Country diary: Bringing the hills to our home | Andrea Meanwell

Tebay, Cumbria: This old farmstead has taken many forms over hundreds of years. Now, as part of our renovations, we're connecting it to the local area in every way we canWe have been busy renovating our farmhouse for more than a year now. It has an interesting history and has four phases of development historically - the original 16th-century farmhouse, an 18th-century coaching inn, and a 19th-century court room area and taproom bar. A lot of stone from the Roman fort behind the farm has been reused in building our farmstead.In the spirit of sustainability, we have tried to source materials - and builders - as locally as possible. The oak came from our own woodlands and was processed in a sawmill in the Westmorland Dales. The lime plasterers live approximately three miles away, and are some of our nearest neighbours. Another neighbour is working here as painter, and one as a waller. Continue reading...