Bold opening: This renovation tale isn’t just about bricks and beams—it’s a live restoration that uncovers the past while shaping a present-day home.
A 16th-century Grade II listed detached property in Tonge Fold is undergoing a careful, nature-first restoration.
The Bolton News spoke with Sophie Stew, 39, and Marc Gough, 52, who purchased the Old Ale House on Ainsworth Lane in 2020 and now lead its ambitious renovation.
Sophie, originally from Kent, shares that they were casually searching for a home together when they unexpectedly discovered this historic property and instantly fell in love with it. The couple knew the house was listed, but historical details were sparse at first.
Based on research and old maps, the Old Ale House is believed to have been built around 1580 and may have been the original Bowling Green pub. Sophie notes there are records suggesting it functioned as a small public house and that animals might have passed through the grounds en route to an abattoir.
Upon first viewing, the house was habitable, but the previous renovation did not align with its historical character. Sophie explains they aimed to restore it to its original stance.
Although the property was listed as a three-bedroom home, one room’s very small size would have made it impractical for a family arrangement.
Their initial project was to build a garden summer house, collaborating with Bolton-based Neil Pike Architects. This new structure provided a modern, livable base during the ongoing renovation of the main house.
Sophie designed the summer house herself, and although initial collaboration with a suitable builder proved challenging, she and the architect, together with the council, secured approval for the structure. The summer house offers a comfortable, eco-conscious space to live in while plans for the main house unfolded, ensuring they didn’t rush the process and could evaluate practical needs before making larger decisions.
The L-shaped summer house is designed to maximize the garden, featuring an outdoor deck for enjoying outdoor living. Sophie notes that the grounds are beautiful, but a later extension from the 1980s disrupted the outdoor flow and cohesion between house and garden.
Marc’s love of the garden is evident, and Sophie describes how his birthday celebrations there—hosting around 50 guests with the summer house serving as a bar—became a memorable highlight.
Inside the main house, a single-storey kitchen extension lacked purpose, motivating the couple to plan a double-storey extension to the rear, with council-approved conditions. The entire property has since undergone repointing using lime mortar, a process chosen to allow the building to breathe and to align brickwork with historical authenticity. Sophie emphasizes that the restoration focused on the structure before cosmetic details, resulting in fabulous brickwork.
To gain practical insight into the bricks and construction, Sophie and Marc traveled to Yorkshire to meet Alan McEwen, who had built his own home and shared Bolton-connected anecdotes about brick work, including historical reasons behind specific features and the use of reclaimed iron radiators from a church. Alan’s stories also touched on floor wear patterns and local lore about past residents.
The interior reveals a stone staircase descending to a cellar once used for brewing, a cellar window that has been reinstated, and other discoveries that deepen the house’s historical narrative. Sophie highlights that the couple has aimed to understand the property intimately.
Last year, they moved out during the strip-back phase, returning the main house to brick by removing gypsum plaster to reveal the original brickwork and preparing for lime plaster as the proper material. Marc is currently leading much of the stripping work, while broad renovations uncover York stone flooring and an additional fireplace in a main bedroom, alongside some questionable DIY past choices.
Once stripped, the foundations for the extension will be dug, and the team will tackle wiring, plastering, and plumbing. The plan is to merge old with new, ensuring the interior remains modern in decor yet faithful to original features—an overarching goal of preserving the property’s character.
An architectural glass link will connect the extension to the original building, effectively marrying the old house with the new summer house. The downstairs open-plan kitchen will flow into the garden, embracing indoor-outdoor living, while the upstairs extension will become a new master suite, increasing bedroom count and adding en-suites to all three bedrooms.
A hoped-for atmosphere in one of the reception rooms is a refined “gentleman’s lounge” with Chesterfield sofas and bookcases, adding to the home’s unique character.
The couple does not plan additional windows in the original structure, but the extension will introduce ample light. They anticipate moving back in within roughly 24 months, if not sooner, and envision a home that tells its story room by room.
Sophie expresses admiration for the people they’ve met and the skilled tradespeople who have contributed to the project, noting that the experience has deepened their understanding of the property and fuels their ongoing curiosity about its history.
Their ambition extends beyond personal satisfaction; they aim to future-proof the Old Ale House for Bolton, ensuring it will be enjoyed, respected, and preserved for generations. If you have more information or historic insights about the Old Ale House, please email grace.williams@newsquest.co.uk.
