Dream home renovation nearly ended in tragedy

Despite a painful setback, a couple have created a stunning home and two beautiful cottages, as Joanne Ridout discovers

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Sam and Carol Lander in one of the converted cowsheds at their Cornersthire home The kitchen and principal bedroom were both open spaces but now they're partitioned off, pictured right How the other end of the space looked originally and right, the new library makes use of the half-landing

RENOVATING a property can be very hard work, cost a hefty budget and take longer than you might think, but it certainly doesn’t help if you break a bone halfway through the project.

Sam and Carol Lander's forever home journey actually started at another property - a Pembrokeshire house with a sea view which they intended would be the home they had always dreamt of, in a coastal location most people would envy.

The couple renovated the house to be their perfect dream home but the Covid pandemic happened and, as for so many people, some of the lockdown time was spent scrolling through Rightmove.

When the couple first walked into the impressive core space of historic Waterwynch Mill, they could not fail to be captivated - the triple-height space soared up to the exposed roof rafters and ceiling beams, and was breathtaking.

But the configuration was not how they could see this space working for them - the ground level was completely open-plan, including the kitchen, with a staircase at each end to mezzanine levels, one of which was home to the principal bedroom.

But Sam and Carol could see what the space could become for them with some work, even before they explored the whole site.

Sam says: "As we drove up the lane, I’m from a family of farmers, it felt like coming back to the farm, coming home, and so we were smitten pretty much straight away. We got ‘the feeling’ and when you get that feeling, you're in trouble!"