THROUGH THE KEYHOLE
Sasha York has transformed rural buildings on a family estate to offer a welcoming place to stay plus gardens that offer a peaceful retreat
Since taking over Hutton Wandesley with her husband in 2014, Sasha York has reimagined the traditional rural estate which has been in the York family for 150 years.
Originally from Northumberland, Sasha has loved Yorkshire since attending Queen Mary’s School, near Thirsk, from a young age, so returning with her husband, Christy, and their three boys in 2014 to take over the running of his family’s estate was a decision that came easily.
Belonging to the York family for 150 years, Hutton Wandesley is a traditional 3,000-acre rural estate in the Vale of York, incorporating arable farming, ancient woodlands, residential lets and offices.
Keen to ensure the longevity of the estate and bring it up to speed with the times, Sasha had two main objectives – redevelop the walled garden and introduce holiday lets. ‘One thing we didn’t have was holidays,’ explains Sasha. ‘And because of where we are, I felt we were in a fantastic location to offer some holiday properties.’
Reimagining this grand estate through forward-thinking and inventive approaches, the family have not only allowed those near and far to enjoy its beautiful offerings, but have helped to secure its future for generations to come.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Transforming some of the old buildings into holiday lets was first on the agenda. ‘With farming being the way it is – getting more difficult with subsidies being withdrawn – we always look to diversify to see how we can move the farm for ward and keep up with the times and see what we can add to the mix.’ First up was Marston Lodge Farmhouse.
Taking a year to renovate, the farmhouse now provides a beautiful base in the Vale of York for up to eight guests. This was followed by an old cow shed that was totally derelict with no floors, but has been transformed into a modern barn conversion named Dovecote Barn that also sleeps eight. The final building on the farm was an old granary barn now known as The Granary, which sleeps 12. ‘ These three buildings together can sleep 28 – they’re really popular and mix modern with the old.’
Passionate about buildings and design, Sasha set her sights on The Stables, which was ‘ being run as a livery barn but wasn’t adding anything and coming into a state of disrepair in places’. What would have once been a coach house back in the day has now been transformed –original coach lamps, wooden beams and exposed brickwork
