P I CTURES: MARTIN WA LK E R
A grand
granary
T
ake the right track and savour all the peace and
tranquility the countryside has to offer with this dream
Teesside home.
Four-bedroom semi The Granary in Nunthorpe boasts
secluded rural appeal, set just a stone’s throw away from the
suburbs.
And the good news for house hunters is that it’s currently on
the market.
As its name suggests, The Granary is a former working granary
and a Grade II listed building.
Retired husband and wife Steve and Jean Cattermole – no
relation to Sunderland and former Middlesbrough FC midfielder
Lee – lovingly completed this superbly-crafted barn conversion
which they call home 16 years ago.
It was the kind of four walls, start-from-scratch venture that
features on Grand Designs, and the couple were even approached
to make a TV appearance at the time.
Steve site-managed the whole project despite working full-time
at his own car parts shop, and with the help of a builder friend
and the advice of building inspectors paid special attention to the
fine details, creating a home he remains immensely proud of.
Built on foundations believed to date back to the 1700s, The
Granary has a kind of York Shambles character.
All beamed interior and exposed brickwork, with the structure
specially reinforced and walls insulated so that it stays warm in
winter and remains cool in summer.
“We tried to keep it as close as possible to the original building
so it has that old world feel in keeping with what the planners
28
Adam Steel gets a guided tour around
The Granary, a barn conversion with a
touch of style and class…
wanted,” Steve explains.
“It was important not to over-elaborate. To keep it simple as it
was a simple building, although we have done what we wanted
inside.
“I even put a parquet floor in which came out of an old school
in Durham and took me nine months to lay, and has stood the
test of time.”
Nestled next to Morton Grange Farm, The Granary comes with
a well-manicured garden, a trio of stables, around three acres of
agricultural land and a barn.
Interior highlights include two bathrooms, a living room, snug
and conservatory.
And the entrance hall has an impressive vaulted ceiling and
gallery landing which opens onto the yard.
Steve and Jean adore the house and the area, and are only
selling as they have decided to downsize and move into the
converted former Irish workers’ house next door.
As far as Jean is concerned, they are in the “ideal” spot - along
with The Granary.
“It’s like a little oasis here, it’s so quiet,” she adds.
“It’s ideal for a young family, and for people who have dogs and
horses and love walking.
“The possibilities around here are fantastic. You can walk to
Roseberry Topping in 20 minutes, and get onto Pinchinthorpe
walkway in about five minutes.
“There are four primary schools within two miles away, and
Middlesbrough town centre is just down the road.
“It’s just too big for us now.”