Henham
Nr. Southwold, Suffolk

SOLD

Architect: Geoff Pyle

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Within the shell of a large and handsome 17th-century agricultural building, the architect Geoff Pyle has created an astonishing home. On a rural site of approximately 4 acres, the property includes the main house (over 3,000 sq ft with 4 bedrooms and 3 reception rooms) and a number of outbuildings that have the potential to be converted to further accommodation. The house can be found near the small village of Wangford, approximately four miles from the Suffolk coast.

Pyle’s design creates a harmonious balance of the historical and the contemporary. The frame of the building, a Grade II-listed structure, is constructed of rough oak; to offset the character of the timber, Pyle has used concrete and glass throughout. A further example of this balance is the restored thatched roof, now pierced with a bank of skylights that enable the interior of the property to be flooded with light.

The house is loosely arranged as two halves on either side of a dramatic double-height hallway with poured concrete floors and large glass sliding doors that open out onto the garden. On either side of the house is a first-floor reception room, one that is lighter and more open (mainly used by the current owners in summer) and another that is more enclosed (mainly used by the current owners in winter). The large master bedroom suite incorporates a bathroom and a mezzanine level study. It also has a wood-burning stove, as have the two reception rooms.

Pyle is an architect who was won numerous awards for his work both in the UK and abroad. Although he has worked on a wide range of buildings he has gained a particular reputation for his imaginative and exacting conversions of agricultural buildings.

The small village of Wangford is in east Suffolk – the two closest towns being the popular seaside town of Southwold and the attractive market town of Halesworth. Both provide a broad range of shopping and dining opportunities, as well as cultural activities. The town of Aldeburgh and the celebrated Snape Maltings Concert Hall are also close by.  The closest railway station is at Halesworth, where services run directly to London Liverpool Street in approximately 2 ¼ hours.

Click here for a map.

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.


History

ARCHITECT’S APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY

“The spatial organisation of the house takes advantage of the height of
the barn and the steep, re-thatched roof; light and detail are inspired
by the quality of the original, dilapidated barn, first experienced by
the architect on a sunny winter’s day. Small glazed openings in the
walls make reference to gaps in the old timber boarding, new windows
are placed outside the old oak frame, to expose it’s simplicity and
ruggedness. The frame, the skeleton of the house, and the roof were
carefully restored to health in the most traditional way, while new
elements and materials are clearly new. Externally, cladding is
untreated Western Red Cedar; thatch is reed.” Geoff Pyle, 1996

PUBLISHED CRITICISM

“Light and layout alike have proved very successful. A good balance between private and public space, openness and intimacy, has been achieved by adopting an unconventional by common sense floor plan. With a triple-height space to play with in much of the barn, placing most of the bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor with the main living spaces above, taking advantage of the high ceilings and the elevated views of the surrounding countryside, was an inspired step”. Dominic Bradbury in ‘Barns: Living in converted and reinvented spaces’

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