Couple turn derelict Cheshire water tower into award-winning family home
Russell Harris, 68, and his wife Jannette, 56, spent seven years transforming an abandoned 19th-century water tower in the affluent Cheshire village of Lymm after buying the Grade II-listed landmark for £138,000 in 1997.
The 90ft tower had fallen into disrepair when the couple acquired it, but they saw the potential to turn the historic structure into a modern family home. Building work began in June 2002 after years of negotiations and planning discussions, and the family moved into the completed property in the summer of 2004.
The renovation combined the original sandstone tower with a contemporary extension wrapped around its base. The finished house includes open-plan living and dining areas, a kitchen, additional bedrooms and expansive windows overlooking the surrounding Cheshire countryside.
The tower itself contains further living accommodation, including a master bedroom, guest space and office areas, while its original spiral staircase leads to a rooftop garden, gym, sauna and hot tub. From the top, the property offers panoramic views towards Manchester, Liverpool, the Welsh hills and the Peak District.
Harris, a former daytime television presenter who later ran a television production company from the property, previously described the project as an all-consuming undertaking. More than 60 companies were reportedly involved in the construction, while the restoration required extensive repairs to the tower’s stonework and damaged turret.
Architects Ellis Williams designed the modern extension to follow the octagonal shape of the historic tower while preserving its most significant original features. The completed project went on to receive numerous accolades, including an RIBA award and recognition at the Cheshire Built in Quality Awards.
The property was later featured on Grand Designs and was selected by presenter Kevin McCloud among his favourite 100 projects from the programme. After serving as the Harrises’ family home for more than two decades, Lymm Water Tower has now been offered for sale as one of the region’s most distinctive residential conversions.
