A modern barn conversion with large glass doors, brick walls, and a slate roof, with a gravel path leading to the entrance and neatly trimmed lawns on either side.

Church Hill Barn | A multi award-winning Grade II Listed barn conversion

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Curtain WallingFrench and glazed doorsGrand Slider IIPicture windowsRoof lights

Church Hill Barn is an award-winning Grade II Listed barn conversion set within the Suffolk countryside on the Essex/Suffolk border. Designed by David Nossiter, a recognised specialist in the sensitive transformation of historic agricultural buildings, the project reimagines a former model farm as a contemporary rural home.

Award-winning recognition for Church Hill Barn

Winner of best restoration in the Sunday Times’ British Homes Awards and shortlisted for the Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards and the Architect’s Journal Retrofit Awards, the barn was originally part of the Assington Hall Estate. The cruciform barn and its surrounding outbuildings once accommodated multiple farming activities beneath a single roof. Today, the cathedral-like central volume, rising to eight metres with exposed timber trusses, forms the heart of a remarkable self-build home.

Retaining character whilst adding light

From the outset, the ambition was to retain the raw historic character of the barn while introducing expansive, light-filled living spaces. As a Grade II Listed structure, the scheme required close collaboration with conservation officers. Existing openings were preserved wherever possible and glazed – with glass deliberately set back from the external wall line to maintain the visual contrast with the brickwork. For IDSystems, the project demonstrates how carefully specified glazing can become a defining architectural element of a listed barn conversion, unlocking light while respecting heritage constraints.

Transforming the interior design

Glazing plays a pivotal role in transforming the interior, with fixed frame picture windows and the large panels of Grand Slider II sliding doors open the central space onto the courtyard and surrounding fields. These large glazed elements frame rural views while allowing for a seamless transition between inside and out. The aluminium frames contrasting with the brickwork and exposed timber roof structure, allowing the original architecture to remain visually dominant.

Interior daylight is further enhanced by two rooflights, positioned to draw natural light deep into the tall central volume. These rooflights help to light up the historic roof trusses and emphasise the barn’s height – whilst also reducing the reliance on artificial lighting.

Enhanced performance and efficiency

Achieving modern performance standards within a historic envelope was equally important. The roof was refurbished using a warm roof construction, placing insulation above a new timber deck so the original structure could remain exposed internally. External walls were insulated with sheep’s wool and clad in naturally weathering larch, while reclaimed materials from other agricultural buildings on site were reused wherever possible. High-performance glazing works in conjunction with underfloor heating and a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, ensuring thermal efficiency despite the large expanses of glass.

Church Hill Barn stands as a benchmark for contemporary barn conversions. It demonstrates how architectural glazing, when thoughtfully integrated, can reconcile heritage sensitivity with modern living — revealing rather than competing with the historic character of a listed rural building.

Location: Essex/Suffolk border
Architects: David Nossiter Architects
Structural engineers: AFP Consult
Photos: The Modern House

Gallery

Modern open-plan interior with exposed beams, brick walls, a wooden dining table with colourful chairs, red sofa, large windows, and a view of a landscaped garden.
A large, modernised brick barn with a slate roof, gravel paths, a wooden fence, and a neatly maintained lawn under a clear sky.
Spacious room with exposed timber beams, brick walls, a long wooden dining table, red corner sofa, and glass doors opening to a garden.
Open-plan interior with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, a kitchen island with orange stools, and a red sofa in the living area.
A spacious living room with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, modern furniture, a wood-burning stove, and large artwork on the wall.
A modern converted barn with a gravel path leading to a central glass entrance, surrounded by lawns and lit interior spaces visible through large windows.
Spacious open-plan interior with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, a central kitchen island, large windows, and a hanging chair.
A modern bedroom with exposed wooden beams, a double bed, a built-in bath, and large sliding glass doors overlooking a grassy outdoor area.
Modern kitchen with exposed wooden beams, light wood cabinetry, a large island with a sink, and four orange bar stools on a polished concrete floor.
A modernised brick barn with a sloped slate roof, central glass entrance, and a gravel path leading up to the building, surrounded by grass and young trees.
Modern bedroom with exposed wooden beams, built-in bed frame, open wardrobe, and concrete floor. A striped blanket and pillows are on the bed, with a small marble-topped bench at the foot.
Modern glass entrance of a brick and timber building, reflecting the outdoor landscape, with a hanging chair visible inside and a gravel path leading to the door.
Dining area with a wooden table, mixed chairs, exposed beams, brick walls, and modern decor, with sunlight streaming through large glass doors into the room.
Modern interior of a renovated barn with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, polished concrete floor, a hanging chair, and large windows overlooking a garden.
A modern dining room with a wooden table, metal chairs, exposed beams, large glass doors, and artwork on the wall, overlooking a garden with brick walls.
Exposed wooden beams and brick walls in an interior space, showing structural framework and high ceiling with natural light.
Modern open-plan interior with exposed beams, brick walls, a wooden dining table with colourful chairs, red sofa, large windows, and a view of a landscaped garden.
A large, modernised brick barn with a slate roof, gravel paths, a wooden fence, and a neatly maintained lawn under a clear sky.
Spacious room with exposed timber beams, brick walls, a long wooden dining table, red corner sofa, and glass doors opening to a garden.
Open-plan interior with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, a kitchen island with orange stools, and a red sofa in the living area.
A spacious living room with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, modern furniture, a wood-burning stove, and large artwork on the wall.
A modern converted barn with a gravel path leading to a central glass entrance, surrounded by lawns and lit interior spaces visible through large windows.
Spacious open-plan interior with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, a central kitchen island, large windows, and a hanging chair.
A modern bedroom with exposed wooden beams, a double bed, a built-in bath, and large sliding glass doors overlooking a grassy outdoor area.
Modern kitchen with exposed wooden beams, light wood cabinetry, a large island with a sink, and four orange bar stools on a polished concrete floor.
A modernised brick barn with a sloped slate roof, central glass entrance, and a gravel path leading up to the building, surrounded by grass and young trees.
Modern bedroom with exposed wooden beams, built-in bed frame, open wardrobe, and concrete floor. A striped blanket and pillows are on the bed, with a small marble-topped bench at the foot.
Modern glass entrance of a brick and timber building, reflecting the outdoor landscape, with a hanging chair visible inside and a gravel path leading to the door.
Dining area with a wooden table, mixed chairs, exposed beams, brick walls, and modern decor, with sunlight streaming through large glass doors into the room.
Modern interior of a renovated barn with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, polished concrete floor, a hanging chair, and large windows overlooking a garden.
A modern dining room with a wooden table, metal chairs, exposed beams, large glass doors, and artwork on the wall, overlooking a garden with brick walls.
Exposed wooden beams and brick walls in an interior space, showing structural framework and high ceiling with natural light.

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