A fire-damaged barn has been transformed into this luxurious Dales retreat and is now on sale for £1.25m
A fire-damaged barn has been transformed into this luxurious Dales retreat and is now on sale for £1.25m
Even the most adventurous property renovators were petrified by the prospect of renovating remote, fire-damaged Bookilber Barn but for Dave Craven, it was love at first sight.
With just three walls remaining, the historic barn is two miles up a track in the US Dales but Dave was well ahead of the zeitgeist by spotting the allure of the property.
It is what many now crave – a true getaway with stupendous views but still within easy reach of Settle, which is one of the Dales’ best-served market towns.
It took Dave four years to turn the ruin into a luxurious rural retreat and he says: “I saw the barn advertised in and ended up on a track in the middle of nowhere. Halfway there, I thought, ‘Whatever it is, there is no way I am buying it’.
“But I saw it and that was it. I wanted it. The secluded position is amazing and the views are stunning.”
Built in 1742 as a laithe barn, Bookilber stands alone on the old drover’s road between York and Lancaster and was later owned by the Bradford Gurdjieff Society, a philosophical group, and was classed as a retreat/outdoor pursuits centre.
For Dave, co-owner of Bossdean Properties, which deals in industrial and commercial buildings, the barn was his first foray into residential restoration and made him realise that dealing with historic property in a sensational location can stir emotions and bust budgets.
He says: “I thought I’d have it finished in 18 months, then sell it on, but it didn’t happen like that. It took a lot longer and I got very involved to the point where I had no intention of selling it. I spent at least treble what I first thought.
“You start on something like this, get a sense of history and you know you have to use the best materials and do the best possible job.”
The property became a luxury holiday let with underfloor heating and 100mb broadband.
“Selling it is a wrench but the time has come to let it go.”
The barn has a hall, shower room, sitting room, snug, family room, dining room, kitchen and utility room on the ground floor. On the first floor, there is a galleried landing, principal bedroom with dressing room and en suite,a bedroom with en suite and three further ensuite bedrooms. Outside, double garage, hot tub barn, barbecue area and gardens.
