The Old School House
Autumn, 2012 - 1,200 sq ft Extension
After returning to the North East Lt Gen Robin Brims, who had led the British Army into Iraq in 2003, bought The Old School in hamlet of Dalton, Northumberland.
Robin is a member of the original Brims family who founded the company 130 years ago, and after purchasing the Grade 2 Listed Building sought to upgrade and extend it to create a new family home.
Brims carried out restoration and refurbishment work to the original listed building. The garage block to the rear of the property was demolished and replaced with a new extension at ground and first floor levels, to create new bedrooms and a reception area.
The 1,200 sq ft extension, which was completed in autumn 2011, was constructed in natural stone with existing external stone features being retained and reused in the new elevations.
Lt Gen Brims said: “The work Brims carried out on the Old School would certainly have met with approval of my forefathers.”
Brims director Richard Wood said: “We demolished the old garage and single storey block to the rear and in place of this built a £250,000 extension which consisted of single storey stone extension to rear which compromises bedrooms, living accommodation, and a separate carer’s flat was also part of the work. “The existing listed main house was then refurbished and remodelled to upgrade the existing accommodation with new plumbing, electrics, bathrooms, decoration just about throughout. A new bedroom extension was also carried out at first floor level. “The exterior stone to the building was carefully selected Northumberland stone which was used to tie in with existing so that the unique character of the development was retained”.
The former school building was built in the 1830’s. It was closed in the 1950s and converted into a residential dwelling in the 1960s.