This superb, award-winning renovation of a 17th-century house by the acclaimed architectural practice Annabelle Tugby Architects occupies a peaceful pocket of the Cheshire countryside. Set in a cottage garden with protected views of open fields and woodland, the internal living space of over 2,700 sq ft artfully combines textural materiality and modern additions with a sensitivity to its rural setting. A beautifully executed modern one-bedroom annexe of 1,200 sq ft, currently used as a home office by the architect owner, is positioned adjacently to the house. Connections to the urban centres of Manchester and Cheshire are easily reached in around 30 minutes, and trains from Wilmslow connect to London in approximately one hour and 50 minutes.

The Architect

Annabelle Tugby Architects is an interdisciplinary practice working across architecture, urban design, interiors and furniture, with a focus on exceptional residential projects in a contemporary vernacular style. Designs are sympathetic to their locality, celebrating beautiful materials, textural contrasts and finely crafted minimalist detailing.

Their refurbishment of this 17th-century cottage typifies this practice’s ability to instil modern living arrangements in period homes and has won numerous awards, including the Manchester Society Association Awards 2021, Small Project of the Year,  Architects Journal Small Project Award 2020 (shortlist). The house was also awarded best Commercial Interior and best Sustainable Surface Interior at the Surface Design Awards 2020 and was shortlisted for the Best Commercial Building here also.

The Tour

The house is approached via a quiet residential lane and onto a private driveway leading to Norcliffe Hall. Norcliffe Grange is the last property on the private driveway before the Hall. There is a generous provision of off-street parking, and planning approval has also been granted to construct an oak-framed double garage, with annexe space above to the plans of the architect. This would be positioned in the front garden, adjacent to the stone entrance gate posts.

A soft, textural, understated palette has been used throughout the interior, with walls and exposed beams washed in a stony white hue, and the quality of natural light is exceptional.

The front door opens to a spacious reception and music room with seagrass running underfoot. A beautifully designed open-plan kitchen and dining room is interjoined, where Crittall glazing frames beautiful views across the garden and opens the entire space onto the terrace during warmer months. Handcrafted cabinetry runs the length of ply-lined walls, neatly housing appliances and pantry storage, with exposed brick to one end, adding to the crafted, textural aesthetic. A central island creates an open, sociable layout, lending perfectly to the daily routines of family life.

Shingle has been artfully embedded underfoot and continues out to the terrace with a pleasing aesthetic continuity. A bespoke timber-framed dining table sits beneath a window on the opposite side of the room, catching the dappled sunlight throughout the day and creating a welcoming place to eat and drink.

Solid timber beams form a pitched ceiling in the adjoining extension, creating a voluminous, double-height space with a maple gym floor underfoot. This room offers great flexibility of use and is currently set out as a games room with a back kitchen cleverly concealed at one end of the room and access to the large utility space.

A wonderfully romantic timber-framed glasshouse and garden room retain a seamless visual connection with the gardens, where ivy and jasmine grow from the ground, sun streams in through the glass roof, and flagstones run throughout.

On the opposite side of the ground floor plan, there are two further reception rooms or snug. A stone fireplace creates a natural focal point, and a bespoke window seat is built into the bay.

Two sets of stairs ascend to the first floor, one to a landing with a desk built into an arch, perfect for home working. Built-in cabinetry lines one wall of the main bedroom, and a large window looks out onto the garden and the fields beyond. The en suite bathroom has a large, free-standing bath and a built-in window seat, both perfectly positioned to enjoy the views.

There are three additional bedrooms, all with cleverly incorporated showers and en-suite bathrooms. Built-in storage and handcrafted cabinetry continue throughout the first floor.

A separate one-bedroom annexe is set in the gardens in a secluded position, the perfect distance away from the house to retain privacy. Brick walls to the front and back are topped by agricultural metal in a nod to the local vernacular. Inside, there are two rooms, one finished in lime plaster, and the other finished in ply.

The space has a fantastic quality of natural light, care of large picture windows, glazed doors, and a fantastic full-width roof light overhead. It also has a kitchenette and a beautifully designed bathroom and is served by its own air source heat pump. Currently used as a studio and office space for a practice of eight, this space could be configured to be additional guest accommodation or could form a standalone dwelling under Permitted Development Rights. It has independent vehicle access and ample parking.

Outdoor Space 

Almost every room on the ground floor opens out onto the gardens and terraces of the house. The perfect cottage garden, it has raised beds, a vegetable plot and a large strawberry patch, all of which border open fields and with a beautiful woodland backdrop. There are mature planting and specimen trees, a fabulous treehouse and a timber-clad terrace with bespoke timber shingles, providing the perfect spot for dining in the warmer months.

The Area 

Styal is a charming and sought after village, awash with many historic buildings and National Trust properties built in the early part of the 19th century. The village centre has a strong community spirit, with a local shop and a fantastic pub, The Ship, within easy walking distance. The local primary school is also held in high regard, and reachable on foot via walkways across open fields.

Walks nearby are excellent, as Styal is in the heart of the Peak District; the Giant’s Castle Walk is on the doorstep, and the Quarry Bank gardens with caves, cliffs, trees, rhododendrons, a glasshouse and views across the river to the mill is nearby.

The town of Wilmslow is a 10-minute drive away, and Manchester City centre is a half-an-hour drive, and Chester is 40-minutes.

Styal station is reachable on foot in five minutes, and from here, trains run directly to Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly and to Liverpool Lime Street. The house is a five-minute drive to Manchester Airport.

Council Tax Band: G

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.