Sutton Mill Barn is a Grade II Listed former watermill set within open countryside, with a millstream running along the edge of the site. The project involved the sensitive renovation and reconfiguration of the 18th-century building to create a coherent, modern family home while respecting its historic fabric and setting.
The existing internal arrangement was fragmented and poorly suited to contemporary living. Our approach focused on simplifying circulation, improving thermal performance, and opening up key spaces to better connect the interior with the surrounding landscape. Wider openings were introduced to frame views across the fields, while retaining the character and proportions of the original structure.
A central ambition of the project was to reveal and celebrate the retained watermill mechanism, which had previously been concealed within an enclosed room. By removing a later, low-ceilinged bedroom, we created a dramatic double-height living space that allows the historic timber machinery to be fully appreciated as a focal point within the home.
A main asset of the building – the retained mechanism of the watermill – was hidden, and our clients wanted to open up the enclosure and revert the timber machinery to its original glory. We carefully and painstakingly removed a rather cramped, low-ceiling bedroom present in the watermill room, thereby creating a stunning double-height space.
The kitchen, formerly isolated at one end of the building, was relocated to the heart of the plan. Positioned to benefit from generous natural light, it now anchors the main living spaces and strengthens the relationship between the house and its landscape.
Three existing staircases were removed and replaced with a single, carefully detailed steel staircase, streamlining movement through the house. On the first floor, the layout was rationalised to provide more generous bedrooms and a new landing overlooking the dining space below. Within the roof, discreet conservation rooflights were introduced to serve a new family bathroom and master ensuite, maintaining the character of the rear elevation.
Material and technical upgrades were undertaken with restraint. Aluminium-framed windows replaced heavy timber frames to increase daylight and improve performance, while underfloor heating and a wood-burning stove enhance comfort. A neutral interior palette allows the building’s historic elements to remain the primary focus, resulting in a calm, contemporary home rooted in its heritage.
Country Homes & Estates
Architecture
Cotswolds
Delivered