Rackley’s Farm is a project we undertook for a private client which involved the conversion of an old barn and ancillary farm buildings into a wedding venue. The main barn has been extended using an oak frame to tie in with the original structure. A lean-to extension to the side of the main function room, again using an oak frame with large windows. There is also an extension to the back of the barn which has a basement, commercial kitchen and houses the WCs. The externals of the building have weatherboard cladding to match the finish of the existing building.

The ancillary buildings consist of a new store and plant room, a catering office, a registrar’s office, a bridal suite (with en-suite facilities) and a meeting room. All existing roofs were repaired and tiled with reclaimed tiling salvaged during the demolition & roof strip phase. The walls have all been underpinned where possible to keep the existing walls.

A new entrance road has been created along with a car park with all surrounding areas landscaped. The client has requested an “autumn gold” finish to the road surface to mimic a traditional farm road into the venue.

It is the client's wish to keep as many of the existing features as possible, which includes keeping existing brick and flint walls if they were still in good condition, using reclaimed roof timbers for roof repairs and re-using the salvaged roof tiles.