Appledown Cottage was a much-loved home that had suffered years of neglect, and although the intention at the outset was to preserve more of the original structure, the reality revealed something very different.

Once work began, it became clear that the property required near-complete reconstruction.

The only element retained was the front façade – a defining feature of the cottage – which required extensive propping and careful temporary works while the adjoining side walls were dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up. This approach allowed us to preserve the familiar face of the building while giving the entire structure the stability, performance and longevity it had long been missing.

The project became, in essence, a full new-build behind a heritage frontage. With close collaboration between the clients, our design input, and the on-site team, every detail was considered to ensure the cottage’s traditional character remained at the heart of the final result.

The completed home blends new-build integrity with the charm of the original façade – a thoughtful rebuild that gives Appledown Cottage a new chapter while honouring the spirit of what stood before.