Renewable Lowna

Lowna has been in the Baxter family (now the Wass family) since at least 1790 as farm, mill and tannery.  Having stopped being used as a tannery during the First World War, it reverted to its previous use as a small mill and hill farm run first by John Baxter (third) and then by his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and John Wass, then latterly by us, the next branch of the Wass family, David and Ruth.

In 2006 we decided to renovate the farmhouse at Lowna to bring it into the 21^st Century!  Work was last carried out on the farmhouse in the early 60’s; it was in desperate need of modernisation as it was a lovely old – COLD -  house, and took a lot of energy to only partially heat it.

In comparing it with the two barn-conversion holiday cottages, with their heat retaining insulation and double glazing, we realised that the house had to be tackled from the bottom up!  So early in 2007 work started; the project was a bit like Topsy – it just grew!!

A small, poorly constructed rear extension was demolished (re-cycling all the old stone) and a new extension emerged to incorporate an extra bedroom with bathroom and a new staircase, utility room and downstairs cloakroom.  From the re-roofing, to the interior walls, floors, ceilings - unbelievable amounts of insulation were put in!

All the new windows were double-glazed; a new plumbing system was installed using an efficient boiler and condensing water cylinder, which means that much smaller amounts of energy are needed to retain and move hot water around. Dual-flushing toilets which use less water, and a new electrical system and low-energy fittings were installed, and energy-efficient, A-rated electrical appliances bought.   Phew!!

You can now see the finished result; a warm, comfortable, spacious house that can be lived in using all the rooms, whatever the weather!

We’ve kept the best until last!  With grant aid from the North York Moors ational Park Sustainable Development Fund we installed a new water wheel which generates all the electricity for the farm, farmhouse and two cottages. It had always been our ambition to replace the old wheel (now defunct) which was in place for over two hundred years, using all the old infrastructure already in place; the old wheel used to grind corn, drive machinery and move hides around – even generate its own electricity before the National Grid arrived in 1952.

Lowna waterwheel being installed.

Both cottages, and more recently the farmhouse, have had huge investment in energy saving insulation.  At least 60% of the lighting in the farmhouse uses low-energy bulbs; as lamps and fittings are replaced in the cottages they are being converted to low-energy.  We are determined to ‘go green’ in any way we can; we believe in buying goods and services locally, re-using whatever we can, and have a policy of encouraging our guests to use local transport, leave the car behind and  re-cycle wherever possible; it's time to do our bit!      This is how we did it !

See below a clip of the wheel working.

Back to top of page