Prime position

Memories of happy holidays brought Katie Oliver and her family to this 19th-century barn, which has been turned into an idyllic retreat

- KAREN JENSEN-JONES

After years of living in London, Katie Oliver, a busy GP, set her sights on finding a country bolthole for weekends and holidays with her husband Andrew and five children, Molly, seven, James, five, Charlie, three, Sofia, two and Gigi, eight months. Her love of Somerset brought her to Wells, in the Mendip Hills, where she was lucky to find an 18th-century barn for sale with stunning views and a rich history.