Built in early 19th century for the Reverend William England the former rectory is constructed of cob, stone and thatched roof, with an adjoining loggia and later coach house. Whilst the house is elegant with French style lozenge pattern windows, it is not all that extraordinary in terms of architecture for the region and therefore gains its Grade II listed status through the significance of historic associations.

Inhabited by William Barnes a famous Dorset poet, scholar, schoolmaster and rector of Winterbourne Came, the house became a magnet for literary genius and was regularly visited by the likes of Tennyson, Coventry Patmore, Edmund Gosse, Siegfried Sassoon and T.E. Lawrence to name but a few. The links to such important literary characters of the past is the thing that makes this building and the formal gardens such a special place.

In the Spring of 2022, Corbel were enlisted to carry out fairly extensive works to the property, included pairing back and removing many of the modern interventions that were not in keeping with the original property, a completely new M&E system, plaster, timber, window and thatch repairs, new joinery and a luxurious scheme of decoration throughout. The works were design and executed very sympathetically to revive the character and feel of the building that had been somewhat lost over the last few decades and the results are stunning.

Client: Private

Architect: SPASE Architects

Project Duration: 10 months