A wonderful set of converted 18th-century red-brick barns make up this expansive three-bedroom home in Norton Disney, Lincolnshire. Unfolding internally across 2,600 sq ft, the house has been carefully converted and restored over the years, resulting in some fantastically voluminous and light-filled spaces. The garden leads into four acres of bucolic ancient woodland, filled with bluebells in the spring. Planning permission was granted to extend the house further, increasing the footprint of the east wing and adding another storey to provide further living, bedroom and studio space. Near Newark Northgate station, the house is an easily commutable distance, just an hour and 20 minutes to London King's Cross by train.

Setting the Scene

Found on the handsome estate of Norton Disney Hall, these barns - which would once have serviced the farmhouse - now come together to form a wonderful home. Converted with fantastic attention to detail, the house is defined by its lovely palette of materials. Solid oak has been used throughout, from the windows and doors to the balustrades and handrails on both sets of stairs. Many original features have been retained, including exposed bullnose brick pillars and oak beams. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour 

A front door leads into a beautifully welcoming wide hallway. Immediately in front is the kitchen, a wonderfully sunny room painted 'Indian Yellow' by Farrow and Ball, whose paints have been applied throughout the house. An oil-fired Aga, in a Pewter finish, warms the room, with an electric module to the left-hand side. The kitchen otherwise comprises blue cabinetry with granite worktops. Stone and oak lattice parquet is found underfoot with oak beams above. Beyond is a useful utility room with a door that leads to the garden, with characterful stone flags on the floor. Another door opens from the kitchen into the courtyard garden.

Beyond, a sunroom - currently used as an office - has an expanse of glazing, bringing light into the room from the courtyard. The room would also make a fantastic library or reading room. Beyond is a wonderful double-height space, revealing the soaring proportions of the original barn. With underfloor heating and a modern wood-burning stove in a sculptural chimney, the room is also wonderfully cosy in the winter. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the room, which is also brilliantly light, whilst doors open again into the courtyard. A red-painted guest WC lies off the entrance hall.

The principal bedroom sits in the original hayloft, with a balcony where a set of external steps would have been. Its windows frame far-reaching views of the garden, fields and woodland. There is also an en suite bathroom and a smart dressing room. Solid oak stairs lead to another double bedroom from the sitting room, with oak chevron flooring and a further bathroom is painted in dark grey. The stables, which are found on the third side of the 'C'-shape plan, are now home to a generous bedroom with an en suite bathroom.

The house is set back from the drive, providing ample parking for numerous cars.

Alongside restoration of the main barn, planning permission was also granted for the replacement of the tin shed with timber and glass loggia and for a new triple garage, with an apartment above and an orangery on the back side opening to the garden.  The barn is complete, and work has also started across the garage securing the planning permission in perpetuity.

The Great Outdoors 

Outside, the garden, orchard and woodland beyond stretch to approximately four acres. It is filled with plant and animal life, from the pretty wood anemone, native bluebells, celandine, violets, foxgloves and honeysuckle, which carpet the wood in spring, to the owls, birds, woodpeckers, bats (including the rare Barbastelle bat) and deer spotted throughout the year.

In 2021 many trees were planted to enhance the woodland's biodiversity, including silver birch, rowan, holly, wild cherry and dogwood. The existing woodland comprises ancient oak, rowan and hazel coppice. It makes for a fantastic area for foraging, with edible mushrooms, wild garlic and sloes. The owner became a herbalist, encouraged by the native wildflowers, herbs and plants in the area. A grassy clearing in the middle is perfect for bonfire singsongs, camping and parties. It is also a brilliant source of firewood, of which there is much already stacked and drying in the woodland.

The internal courtyard, sheltered from the wind, is a beautiful suntrap, perfect for eating outdoors in the summer. In the winter, the tin roof provides shelter against the elements and is the ideal spot for a fire. Here there are two useful storage sheds.

Out and About

The house is in a fantastic position, nestled in the rolling countryside of Lincolnshire. Norton Disney is located between the River Witham and the A46 Fosse Way; to the west is the Nottinghamshire border. The village is less than two miles from the house, surrounded by country and forest walks, including Norton Big Wood, Hill Holt Wood, Whisby Nature Park and Stapleford Woods. The village has a pub, a church, British Eventing Norton Disney Horse Trials and a thriving village community that hosts various activities throughout the year.

The nearby popular village of Bassingham - located just four miles from the house - offers a range of facilities, including a doctors' surgery, physiotherapist, hairdresser, and two good pubs. The two village stores incorporate a post office and a highly regarded butcher. There are also weekly fresh fish and bread mobile shops.

The village of Collingham (three miles away) is also a delightful, well-served village with many listed buildings. It also has a supermarket, library, garden centre, fish and chip shop and community pub, The Royal Oak. The nearby River Trent is popular with anglers and provides lovely countryside walks and cycle rides. There is direct access to an RSPB reserve, the Langford Lowfields Nature Reserve, and the National Sustrans cycleway runs through the village.

The historic city of Lincoln is located approximately 11 miles away. A lively university city with its stunning cathedral and a castle high up on Steep Hill, it is also home to the quaint Bailgate shopping area, a canal, restaurants, theatre, cinemas, thriving music venues, museums and even the annual Steampunk Festival. The David Lloyd Health and Leisure Club at Burton Waters is 12 miles away to the west of the city.

There are excellent primary schools in Witham St Hughs (OFSTED-rated ‘outstanding’), Bassingham and Brant Broughton (both OFSTED-rated ‘good’). Sleaford is home to highly regarded grammar schools for boys and girls, with a regular school bus service from the village. Also nearby are the Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn and The Prior Academy LSST towards Lincoln. In the independent sector, extremely well-regarded schools are in Newark, with Highfields prep school, Lincoln St Marys Prep, and Minster Schools (Prep and Senior), whilst Uppingham and Oundle boarding schools are relatively close by.

Lincolnshire's striking coastline is just an hour and a half by car, as are Norfolk and Yorkshire's respective coasts. The Peak District and Yorkshire Wolds are about the same distance, offering exceptional walking.

With excellent road links via the A1, the pretty market town of Newark is located around seven miles south, with excellent transport links, both via road (A1, A46, A17) and with direct trains to London King's Cross taking around 75 minutes.

Council Tax Band: F