Seventeenth-century riverside cottages with a warren of tiny spaces have been transformed into a sanctuary for modern living

At first glance, you might think it was its good old-fashioned period charm that convinced Lee Thornley to splash his cash on this 1650s double-fronted cottage in Poppleton, a tranquil village on the outskirts of York. However, it was more than good looks that persuaded Thornley, founder of the tile company Bert & May, and his partner, Phil Brocklebank, to make this their forever family home with their two daughters, Lyla, 14, and Iris, 11, plus dogs Tilly and Molly.

“It ticked boxes that most houses don’t,” says Thornley. “The River Ouse is literally at the bottom of the garden, so it had the potential to offer a very different way of life. For example, yesterday I was messing around setting up a makeshift mooring, and we regularly take kayaks or paddleboards out on the water. Sometimes I even pick up the girls from school by boat. I love the headspace it provides.”