Former wood mill is a charming piece of village history

OFFERED with no chain, Central House is a well proportioned character four bedroom detached family home with attached one bedroom self-contained annexe and an attached two storey workshop, ideal for development, subject to planning consent.

"We searched for more than a year to find somewhere we could move with my mother," says Gay Holdich who, together with husband Tony, bought Central House in Clayton.

"This house was ideal. My mother had lots of space in the annexe and could come and go independently through her own front door, but we were literally on the other side of the door.

"Walking into the main house and seeing the woodburning stove in the hall and the wood and wrought iron staircase leading up to the open-plan living room really made us think this was the house for us."

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Constructed in about 1860, it was originally a wood mill, and the large double doors are now a window, above which you can still see a large iron hook which was part of a pulley system for swinging completed wooden farm wagons out of the building.

This part of Tenter Hill must have played an important part in the history of Clayton, because the building next door to the main house, which the couple have used as a store room/workshop, was the original village blacksmiths.

The main house has generously-proportioned rooms with four or five bedrooms - the master having

Built over three floors, with a number of stained glass windows, the bedrooms are on the ground floor.

"In the summer the bedrooms stay beautifully cool, and from the living rooms on the first floor we have some great views over Bradford.

"At the top of the house is a space which we have always used as a work room, but it could easily be a bedroom or study. On the first floor is the guest washroom, kitchen, living room/dining room and the sitting room. On the ground floor are three double bedrooms, a single, the family bathroom and utility room."

Since the couple moved in they haven't made any structural changes but have added quite a lot, including a new boiler, fire alarm, and security system. A new oven, hob and dishwasher have been installed, all wooden surfaces treated and oiled, and the wood-burner in the hall has been replaced with a multi-fuel burner.

"We use it a lot in the winter to heat the whole house," says Gay.

Finally they put in new suites in all the bathrooms.

When Gay's mother moved out of the bungalow, they put in a new bathroom and kitchen and decorated throughout.

"The garden was a meadow when we moved in, so we sorted all that out, putting in a wrought iron fence and gate and two decked areas, and planted up the borders. The garden is a real joy, secluded and private, and always full of bird song. It's lovely to spend summer evenings out there with the barbecue fired up, drinking a glass of wine and catching up on the events of the day.

"My favourite room is the open-galleried living room. In the morning the sun comes streaming through, so it's a lovely place to sit and read the Sunday papers.

"I will miss summer Sunday mornings. Going back to bed with a cup of coffee, the French windows open on to the garden and listening to the radio.

"It doesn't get much better than that."