How we turned a 17th-century cottage into our forever home

Judy Stafford at home in her 17th-century Peak District cottage, where sweeping views inspired a clever extension - Andrew Fox

“I’d always dreamt of a cottage in the countryside with beams and thick window ledges”, says Judy Stafford as we sip tea, taking in the far-reaching views of the Peak District from her 17th-century home in Cheshire.

The pastoral setting and characterful interiors will be familiar to those who follow Judy’s Instagram, @cobblestones_and_wells, named for a well uncovered when the cobbled courtyard at the front of the house was laid.

It was one of her daughters who suggested she start the account in spring 2020. Today, Judy has more than 460,000 followers, who relish a glimpse of the tranquillity she shares by opening the doors of this idyllic hideaway.

Before buying the house a decade ago, Judy and Julian, her husband of 38 years, had lived in four previous homes – two 1950s-style houses and two new-builds – the most recent for 20 years, where they raised their three daughters and son.

“I was always mithering Julian about moving, but when our children were small we had to focus on convenience and practicality”, she says.

By August 2015, the time felt right to find a home that was “more about what we wanted”, so she began browsing Rightmove. Almost immediately, she came across this stone house, once part of a country estate and now in a hidden hamlet. It was only five minutes from their previous home, though they had never known it existed. Judy even got lost trying to find it, recalling Julian saying, “This is ridiculous, we can’t live somewhere like this” as they wound up a mile-long track barely wider than a car.

But they were bowled over by the vast, breathtaking views of fields and woodland. A tour of the interior, with its quirky historic features, only sealed their interest.

Love at first sight

“We virtually put an offer in straight away, but we were one of two interested couples and had to sell our house first”, says Judy.

“We found a cash buyer towards the end of November, and the owners of this house agreed to go with us if we could complete before Christmas. We could only do this, however, by opting for a basic Homebuyers Report, required for the mortgage, rather than the full structural survey it really needed. But it was heart over head. I’d fallen in love. I didn’t care what was wrong with it – I wanted it.”

They sought the advice of a surveyor friend who lived locally and knew the house.

“He advised us that it was 400 years old, still standing, and looked sound from the outside. Anything that might be wrong would be fixable”, says Judy. So they went for it, managing to complete in three weeks with the help of their son-in-law, a solicitor.

Judy says she fell in love with the cottage as soon as she saw it - Andrew Fox

A full structural survey was carried out a few weeks after they moved in. “There were a few issues”, says Judy, “such as woodworm in some oak panelling and beams, a few damp spots, and some niggly things on the roof, which we still need to sort – but nothing major that wasn’t easily rectifiable.”

All about the view

However, it soon struck the couple that there wasn’t a single room in the house where they could sit and fully enjoy the surroundings that had so enchanted them, and it became Judy’s mission to change that.

“I always want to be true to the house, but I also wanted to create seating areas indoors and out to make the most of the views”, she says.

The new decking area at the bottom of the garden boasts stunning treetop views - Andrew Fox

They replaced windows with French doors at the rear and created distinct outdoor spaces, including a striking decking area at the bottom of the garden, where the family enjoy lazy lunches and sunset suppers overlooking the treetops.

Judy’s pride and joy is undoubtedly the oak extension, built in the summer of 2018 by local company Kitchen Crafts, who also fitted the kitchen, utility, and bedroom furniture.

Inspired by old photographs showing a wrought-iron porch once ran along the back, the extension features glass along its full length, offering uninterrupted views of the sloped garden and the ever-changing colours of the wooded valley beyond.

“I wanted the extension to feel as though it had always been here, that was key”, says Judy. “The oak, now silvered, blends beautifully with the stonework and surroundings. Sitting here as the seasons change and the day passes from morning to night, I constantly think, ‘Wow’.”

Natural connection

As for the extension’s interior, Judy had a clear vision. “I wanted a space where you felt part of the outside while inside, big enough for a dining table and a seating area. It’s why it has become the most used room in the house, the one we all naturally gravitate to.”

At one end, Neptune armchairs, Oka cushions, and a baker’s workbench that belonged to Julian’s grandfather create a snug seating corner, while at the other sits the large dining table Judy inherited from her parents.

“I grew up around that table, so it holds a lot of memories and is probably the most precious thing in the house”, she says. “I like to mix the modern with the old.”

In keeping with the outside-inside concept, the décor is neutral, letting natural light take centre stage. In the evenings, carefully placed lighting provides a soft, ambient glow. There is an earthy quality too, with exposed stonework and Fired Earth terracotta tiles running through the adjoining kitchen and sitting room, creating a sense of continuity throughout the space.

Neutral tones, terracotta tiles and exposed stonework give the space an earthy warmth - Andrew Fox

Cosy yet cool

The shape of the kitchen has remained largely the same, but a window was replaced with doors leading to the extension “to maximise the views and allow for ease of movement”, says Judy. She also had the idea to install a mirror above the new Aga. “It means we can stand here and cook, and still enjoy the view,” she explains.

In the kitchen, a mirrored splashback above the Aga reflects the view of the garden - Andrew Fox

During the 2020 renovation, they added a kitchen island with Armac Martin handles and painted in Ede by Atelier Ellis, whose Glazed Pottery Blue adorns the cupboards, while Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White covers the walls and ceiling. The effect is minimalist, modern and cool, a subtle counterpoint to the warmer tones of the adjoining sitting room.

“In winter, this room really comes into its own. It’s the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine while someone cooks. You can keep them company from the comfort of the sofa”, Judy notes. Indeed, the fireplace, low wooden beams, built-in bookshelves, Neptune sofa and walls in Farrow & Ball’s London Clay create the ideal spot to hunker down on chilly evenings.

Judy’s cosy sitting room, with its fireplace and Farrow & Ball walls, is a favourite spot for winter evenings - Andrew Fox

“We change the colour here often,” she adds, crediting her friend and interior designer Paula Lewis for giving her the confidence to experiment with colour, shape and layout since they met in 2016. “I have a good idea of how I want to decorate, but I do need reassurance, and Paula also gives things that extra bit of oomph.”

The stuff of dreams

Upstairs, the master bedroom exudes a rustic, almost magical charm, with low angled beams reminiscent of a treehouse. “To wake up and see them is just phenomenal”, says Judy, whose bed – a Louis XV caned design from And So To Bed – is layered with Tielle bedding.

Low beams add rustic charm in the master bedroom

A wardrobe and bedside table from Rocaille Antiques (where she also found the dining chairs) sit alongside a unique rocking chair once owned by her parents, re-covered in Neptune’s Hugo Pale Oat fabric. The room is a true haven, as is the main bathroom. “It was bright and functional when we moved in, but I dreamed of something cosier and more romantic,” Judy explains. Today, wooden floorboards, a rug from India, a chandelier and a roll-top bath by Imperial create that effect.

The roll-top bath and chandelier seen in the bathroom

And respite is needed: old houses demand patience and care. “A house like this brings challenges you don’t get with a conventional property,” she says. “If you can’t take that, go buy a new-build. But we’ve said this is our forever home, and the truth is, I never want to leave.”

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