Michael Moore’s romantic streak came to the fore when designing this Arts & Crafts home, inspired by the fairy tale glamour of the lost garden beneath

WORDS VICTORIA JENKINS

When Michael and Sue Moore first viewed the plot in Cumnor, Oxfordshire that was to become the site of their new build home, it was so overgrown it was almost impossible to see what was there. But lost beneath the undergrowth was a Harold Peto-inspired garden, planted more than 60 years earlier by Italian prisoners of war. At its centre was a throne sculpture, known among the village’s children as the Fairy King Throne or King Arthur’s Throne. “Later on, while I was clearing the site, people told me the land had been known for decades as a fairy garden with a natural spring,” says Michael.

PHOTOS MICHAEL MOORE

This intriguing history became the inspiration behind the design of the Moores’ new five-bedroom Arts & Crafts-style home. To ensure it would sit comfortably in its surroundings, Michael - a former Royal Marine Commando turned property developer - knew the house would have to be designed in a traditional style, rather than the contemporary aesthetic he had employed on his past projects.

The oak frame’s distinctive splits and shakes infuse the living area with warmth and character

A handmade bespoke table gives the dining room extra personality

Opportunity knocks

The Moores’ story begins in early 2015 after Michael and Sue spotted the plot for sale on the internet. “We were keen to move as our existing home was a little too small and we wanted one with a better view,” says Michael. “We bought the 1.2-acre plot in April 2015.”

After Michael had pored over the work of many great designers for inspiration, he decided to consult Trevor Avery of Lapd architects, a local firm. “There must have been umpteen meetings between Trevor, his colleague Nikki Fulton and myself while we tried to pin down exactly what I wanted to achieve with the project,” says Michael. “I do question a lot.”