Well Cottage

The brief

Restoration of existing Grade II listed cottage originally built in 1549 and is the site of the former village well. The cottage has been built into by the 18th century Grade II Listed estate wall of Chilham Castle. The works consisted of and extension with associated basement completion.

The outcome

Meridian Construction completed this bespoke basement and extension within budget and before the project deadline. It has created a fantastic living space for the client in a Grade II listed building. Ancient timbers sit alongside modern joinery, while the new extension makes a great space designed for gathering, retreat and connection. Chilham’s history is woven into the fabric of Well Cottage. Built in 1549, the timber framed house has endured, its walls textured with stories old and new. The alterations made to the Grade II listed cottage over the years have been integral not only to its survival, but also to its character. Protected by the privacy afforded by the reimagined outbuilding, a newly landscaped garden foregrounds the interplay between nature and architecture. A simplified landscape, accompanied by a cleanly designed terrace, is enclosed by the listed boundary wall, nodding to Chilham’s natural beauty and heritage,

The Times calls it The £1.8m renovation that transformed a ‘Hansel and Gretel’ cottage