Listed Building Renovation of a Grade II Farmhouse in Kent

The owners of Stone Hill Farm commissioned us to restore and update their historic farmhouse in Sellindge, addressing significant structural damage while improving the house's everyday functionality. 

Our work focused on stabilising the house and designing internal alterations to the kitchen, utility, and pantry spaces. Alongside this, we carried out a full internal refurbishment.

The result is a farmhouse that feels spacious, comfortable, robust, and easier to move through, while remaining true to its character.

Stone Hill Farm, A Grade II Listed Farmhouse in Sellindge

Stone Hill Farm is a Grade II listed farmhouse dating back to the 17th century, set within approximately 25 acres of rural land west of the village of Sellindge, in Kent. 

Originally constructed as a traditional Kentish farmhouse, the building was later re-faced in red brick and adapted through a series of additions that reflect its long, evolving history. 

The main façade features regular sash windows, a central entrance, and a prominent ridge chimney, with later service ranges extending to the rear. 

Alongside the main house, the wider site includes an annexe and a barn, which reinforce the property’s historic role within a working farmstead. 

Although the building has been altered and repaired over time, the farmhouse retains a strong sense of identity and architectural coherence, so a careful, sensitive approach was essential.

The Brief: Repairing and Updating a Grade II Listed Farmhouse

The owners needed to stabilise the building, which had suffered from structural failure and years of piecemeal maintenance. 

At the same time, their brief was to update the interiors for modern living while protecting the house’s historic character. This included expanding the kitchen, introducing utility and pantry spaces, and upgrading services throughout the house.

The Design: A Sensitive, Repair-Led Approach to a Historic Farmhouse

We devised a design approach that repaired and retained the building’s more sensitive areas, while allowing greater flexibility in later or less significant fabric. 

This informed our decisions around layout changes, services, and finishes.

The Structural Repairs 

The works included underpinning the failed foundations, strengthening and reinforcing them to resolve movement and cracking. This stabilised the structure and reduced the risk of further damage to the historic fabric. 

Together with sister company BSF, we designed all repairs to be robust while remaining appropriate to a Grade II listed building. 

The Internal Alterations

We concentrated the alterations in areas of lower significance to retain the building’s more sensitive parts.

We reconfigured the kitchen by reorganising inefficient storage and utility spaces to create a clearer, more practical layout. A resized utility room, new pantry, and dedicated plant room now separate everyday functions, making the space easier to use and better suited to modern living.

We adjusted window and door openings to improve natural light and ventilation, and introduced slimline timber-framed glazing and French doors to strengthen the connection to the landscape. 

We also installed a new floor slab, introducing insulation and underfloor heating and resolving existing level changes.

Together, these alterations create a kitchen that is brighter, more comfortable, and more practical, without compromising the farmhouse's character or its listed status. 

The Materials and Finishes

The materials strategy focused on repair, reinstatement, and compatibility with the existing building. Where we introduced new materials, we selected them to sit comfortably alongside the farmhouse’s historic fabric and avoid unnecessary contrast. 

We introduced stone-tiled flooring and natural oak boards across the ground floor to suit the house's character and support the upgraded layout. 

On the first floor, we recommended repairing and retaining the original timber floor planks, preserving their character and giving the interiors a sense of continuity.

We introduced bespoke joinery within the kitchen, pantry, and wardrobe spaces, designed to sit comfortably within the refurbished interiors. 

We completed the refurbishment with re-plastering and decorative works, creating a consistent finish across the house while respecting its listed status.

The Planning Process

The planning process was smooth and well received by the Local Authority.

This demonstrated the care we took in shaping the design interventions, technical detailing, and material choices around the farmhouse’s listed status.

As a result, planning permission and Listed Building Consent were granted without issue.

The Works

We delivered and coordinated a comprehensive programme of repair and refurbishment across the farmhouse, working closely with Brighter Homes, a contractor with whom we have a long-standing relationship.

The works also included a full re-plumb and re-wire of the property, with a new heating system, boilers, and a dedicated plant room.

The Client’s Feedback

The clients described the project as intense but rewarding, and were delighted with the finished result. They highlighted how well the works were managed, noting that the finished house had exceeded their expectations.

They were delighted to see the farmhouse fully restored and felt the changes brought a huge improvement in comfort.

Thinking of Renovating a Listed Building?

James Clague Architects is part of Latchmere House, a collective of architects, engineers, interior designers, surveyors, and property specialists working under one roof.

From our bases in Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells, we work across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and the South East, delivering thoughtful design for listed and historic buildings in sensitive settings.

Whether you’re planning a full listed building renovation, structural repair, or internal reconfiguration, we can guide you through the process. 

To discuss your project, book an initial consultation or call 01227 649073.