NEW chapter

Rebecca Hartley's 17th-century house, which was once owned by a famous English writer, has had a plot twist

- VIVIENNE AYERS

As soon as we saw it, we knew it was the one,’ says Rebecca Hartley of the 17th-century dower house in Gloucestershire that she and her husband Nathaniel bought in 2021. ‘It had long been our dream to have a nice big family home.’ The rambling property appealed to the couple because of the views and breathtaking garden with its 750-year-old cedar of Lebanon tree.

Built in 1690, the house, once the home of the novelist Henry Green, had been added to over the years. However, it needed some TLC to update the decor, improve the layout and transform it into Rebecca and Nathaniel’s dream family home.

The work unearthed several fascinating reminders of the house’s past. ‘In the old attic, which would have been the servants’ quarters, the bell boxes are still in place, and on one of the beams there are burn marks from their candles,’ says Rebecca.

The focus of the renovation was to create a comfortable, sociable home. A ground source heating system and solar panels replaced the oil heating and the configuration changed to improve the flow as it had been split into two spaces with a granny annexe.