A Victorian Home Takes Over the Ruins of an Old Parchment Factory in England
When a couple in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, tapped Will Gamble Architects to design an extension for their Victorian home, they expected the adjacent stone wall ruin would have to go. But the firm came back with an entirely different idea: instead of demolishing the centuries-old remnants, the architects proposed celebrating the crumbling structure with a reinforcing steel, brick, and glass volume.
Located about an hour northwest of London in Northamptonshire, a Grade II listed Victorian home was extended to encompass an adjacent cattle barn and historic ruin.
"Despite falling into disrepair, the ruin was very important within the community and further afield," says director Will Gamble. "It once produced parchment paper and was rumored to have made paper for members of the royal family. The ruin was also very much part of the character of the building as a whole, and we felt strongly that it needed to be preserved."
The disorderly nature of the ruin is juxtaposed against the modern extension and Victorian-era residence. The facade brickwork was largely completed using reclaimed materials, allowing the new section to sensitively blend into its surroundings.
Nestled between the existing Victorian home and the crumbling masonry section sat an unused cattle shed. To connect all three sections, Gamble proposed a "building within a building" using materials reclaimed from the site. "[The ruin] ended up being the driving force behind the entire scheme, and the change in approach was eventually well received by the client, the planners, and Historic England," Gamble says.
A new brick staircase leads up to a rooftop terrace above the new section. A portion of the Victorian home was also remodeled to tie the old and new spaces together.
New retaining walls and landscaping help to further harmonize the stepped areas.
One half of the ruin footprint is now an enclosed living room and kitchen for the homeowners. Cor-Ten steel beams reinforce the formerly crumbling sections while reclaimed brick and floor-to-ceiling glass fill in the rest. The new volume was limited to one story to allow remaining remnants of the ruin to dominate the overall visual appearance.
One half of the ruin was enclosed and is now part of the kitchen and dining area. The other half of the ruin encloses a new patio, which is accessible from the former factory entrance.
Internally, timber joists inside the old cattle shed were left exposed and stone walls were washed in lime to create a mottled effect. Painted steelwork distinguishes the new section while white-washed oak floors help to connect the entire space. Contrasting with it all is a strikingly contemporary kitchen, which plays on the theme of a modern intervention set within a historic context.
The firm also designed the new kitchen space, opting for a contrasting darker palette.
An original timber post stands beside the new sleek cabinetry and stainless-steel countertops.
"The concept behind the interiors was to go for an honest palette of materials that celebrated the architecture of the cattle shed and the ruin," explains Gamble. "We tried to preserve the character of the ruin and the cattle shed as much as possible by leaving most of what was already there uncovered."
Painted wood and steel beams subtly mark a separation between the former cattle shed and ruin footprint. The two areas now seamlessly flow together as a kitchen, dining, and living area.
The new dining area looks out onto the front garden. Will Gamble Architects designed a concrete plinth to run along the base of the stone walls as a monolithic 'skirting' design.
Opposite the dining room and around the corner from the kitchen, a small living room looks out directly onto the ruins. Sliding glass doors provide access to the new enclosed patio.
Yet another discovery during the restoration was the original parchment factory’s location on top of a natural spring. According to Gamble’s research, hides used to make the parchment were cleaned by lowering them into a series of spring-fed baths located underneath the building. The firm reopened one of these underground baths as part of the project, creating a new water feature and dry well for water runoff.
Shop the Look
A view of the historic water feature, which is now integrated into a new patio surrounding the ruin and modern extension.
Related Reading:
Rising From the Ruins: Homes Built on Architectural Remains
This Renovated Scottish Farmhouse With Sinuous Interior Walls Is a Jaw-Dropper
Project Credits:
Architecture and Interior Design: Will Gamble Architects / @willgamble_architects
Photography: Johan Dehlin
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