Shawm House, West Woodburn, Northumberland

This multi-award-winning house, conceived by architects MawsonKerr, is a masterclass in melding agricultural vernacular with contemporary living and environmental sensitivity. Embedded in the wild north Northumberland terrain, Shawm House is composed of a series of simple barn-like forms wrapped in greying larch cladding and bookended by Alston stone gables and frameless glazing. A cleverly inverted layout within maximises breathtaking views over the nearby Cheviot Hills. Forming part of the three-acre plot, woodland lines a shared private access driveway that opens to a landscaped external space with an adjacent annexed double garage and outbuilding.

The Architect

Architectural and eco-conscious ambitions encouraged Will Mawson and Dan Kerr to form MawsonKerr in 2010. An intuitive and energetic studio based in Newcastle, the practice is Passivhaus design certified and has a proven track record of realising environmentally sensitive buildings, imaginatively conceived and delivered with quality and longevity in mind. They are frequent recipients of RICS, Civic Trust and RIBA awards (of which Shawm House won four regional and one national awards) among others.

Environmental Performance

Aligned with a strategy for using locally sourced materials, the aim for Shawm House was to be low energy and low impact. High levels of insulation, an air-tight construction and triple glazing ensure excellent heat retention throughout the house, while an integral MVHR system ensures fresh air throughout. Integrated renewables, including solar photovoltaics and a biomass pellet boiler, cover much of the home’s energy needs.

A rainwater harvesting system and a bio-digester treatment plan further reduce the footprint, enhancing the holistic sustainability of the house.

The Tour

A private driveway meanders through a considerately managed wood, culminating in generous shingled parking for several cars.

The house is surrounded by a historic agrarian landscape, with the Cheviot Hills in the background. Though radically different from its neighbours, it manages to blend with its surroundings by referencing the local agricultural vernacular and fortified bastles visible across the Northumberland fells.

Linear forms - simple and conventional in silhouette - follow the line of an old rubbled wall. Harking to outbuildings that previously occupied the site, this home is sliced into three distinct parts: the newer two-storey element sits on the impression of a demolished barn adjoined by a single-storey converted steading, together forming an L-shaped footprint of living accommodation; the third element, an annexed garage, is set apart.

Nothing is overstated, with the interfaces between new and old materials clearly composed. Façades are a weighty marriage of contemporary larch boards, locally sourced from the Scottish Borders and Alston honeyed stone gables with raked back pointing to echo surrounding dry stone dykes alongside traditional aged stone walls and the slate roofing of the converted steading.

The front door, lying beneath the shelter of a cantilevered first-floor balcony, opens to a lobby. Within is a beautifully light, double-height entrance space, where an array of roof lights and triptych of high-level windows cast shadows across plastered wall planes and golden-hued timber floors.

A number of hardwoods - including beech, silver birch and sycamore - sourced from the house's woodland have been incorporated into the house, as bespoke built-in carpentry. A sycamore staircase ascends from the central entrance hall to a lofty open-plan first-floor living space. While its different 'zones' are gently delineated, all are washed in an beautiful quality of natural light from glazed openings; these punctuate the walls and anchor the building in its arresting surroundings. At the westerly corner, a recessed balcony provides a sheltered spot to take in the panoramic views.

Generous cabinetry lies beneath kitchen worktops, with space for a large dining table adjacent. A walk-in pantry and WC are tucked to one side. An expansive and versatile sitting area is at the eastern end of the room, where a built-in wood burner offers a cosy focal point.

The house's four considered bedrooms lie downstairs. Connected by an L-shaped ramped hallway, two lie within the newer built two storey wing, while the remaining two sit in the converted single storey steading. With distinct but similarly delightful outlooks, each has a unique character. All four have direct access to the gardens and two are en suite.

Lofty and bright, the principal room is at the southern-most tip of the plan. It rises with the lines of its trussed roofline and has an oversized projecting bay that captures mesmerising views. Presently used as an additional reception space, it could also serve as an independent annexe.

A spacious utility space, WC, family bathroom and copious storage cupboards complete the ground-floor layout.

The house has been designed to accommodate accessible living features. A Harmony lift, neatly slotted into a recess by the front door, rises to the upper level, adjacent to the kitchen. There are level thresholds throughout, as well as accessible wet rooms and an electronic intercom system.

Outdoor Space

The house is rural in setting and ambience. It sits amid approximately three acres of private land, comprising woods, tracks and a winding ‘river’ of dry stone raised beds that provide an immersive celebration of biodiversity, teeming with flora and fauna. Colourful planting and established trees and bushes attract an array of wildlife and birds.

The garden offers a variety of places to potter, rest and relax, as well as many contemplative spots to enjoy the enveloping farmland and hills. Views, often backdropped by local grazing sheep, stretch toward the River Rede as it meanders along the valley floor.

The double garage and workshop annexe is also contextually driven, echoing the house in form and character. Lying adjacent to the main plan, it provides secure parking and additional workshop/storage space for bikes, gardening equipment and the like.

The Area

Shawm House lies in the heart of the Northumberland’s Redesdale Valley, on the line of an old Roman road, Dere Street, that linked York to Edinburgh. It sits two miles north of West Woodburn, a small, traditional village with an excellent pub, The Bay Horse Inn, a garage, post office and local shop, handy for day-to-day essentials.

The house is well-placed to enjoy the dramatic and historic landscapes of Northumberland. Northumberland National Park and Kielder Water and Forest offer plenty of cycling and walking trails, as well as its Dark Sky Park Observatory. Hadrian’s Wall, which stretches westwards along the Tyne from Wallsend near Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway, is also nearby.

The handsome town of Hexham lies around 13 miles south on the banks of the Tyne. Centred around Hexham Abbey, the winding high street provides an array of shops, galleries, independent cafés and restaurants along with a beloved monthly farmers’ market, the art deco Forum Cinema and the wonderful Beaumont Hotel.

Matfen is around 18 miles away, where there is a delightful cafés and deli, popular with walkers and hikers. For dinners out, Matfen Hall and The Rat Inn at Anick, an award winning gastro pub, are stellar options. There are also and two Michelin-starred restaurants within 15 miles of the house: Hjem in Wall, and Pine at Wallhouses.

Corbridge, with its Roman site, lies around 18 miles away. It has some popular artisanal shops, such as the award winning Grants bakery and Acanthus for homewares, as well as the jewellery boutique Saunders and Pughe.

Newcastle is just over 45 minutes by car. The lively city teems with galleries, theatres and music venues, including the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, The Biscuit Factory and Sage Gateshead. The city has an excellent food scene with award-winning restaurants and micro-breweries.

The Northumberland 250 route runs along the A68. This scenic circular routes via the magnificent Cragside, to the stunning Northumbrian coast. Carlisle, 50 scenic miles west, is the gateway to the Lake District National Park. To the south is the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The East and West Coast mainline railways both run from Hexham, connecting to Newcastle in half an hour. The house is well placed to connect to major roads including the A68, A69, A1 and M6. Newcastle airport is an easy 25-minute drive with regular flights to London and beyond.

Council Tax Band: F