The Old Fire Station
HALSTEAD, ESSEX
A conversion and restoration project of a former Victorian fire station
McCabe & Abel's first conversion and restoration project, The Old Fire Station is situated within the heart of the historic town of Halstead.
Located in the Essex town of Halstead, The Old Fire Station was the first in a long line of conversion and restoration projects undertaken by McCabe & Abel. The building underwent a considerable transformation into a comfortable family home, which it enjoys to this day. The process was carried out with sensitivity to the building's heritage - its fronting, for example, was repainted in the original fire-station red.
The property included the conversion and restoration of a former outhouse into a two-bedroom annexe, totalling five bedrooms, a large open-plan drawing room and dining room, galleried upper landing, long gravel drive and three garages. The Old Fire Station includes original period features, such as a Victorian cast-iron fireplace.
Originally built in 1901, the former stable became Halstead's fire station in 1920.
The old town fire engine used to reside in the Victorian building's present-day kitchen. The property was built in 1901 as a stable, was converted into the town fire station in 1920, and was eventually converted into a family home by McCabe & Abel.
The Restoration
The Old Fire Station, having been disused for many years, was in a state of considerable neglect, and required a careful and sensitive conversion and restoration to transform it into a comfortable family home, honouring its history as a fire station to the town of Halstead.
