When we moved to Millbrook Cottage, there was a low fireplace with a kind of slate mock-chimney effect built up the wall – 1970s style, we thought. Not only did this make little of the superb piece of granite embedded in the design, but the fireplace didn’t function – there was no space for the fire to draw. We needed a bigger, better-looking fireplace. So we cracked on with it – literally!

We smashed the old thing to pieces so for a while there was rubble all over the front room floor. Once this had been demolished (saving the prize granite lintel), the first job was to create the two pillar sides – built by erecting and cementing concrete blocks either side of the fireplace. The next job was to lift the huge lintel – the main feature – up on to these two pillars. Back-breaking but three of us hoisted it up by ‘walking it’ on to concrete blocks: one block at a time, one end at a time, until we had it at the right height. It was then placed on top of the newly-built pillars above the fireplace to form this wonderful mantelpiece. Lastly, we laid a slate floor, using bits of slate from the garden and leftover slate tiles from another job.

After that, it was just a case of a quick paint job inside – and then we were ready to have our wonderful ‘Clearview Vision 500’ woodburner fitted. So glad we opted for the 10kW model – the heat really kicks out and as this is our main form of heating in the whole cottage, that’s quite important. It’s multifuel and a beauty with a nice big clear window so we can gaze at the fire on winter evenings. Note the stove fan on the top of the woodburner – this distributes the heat and makes for a pleasantly-hypnotic touch. To the right, a ‘beer buddy bottle opener’ – very handy!