Daneway Millhouse, Sapperton, Cirencester

Planning permission received for the remodel and renovation of a historic Cotswold property located at Daneway Wharf. The design includes a new ground floor extension, first floor extension, replacement outbuilding + privy and landscaping works.

The property is located at the historic wharf, formally a hive of activity on the Thames & Severn Canal. The proposal includes the extensive renovation of the property to provide a sustainable and contemporary Cotswold home. The existing house will be thermally insulated throughout, providing an optimal arrangement to accommodate a new air source heat pump installation to heat the property, minimizing energy consumption while providing year round comfort.

We worked closely with the Conservation team at Cotswold District Council to develop a contemporary design to complement the historic property. An elegant oxidised copper roof, is joined to the house by a strip rooflight which fills the living space below with natural daylight. The extension reorganises the house, providing a bridge over the new living space, which connects to a new feature stairs. An additional extension at first floor adds a glazed gable, also with a copper roof to provide a stunning new master bedroom.

We thoroughly researched the history of the property and its role supporting the Cotswold Arts-and-Crafts movement. The house formerly occupied by workers at the Wharf; also neighboured the steam powered Sawmill, fuelled by coal arriving from boats on the canal. The Sawmill provided wood for use throughout the surrounding area, and in particular the notable Arts-and-Crafts pioneers Ernest Gimson and the Barnsley Brothers, who lived at the top of the valley in Sapperton.

We took inspiration from the site’s heritage, selecting a hand finished copper which has a dark oxidised finish. The roof will be installed by specialist local metalworkers echoing the Arts-and-Crafts traditions synonymous with the area. The roof will continue to weather and develop its natural patina over time.

Below the house an existing outbuilding will be replaced with a new workshop, providing a flexible ancillary space to serve the house. Built into the bankside a wildflower roof will blend the outbuilding with its natural setting, together with the use of natural stone and timber cladding. Large sliding timber doors, conceal the windows and doors to provide privacy and security when the building is not in use. The doors will create a seamless appearance with the vertical timber cladding, forming a modest yet precision detailed and elegant addition to the site.