The Old Barn, Chelsworth, Suffolk

Once a farm building, now a remarkable six-bedroom house, The Old Barn sits in an elevated plot with commanding views over the quiet village of Chelsworth, Suffolk. The design embraces its pastoral setting while establishing a confident contemporary disposition. Exposed materials are celebrated throughout, with an impressive triple-height timber structure, original brickwork, and plywood elements. Outside, in the gardens, is a 4,000 sq ft steel shed. Despite its rural idyll, the house is just 10 miles from Stowmarket station, providing direct services to London Liverpool Street in around 85 minutes.

The Tour

Approached from the quiet village road via a long track, the house rests beyond a gated entrance on a peaceful, elevated plot, with widescreen views of open countryside and farmland.

To preserve the architectural integrity of the building, the main barn was kept as a single volume, its original oak frame restored and integrated with new sections of French oak. Sheets of weatherboard plywood clad the interior, and the roof has been rebuilt with lightweight steel truss supports. A brick-built Victorian section to the approach was refashioned in a contemporary style, and a four-storey extension was added to the rear.

The main entry is to an impressive ante-room, where brick floor paviors and concrete walls set an authentic appeal. Banks of yellow door fronts open to reveal handy storage, utility facilities, and a WC.

A pair of symmetrically positioned stairs sweep up to the open-plan reception area in the main section. Here, dramatic full-height ceilings attest to the building’s former life. Clean lines and a restrained use of colour define the interiors, where a sympathetic selection of materials complements the original timber structure.

Expansive glazing reaches upward from the former barn door to extend across portions of the roof; light floods in as a result. Limestone floors with underfloor heating ground the space. Arranged centrally is a large dining area, with a bespoke kitchen beyond. Here, professional stainless-steel units are configured as a U-shaped island, with easy-to-maintain surfaces, raised plug sockets and seating space. A seating area is at the opposite end, oriented toward low-level slit windows that frame panoramic views of the landscape.

A white-painted wall marks the boundary between the main section and the four-storey extension, where all six bedrooms lie.

The principal suite is discreetly positioned on the lower ground floor and set within an inflatable Airclad pod, with direct access to the garden. East-facing panels draw in the soft morning light. A set of curtains opens to an en suite with a round spa bathtub, built-in wardrobes, and a door to a separate WC.

One of the bedrooms on the ground floor also has an en suite bathroom, along with access to a small balcony. There are three bedrooms on the first floor, and another en suite bedroom on the second floor. A pristine additional bathroom on the first floor has a bathtub, ideal for long soaks.

Outdoor Space

The house is immersed in well-maintained private grounds of around an acre, mainly laid to lawn and interspersed with established trees and planted sections. To the front, the private driveway has space for parking multiple cars.

The reception room opens to a generous terrace at the rear, arranged with an outdoor dining area and a barbecue. A versatile, tin-clad outbuilding of around 4,000 sq ft is also found in the garden and, subject to planning, is ripe for reimagination.

The Area

Chelsworth is a pretty village in rural Suffolk. It has a village hall and a church, with useful amenities that include a post office and village shop, in nearby Monks Eleigh. Hollow Trees Farm, with its fresh home-grown produce, café, and farm trail, is a couple of miles from the house.

The Peacock Inn is a welcoming 14th-century pub just a five-minute walk from the house. The Six Bells Preston is another local favourite, and the family-run Corn Craft tearoom and gift shop is a short walk away.

There are numerous opportunities for exploring in nature, including Chelsworth Woodland, which is owned by the village and carefully maintained “for the use of the villagers for walking, sitting, contemplating life and relaxing”.

This part of the country inspired many artists and writers, including Thomas Gainsborough, who spent his early life sketching in the woods and fields surrounding Sudbury. Long Melford and Lavenham, both within 15 minutes of the house, have stunning Tudor houses, pubs, and, in Long Melford’s case, two excellent stately homes - Melford Hall and Kentwell Hall.

The bustling and historic market town of Bury St Edmunds is only 17 miles away. It is also home to two independent cinemas, Abbeygate Cinema and The Everyman, and there is an excellent wine shop, Vino Gusto. There is a range of fine restaurants scattered throughout the town, including the Michelin-starred Pea Porridge, Lark, and Maison Bleue.

The port town of Ipswich is a 30-minute drive from the house, offering an excellent range of dining options, including local favourites The Salt House and Mariners Restaurant, which both sit alongside the town’s historic waterfront and marina. For coffee, Applaud Coffee, The Green Room and Good Inside Social are all recommended. Ipswich market runs four times a week, and is renowned for its locally sourced fruit and vegetables, and fresh farm produce.

The Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape is around an hour's drive away. Further afield, the Suffolk coast is noted both for its beauty and, increasingly, its cultural attractions, including Snape Maltings, part of Britten Pears Arts, which is an internationally regarded cultural centre, a mix of malthouses and granaries dating from the mid-19th century.

There are excellent schooling opportunities in the area, including Lavenham Community Primary School, Bildeston Primary School, Thurston Community College, Hadleigh High School, Finborough School, and Stowmarket High School.

Stowmarket station is around a 20-minute drive from the house, with direct trains to London Liverpool Street in approximately an hour and 25 minutes, and to Norwich in 30 minutes. There is easy access by car to the A12 and M11.

Council Tax Band: TBC