealth of period features waiting to be restored.

‘The setting was breathtaking and, since David already had experience in the building industry, we felt that this was an incredible opportunity. The stumbling block was whether we could afford it.’

Luckily, when the Ellershaws made their offer, the vendors were open to negotiation. ‘David and I were already stretching ourselves, but we were desperate to buy,’ Rachel adds. ‘When our first offer was refused, we upped it by £1,000, which was all we could afford.’ This clinched the deal and, in August 2010, the couple were on the move.

For the first year, they saved hard and carefully planned their major renovation. ‘Even before any work started, I remember looking out at the gorgeous view and thinking how much I adored the cottage,’ says Rachel. ‘We just did a few minor repairs and patiently bided our time.’

In June 2011, the first stage of the project began. ‘Starting at the top, we worked down to give us more time to save for the structural work on the ground floor,’ explains Rachel. The avocado bathroom suite was replaced and the layout reconfigured to include a freestanding bath and shower. ‘The bathroom actually became a sanctuary since our cottage got a lot worse before getting better,’ says Rachel.

During 2012, the couple turned their attention to the bedrooms. ‘The guest room didn’t need much work; however, the master bedroom required more since we decided to reinstate the chimney. We had it swept, bought a fireplace from Ebay and painted that. We then fitted a cast-iron radiator, took up the old carpet and varnished the floorboards.’

Once the landing was decorated, it was time to tackle the ground floor. ‘The survey alluded to a solid floor in what was then the dining room,’ says Rachel. ‘We were ecstatic when we lifted the carpet and discovered huge Yorkstone flags underneath. It was a delightful find and high point of the next, rather challenging, phase of work.’

This stage involved knocking down the wall between the cramped galley kitchen and former living room to create a spacious and bright openplan kitchen-diner. It also required pulling down much of the old lath and plaster ceiling. The wood-burning stove was moved into the inglenook fireplace in the new sitting room, and an Aga was installed in the kitchen.

Sash windows were fitted at the front of the cottage and a lean-to conservatory was knocked down. David helped his joiner friend Jonny Lawson to build a new conservatory. ‘It was major work,’ Rachel recalls. ‘Our home turned into a building site. I remember my mother being practically in tears when she saw how we were living, but we knew it would be worth the effort.

‘David juggled his graphic design job with working on our cottage at every available opportunity. And when more than one pair of hands was required, our friend Michael helped us.’

Gradually, as the downstairs rooms began to take shape, David suggested panelling the living room walls. ‘By this time, I was running out of steam and felt that painting the walls would be enough. In hindsight, I’m so glad that David stuck to his guns, as I love the panelling,’ says Rachel.

The exterior was repainted and Rachel’s father helped the couple landscape the garden.‘to enhance the symmetry of the cottage, we laid a cobblestone path, and planted lavender and bay trees.’

There’s no doubt that tenacity and hard work have paid huge dividends for this couple, who are justifiably proud of their charming home. ‘Our labour-of-love project has altered the course of our lives completely,’ says Rachel. ‘Apart from owning a home we adore, it has inspired David to launch a property renovation company. Right from the start, he had a good customer base of folk in Barbon who’d watched our cottage being transformed and, over the years, David’s business has gone from strength-to-strength, which is just wonderful.’