The Grain Store started life as exactly that, a farm building.

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Its former life begun in 1982, when it was erected on the site of two cottages, replacing an older barn on land on the opposite side of Mill Road. The site dates back to at least 1797, as shown on on William Faden's map of Norfolk.

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Having outlived its former use, the building became available in 2017, and we set about converting it into the house that stands today. As with all the best 'grand designs', the path from concept to completion was not straightforward!

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We have strived to create a house that  complements and enhances its environment and reflects the modern barn vernacular, sympathetically blending with its surroundings. Sustainable design has been prioritised wherever possible, including re-use of almost all the original materials on site, high levels of insulation and triple glazing to reduce energy consumption. This, along with 52 solar panels means that the house now has net negative energy consumption, producing more energy than it consumes.​

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When the site was purchased, it was surrounded by beautiful mature ash trees. Sadly, all of those trees succumbed to ash dieback disease and had to been felled. However, nothing goes to waste: the timber provided for the log burner is from those trees. In place of the ash trees, more than 1,500 mixed native saplings have been planted to create new hedgerows around the house, creating new wildlife habitats as well as a ever-changing outlook from the house over years to come. 

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