A total restoration of an 18th century cob walled Devon longhouse together with newly constructed cottage, range of stables, outbuildings and landscaping/land management to create a family home/sheep farm and equestrian estate set in 30 acres of Devon, England countryside.
The original structure had been allowed to substantially deteriorate and over the years had acquired poor additions out of keeping with the original simple vernacular structure.
This challenging project required a great deal of research into the history and construction of cob buildings in the English west country dating back to the 13th century. "Cob" is the term for a mud building, which uses no forms, no bricks and no wooden structures. Cob was particularly common in Southwestern England and Wales, where the subsoil was a sandy clay, and other materials, like stone and wood, were scarce. English cob was made of a clay-based subsoil mixed with straw, water, and sometimes sand or crushed shale or flint. The stiff mud mixture was shovelled with a cob fork onto a stone foundation, and trodden into place by workmen. As the walls dried they were trimmed back substantially with a paring iron, leaving them straight and plumb and between 24 -36 inches thick.
In order to maintain the great value in tradition in English building techniques with this project, where necessary, some walls were re-constructed. The machine age has altered the process in only minor ways: a tractor was used to mix the cob rather than oxen and the sub-soil was amended to include sand or "shillet", a fine gravel crushed shale, to reduce shrinkage and cracking. Once the walls had dried - a process lasting almost a year - the lime-sand stucco was roughly applied by local Devon plasterers to closely resemble original techniques from hundreds of years ago.
A robust and simple approach to the interior was similarly applied.
Floors in the kitchen were covered in large terracotta tiles and the kitchen working area walls were covered in irregular tiles with a wide grout. Open shelves (no high level cupboards) were faced with wide ash lipping. An oil-fired white AGA range was installed - the only cooking apparatus in the house. Ceiling beams were painted white and all windows were replaced. Low voltage minimal light fittings were strategically located along with concealed lighting behind the shelves.
The stone staircase leading to one of the wings of the house was repaired and exposed and has become a feature of the kitchen.
Living areas have been treated simply. The introduction of a wood burning stove that heats the room and provides additional water heating for the main bathroom contributes to the low maintenance of the property.
The house water supply is sourced by a stream running from the woods above the house and it was necessary to construct an efficient water collection depository and filtering system and construct new underground pipes to the house.
The house is simply furnished in a muted palette of white, grey and beige tones which contrasts with the lush green countryside. Sitting at the head of its own valley the house is sited to protect itself from the elements.
New construction included the re-building of an outbuilding into a self-contained double-height apartment for guests with a kitchen/living room, bathroom and bedroom. Six stables with tack room and feed room were constructed under a reclaimed slate roof as well as a large open hay barn and double garage - unseen from the house. All new construction followed the original building methods described above.
Simple landscaping was introduced - messy shrubbery removed - and a flat lawn area surrounded by a gravel pathway with terracotta pots with lavender and a herb garden.
Paddocks were post and railed and dry walls were re-constructed on some perimeters. Elsewhere traditional ancient hedge 'laying' methods were used to create natural enclosures for livestock.
A large menage for exercising and training horses was designed and constructed..
The property was purposefully designed to use as many natural and sustainable resources as possible.
Architectural Design: Nick Heath
Interior Design: Nick Heath
Landscape Design: Nick Heath
Press: Country Life