you will never finish it,” he advises. His favourite element in the entire 18-month process was recreating the lost waterwheel. The original part of the mill was constructed as a waterwheel-powered corn mill for the surrounding farmland and was in this use until the 1960s. The metal centre of the original wheel was discovered derelict in parts in the grounds and has been painstakingly resurrected and reimagined as the ultimate water feature. A hidden pumping system now delivers water to turn the wheel at the flick of a switch.
Simon, who has an engineering background, comments: “It took a couple of months to
THE ARCHITECT’S VIEW
“A mill building had to be substantial in size,” explains Mark Dawes from CAD Architects on the house’s heritage. “It needed to house all the milling machinery, which was powered by a water wheel, as well as space to store grain and flour. This meant that we had an excellent framework to work with, giving us huge scope to modernise while retaining enough of the original structure to give a clear impression of how it must have looked in its heyday.
“One of the great benefits of combining old with new is that it gave us a broad range of materials to work with for the interior, from traditional stone, slate and wood to modern elements such as steel, glass, and even exposed concrete blocks. These could be used in different combinations to give each room its own individual personality.
“Perhaps more than any other project we have worked on over recent years, when I show people photos of Blowinghouse Mill, it elicits a response of: ‘Oh my God, I want to live there!’ It seems to appeal equally strongly to lovers of old houses and lovers of modern home design.”
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www.sbhonline.co.uk november/december 2019
create the wheel, and it was hand built. We found old parts of it in the grounds of the house. These were digitally scanned and the pieces laser cut to recreate the wheel.” So what has Simon learned from his self-
build? “Take the time to evaluate your plot of land. Try not to make changes during the construction phase – which means spending time wisely with your architect during the design phase so that you understand every detail. Fully understand your budget and costs. Make use of space. Plan for the future – how will your needs change as time goes on in your home. Above all embrace the detail, it will set your home apart.”
COPPER LUXURY
The copper bath, which sits on the gallery
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