Our Story

From agricultural barn to all-year-round retreat.

The Barn began life as a simple agricultural building, used for storage. There are no records of it ever being lived in before the current owners took it on. It likely shared its work with the Mill, whose building still stands across the River Dorn, though it has sadly fallen into disrepair over the years.

The Mill and stream at Middle Barton, early 20th century. With thanks to the Bartons History Group archives.

The owners moved into the adjacent house in October 1993. At that time the barn was a general store of one large and one smaller room, with a corrugated-iron roof in poor condition. In 1998 they obtained planning permission to turn it into a two-storey building, replacing the corrugated iron with a thatched roof in keeping with the house and its original character. For many years the upper level served as the owners' daughter's play, study and sleeping space - commuting back to the house for meals.

The barn with its new thatched roof during the 1998 conversion — The new thatch, 1998

In 2018 the owners sought permission again, this time to convert the downstairs into the kitchen and bathroom you see today, joined to the upper floor by a staircase. Their daughter lived in the barn until 2024. In late 2025 the owners decided to let it out for short-term holiday stays, so that its lovely setting could be enjoyed by others and its long-term future secured.

The barn being re-thatched during the conversion — Thatching in progress

That is the barn you can stay in today - and we would love to welcome you. Make an enquiry.