Issue 149

6
THROUGH THE KEYHOLE
Wood, you believe it!
Sharon Chilcott discovers how a South Wales DT teacher fulfilled a lifetime ambition
to mastermind his own property project.
If stylish barn conversion Sgubor Fach, near Magor,
features a wealth of solid wood, it’s hardly surprising.
“There’s a lot of bespoke oak joinery. My husband was a
woodwork teacher and masterminding a barn conversion
like this is something he always wanted to do.”
When Mair and David Biggs came across the tumble-down
farm building, in 2005, it was a derelict cart house, part of
an old dairy farm which was being divided up and sold.
For 18 months, they lived on site, in a farm cottage, whilst
they turned the traditional stone-built barn into a stunning,
contemporary three-bedroom home, with a farmhousestyle
kitchen and two light-filled reception rooms. The
lovely old property, which they named Sgubor Fach,
meaning small barn, retains some charming reminders of
its former use, including the four large arched openings
along one side, which would have been the doorways for
the carts. During the conversion, Mair salvaged some of
the discarded farm items and has made them into garden
features. “There were some milk churns left here that I use
as doorstops and a cow trough which I have put against
the wall.”
“The lovely old property, which they named
Sgubor Fach, meaning small barn, retains
some charming reminders of its former use”
The couple set out to create a light and airy conversion,
with a homely feel. “We also wanted to keep the
atmosphere of the barn, which is 200 to 250 years old,”
says Mair. Completing the project was not without its
challenges, as the couple were fitting it in around full
time work and commuting. “I was working in Newport
and David was working in Cardiff. David was managing
the work and we were coming back in the evenings and
doing what we could.” Towards the end of the project, the
pressure was really on, as the couple had set themselves
a deadline. “I am old fashioned and I wanted to move in
for my son’s wedding, so he could leave from his home.
In the end, it wasn’t completed but at least his bedroom,
the principal bedroom and the kitchen were done.” Since
finishing the conversion, the couple have continued to
make improvements, landscaping the garden and building
a large block-built double garage which is faced with wood
to give an agricultural appearance. “We use it for storage
as well as for our two cars. There is loft space above and,
subject to planning, we have always thought it could be
converted to an annexe.”
One of the reasons the couple were drawn to the barn
was its location. “When we were working, it was lovely to
come home to this peace,” says Mair, but she adds that the
barn’s proximity to the motorway system was a real benefit.
The couple were also attracted by the views and rural
surroundings, overlooking fields and paddocks belonging
to a neighbouring livery. To take full advantage of the long
distance views, they have built a raised decking in one
corner of their garden. “After we had been here about
four years, it became clear to us that is what the garden
needed. It has the best view in the whole place. You can
see to Pencoed Castle over the fields and then turn round
and look across to the Severn Estuary and the two Severn
bridges.”
Undertaking the barn conversion was an opportunity for
David to ensure there is lots of bespoke woodwork and
use of solid wood. There are double glazed solid wood