Four Hundred Year Old Windmill Converted to A Family Home
All over the UK it is not been unusual to see barns and churches converted into homes and now it seems the latest trend is to turn rustic old windmills into homes.
One such couple is Glyn and Debbie Larcombe who decided to downsize the family home by building something smaller in their own back garden after their three daughters had all grown up and left and was left with just one teenager son living at home.
They had originally considered using the existing garage as a starting point but with Glyn being an artist and designer he took steps on learning all he could about windmills and the couple spent a year researching in Holland and England until they found a 400 year old wooden mill. This was the building that Glyn based his design on and he set about drawing up plans and had them checked by a structural engineer.
Railway Sleepers and Material from Demolished Buildings Were Used
Relatives and good friends all helped Glyn with his project of building their new home which took over two years to complete. On a circular brick base he built an upright octagon wooden framework with 50 foot lengths of timber and layered it with insulation and weatherproof materials.
The inside of the windmill home has five levels with the ground floor being the largest and where the living and dining areas plus the kitchen are based. The first and second floor consists of bedrooms, a small office and the bathroom and the third one is used for storage.
Old oak railway sleepers, reclaimed materials and bits and pieces that were salvaged from demolished old cottages and farm buildings were all used in the structure of the mill and because all the room were round with no corners it meant all materials had to be very carefully designed, cut and put into place.
Glyn said “We cut it with chainsaws and every joint was individually sawn and pegged through. There are no nails or screws at all. Some of the timbers are about 200 years old – I got them, complete with barnacles, from the old docks at Tilbury”.
“Putting in the kitchen and bathroom was a bit like fitting out a caravan – I did all the work myself, adapting things to suit the space” he added.
No Corners to Hide In
The couple had to adjust to living in round shaped rooms in their new home with no corners or flat walls to place furniture against but they soon settled and are now living happily in their very cosy windmill home, which has quickly becoming very much a focal point in the village.
The sails are still missing but will hopefully soon be up and running. “They’re going to be maintenance free and self adjusting, so that no matter what the wind speed, they’ll maintain a constant motion” explained Glyn. “I’m hoping to use wind energy to generate sufficient electricity to power the mill and perhaps 10 other houses in the future” he went on to say.
Tower Mill Found in Garden of Home
Michael and Janet May is another couple who after acquiring a 1849 tower mill in the garden of their house which they purchased 20 years ago, are ecstatic because they have now had planning permission to convert the ruined building into a family home.
The couple from Norfolk have had to fight for permission to extend and modify it.
Janet said “We have been trying to get permission to do something with the building for 22 years. English Heritage had changed their policy and whereas in the past they had always hoped for restoration they decided it was derelict and capable of conversion”.
Now plans are underway to move into the mill with their two sons after it has been restored and turned into a family home. They will sell their present home to fund the project which they hope to start wok on this autumn.
