WITH three growing children, Teresa and James Clark knew when the time had come that their lovely house in Marton could no longer cope with the family’s needs. As they told SUSAN GOODSON, they found the perfect solution in a rare property

WALK inside the front door of the stunning cottage Teresa and James Clark have lived in for the past 16 years and the rooms reflect its estimated 300-year-old history with original beams and wooden latched doors.

Head to the back and visitors are greeted by an extension which, while in-keeping with the front, reflects a more modern time with plenty of natural light coming into the house. Upstairs is all light.

The house - Browfoot Cottage, Ireleth Road, Askam - is an extended, detached cottage with plenty of off-road parking.

Thought to date back to the 1700s, this charming property has good-sized space which has been extended at the back and is made up of; on the ground floor an entrance vestibule, front lounge/dining room, kitchen, back lounge plus a further versatile reception room, WC, utility and good-sized store rooms and workshop. To the first floor are three double bedrooms and a bathroom.

Outside there are gardens to the side and back and a private driveway with parking for up to six vehicles.

There was no getting away from the fact that growing children not only need room to thrive, many parents end up being their taxi service to get about.

The Clark family was no different, but Teresa and James also had very special needs to consider.

“Marton was lovely and we loved our house, but it just got too small which is when we moved here.

“The railway station is a few minutes down the road taking you to Barrow and Ulverston and our daughter Charlotte commuted to Lancaster University from here. We are also handy for buses.

"The three reception rooms were essential as we adapted one for our youngest son Dominic, who had disabilities, and we were able to make modifications and create a downstairs bedroom for him.

“We did not change that much but put multi-fuel stoves in two of the reception rooms and put in French windows and double glazing. We also have solar panels, which are very very good. If our next house doesn’t have them we will have them installed.

“Outside we had lawn laid and three years ago I planted apple, plum and cherry trees.

“There is also a pond with goldfish. I said to James ‘why don’t we get a water feature?’ and the next thing I had a fish pond, which the children loved.”

But probably one of the biggest surprises of all was the one Teresa gave James after deciding to take the plunge during her regular painting of the outside of Browfoot.

She said: “Browfoot was grey when we bought it but I had always painted it white.

However, I always loved the colour of Windy Hall, Windermere, which is a traditional pink.

“So one day I waited for James to go to work and painted the front pink.

“I knew if I had said I was going to do it he wouldn’t have liked the idea, but when he came home he loved it and so do I. It looks so pretty.”

In the past when people were whitewashing their houses they would mix a bit of ox blood into it to make it pink, but the new owners have no fears as Teresa used a modern paint from a major supplier after finding the exact shade of pink she wanted.

All the living space has been well utilised by the Clark family with the spacious front reception room with its solid oak floor doubling as a dining room. It contains an original oak built-in cupboard inscribed with the date 1719 and an exposed stone feature fireplace with a multi fuel stove.

Original beams are also a feature in the second reception room, as is the traditional fireplace with wood surround and multi fuel stove.

The third reception room, which is part of the extension, has beams and double doors which lead out to the garden and flood the house with light.

Teresa loves the long kitchen with its original beams and there is plenty of work space to one side and cooking equipment and integrated dish washer on the other.

This is a much-loved family home, but while Dominic very sadly died in 2010, Charlotte and Daniel have grown up, left home and now have children of their own.

Browfoot is just too big for Teresa and James, who are now ready to move.

The house - Browfoot Cottage, Ireleth Road, Askam - is on the market with the Cumberland Estate Agents for £275,000. For further details or to arrange a viewing of the house please call the agent on 01229 615140 or drop into the offices at 188 Dalton Road, Barrow.