RURAL CHIC

Frances and Andrew Morton-Jenkins left the city to follow an idyllic lifestyle on a beautiful farm

- MAGGIE COLVIN

Frances and Andrew Morton-Jenkins are no strangers to doing up listed buildings. ‘This is our fourth,’ Andrew enthuses. ‘But I wish we did not always fall in love with historical buildings. They always turn out to cost twice as much to renovate and take twice as long. We apparently can’t help ourselves.’

Having decided to give their daughter a country upbringing, they were looking for a new home in the West Country and fell in love with the house they had booked for a B&B weekend.

IDYLLIC LOCATION

‘We were attracted by its position surrounded by seven acres of fields and unspoilt views of the countryside,’ says Frances. ‘It had original flagstone floors, stunning Georgian square rooms, high ceilings and original sash windows. When told the house was for sale, we were over the moon until we found out the asking price. It was way over our budget.’

Frances and Andrew scoured the West Country for alternatives, but when they discovered the farmhouse was still on the market six months later, they put their London house up for sale, swapped it for a London flat and with the difference bought the farmhouse of their dreams.

ONGOING PROJECT