Every once in a while, you come across a property that stops you in your tracks. Whether you’re browsing on Rightmove or driving in, there are some stunning homes you won’t forget.
The same goes for Alaster Rigby and his wife, who came across their dream house while walking on Saddleworth Moor one morning. But it was no ordinary house; It was a dilapidated and extremely isolated house that had not been lived in for 60 years.
Despite its derelict situation; the couple fell in love with it, tried to find its owner, and then bought it. Fast forward almost a decade after a ‘no expense spared renovation’ and it has now been transformed into a stunning ‘state of the art’ abode – currently on the market for £1.1 million.
READ MORE: ‘We spent 18 months creating a beautiful forever home – now we’re selling it’
Alaster, 62, from Saddleworth, spoke Manchester Evening News As part of our Where I Live series. Each week, we chat to a different homeowner living in the north west to hear about their home buying and renovation journey, as well as take a look inside their property.
“We went for a walk on Saddleworth Moor one day and found it abandoned. We fell in love with it because of its remote location. It’s probably the most isolated house in the area. It’s similar to Wuthering Heights, but “It was quite spectacular and dramatic,” Alaster said. Manchester Evening News.
“We weren’t thinking of moving house at the time, but seeing this made us want to live there. We did some digging and found the owner, who was a farmer. We talked to him and he wasn’t selling the house, but we wanted to buy it.”
The couple purchased Edge End Farm in Greenfield in December 2015, knowing they had a lot on their hands. “Its condition when we found it was quite remarkable, the pictures say it all,” Alaster said. “It was built between 1822 and 1850. It was last occupied in 1957, so it had been vacant for about 60 years.”
Situated ‘in the middle of nowhere’ on a plot of approximately four acres, the house has no neighbors for miles and the nearest paved road is half a kilometer away.
“We knew it would be a big leap of faith, but if you want to live in such an amazing place, that’s what you have to do. We had done major renovations and construction before, so we knew what we were doing,” Alaster said. in question.
As with most renovation projects — especially one this large — the couple had some challenges. “We had a lot of trouble with Oldham Council, that was our biggest challenge so it took us a while to get going,” Alaster said.
“But once we started the renovation, it was pretty basic. We were living in the village in Greenfield while we were renovating. I hired handymen to do the work but took some time off from work to project manage the entire structure.”
Work began by demolishing the old house and starting from scratch. “Basically what we did was dismantle the old building and then rebuild it using modern insulation methods,” Alaster explained. “We wanted it to look like an old house. As it stands now, you’d think it was an old house, but it’s actually a new house with state-of-the-art technology.”
Alaster and his wife finally moved into the house in January 2019, after 18 months of work. Since then, the duo has lived completely off-grid, with no grid service.
“Everything works like a modern house, but there’s no mains electricity, gas or water and it’s extremely cheap to run. We use solar panels, so when there’s not enough sun, like a diesel generator, our electricity costs around £400 a year. Alaster has to charge the batteries too often.” He stated that they had to charge it and that it was not charged at all from March to October.
“So our gas is around £840 and our water comes from local sources. It makes you realize how many people are being put in as a nation.”
The couple’s rural property is surrounded by breathtaking views of rolling hills and reservoirs that Alaster says he never tires of. “It’s very nice to live here, it’s very peaceful. We have sheep, but it’s very quiet and there’s no traffic,” he said.
“There are 360-degree views surrounding the house, so you never get tired of sitting on the bench at the top of the garden and taking in the views. There are countless walks you can take from here, with the Dovestone reservoir nearby.”
Two months ago, Alaster and his wife decided to put their beloved home up for sale because they wanted a change. “We’re not in much of a rush to sell it, so it doesn’t matter how long it takes. We just want something a little cheaper in the village so we can spend some of our hard-earned money,” he said.
“There’s been some interest, but we know it’s a very unique property. We’ll be very upset if we sell it, and it’s a big concern that we haven’t lived in a house for six years when the traffic comes and goes. Put a wrench in it.”
The three-bed detached house has a beautiful full-width kitchen, living and dining area spanning the ground floor. There are three spacious bedrooms upstairs; The master bedroom has a dressing room and four-piece en suite bathroom, while the second bedroom also has an en suite shower room.
Ryder & Dutton’s listing reads: “In an enviable position below Pots and Pans, this beautiful family home was lovingly and meticulously rebuilt in 2018, with no expense spared, to create a home full of period charm.
“A personal viewing of this stunning home will reveal many fascinating character features blended with contemporary fixtures and fittings. Edge End Farm is brimming with state-of-the-art off-grid technology, creating a home that is extremely economical to run.”
You can see more of the property in the Ryder & Dutton listing.