This Grade II Listed Country House has five bedrooms and is located in mature landscaped grounds extending to about five acres set in open countryside and surrounded by woodland and farming. The house is located just on the edge of the South Downs National Park (SDNP). Previous owners had carved extensive topiary features creating a series of ‘outside rooms’, and the main house has a C18 shed building and a C19 coach house adjacent.
The original house was erected circa 1685, and had been modified and extended many times since, resulting in a somewhat incoherent layout which had become very tired. The new owners wanted to carry out a full refurbishment including some alterations to layouts, with all new services, refitted bathrooms and a new kitchen and utility room.
Listed Building and Planning consent was sought and granted for a series of relatively modest alterations, including lifting and relaying the ground floor to allow the installation of underfloor heating, and the conversion of one of the bedrooms to a generous ensuite bathroom serving the principal bedroom. A separate Listed Building and Planning consent was sought and granted for the creation of a new swimming pool and pool house set within a historic walled garden; in this case the original wall was extended ‘like for like’ and the pool house carefully tucked into the back of the wall.
Extensive refurbishment was undertaken, house set in a lush new garden scheme
The new design
A comprehensive interior scheme was developed by our specialist architect in conjunction with the owners, creating a light and airy feel and using the best of contemporary lighting technology to create an understated but flexible lighting design working with the grain of the original house.
The UFH installation was supplemented with strategically positioned column radiators (the listed status did not allow for the necessary upgrading to insulation to be able to rely on the UFH alone) and as far as possible externally run drainage was brought inside the envelope cleaning up and simplifying the exterior appearance.
Various joinery features – windows and external doors, several in poor condition – had to be either carefully repaired or replaced. Fitted furniture was made and fitted in keeping with the simple Georgian style that prevailed through the main part of the house, while the attic space was comprehensively refinished with floors re-levelled to provide extensive dressing room accommodation.
Refurbished kitchen with island unit
Elegant, minimal master bathroom
Major refurbishment required for historic house
Roof repairs were undertaken including the dismantling and rebuilding of chimney stacks which had been a cause of long term damp ingress. The roof was subject to a programme of repairs.
A comprehensive landscape scheme was commissioned and designed, working with the grain of the existing topiary features and mature trees to create a glorious landscape setting for the refurbished property, and leading pathways into the new pool in the walled garden.
Construction work was completed in Summer 2025, with landscaping works continuing at the time of writing.
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James Wells Architects are award-winning specialist architects based in Chichester, West Sussex. Our team serves clients who are seeking high-end residential architects to design and build a new home or modify their existing home.
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