Yew Tree Cottage

Positioned along Castle Street, one of the historic approaches to the ruins of Wigmore Castle, Yew Tree Cottage sits within the tightly woven fabric of Wigmore’s Conservation Area, a village defined by vernacular timber frames, stone walls and a strong rural identity.

Planning approval has been granted for our contemporary extension to this Grade II listed cottage. The scheme takes a conservation-led approach, removing later unsympathetic additions to reinstate the original timber-framed form and restore clarity to the historic fabric. By stripping back what detracted from the building, the relationship between house and garden is strengthened and the cottage’s character can be properly read again.

A modest, lightweight extension is positioned to the rear, facing the garden and connected by a simple glazed link. This separation keeps old and new clearly distinct, allowing the listed structure to remain legible while improving circulation and day-to-day use. The new volume is deliberately restrained in scale and material, sitting quietly alongside the existing house rather than competing with it.

Inside, timber, glass and carefully resolved detailing create a calm, light-filled space that opens directly onto the garden, with expansive views across the seasons. Fabric upgrades, improved insulation and a green roof contribute to the building’s long-term, sustainable use.

With planning secured, the project is now moving into technical design, where we are developing the structural approach, conservation repairs and detailed junctions to ensure the new work sits precisely against the existing fabric and is delivered with clarity and care.