Taken from Clive Emsons website

Post auction purchase as it didn't sell on the day. This was one very special cottage but also a really poorly cottage. Our main objective was to preserve as much of the original features as possible, not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination! Surprisingly, for a 300 year old cottage, it is not listed. This cottage has a heart, and so much love, it hugs you when you walk in the door!

We removed the entire roof, and carefully cleaned and inspected each Kent Peg tile, replacing the damaged ones as we went. All the roof timbers were inspected and replaced as required. Any timber removed was repurposed elsewhere within the cottage. We removed the chimney stack that ran through the kitchen and second bedroom, to make more space. We even repurposed the original front door as it couldn't be used and it is now a fabulous cupboard door.

We opted for returning the windows to a more authentic look. We really wanted oak but at the time there was a shortage, so we had aluminium leaded windows and doors made, with monkey tail handles. We added a small extension to the rear, next to the existing bathroom extension, and installed a tilt and turn stable door, so the top half acts as a window, tilted for ventilation or open. We also built a new front porch, as the previous one resembled the leaning tower of Pisa - and it was blue!

Now for the reconstruction of it all. Walls plaster-boarded and plastered, floors down, carpets laid, kitchen fitted, bathroom fitted and a new shower room created on the 1st floor - a cheeky little addition, as these cottages would not typically have a bathroom upstairs.

After such a lot of hard work, and the whole team digging deep to get this cottage back to it's former glory, we finally got there. We are so proud of our achievement, and that we have restored this wonderful piece of history for many more families to enjoy and make memories in. Every detail has been carefully planned to try and keep the character and charm of the cottage.