**Couple’s Ambitious RAF Water Tower Home Conversion Faces Setbacks, Public Asked to Support Completion**
A determined couple in Lincolnshire have found themselves appealing to the generosity of the public as mounting costs and health challenges have threatened the future of their extraordinary building project. Mary and Sean Davies, aged 57 and 55 respectively, are seeking to finish the conversion of a Second World War water tower into a spacious seven-bedroom home—a dream inspired by both personal history and the unique character of the site.
The couple purchased the former water tower and holding tank, located on the grounds of the now-disused RAF Hospital Nocton Hall, in 2018 for £25,000. Once a military hospital treating wounded soldiers, the site today is a quiet enclave steeped in history, with more than an acre of land and no neighbours in sight. “Driving through the old military gates, past the derelict buildings to reach our home, feels like travelling through time,” Sean explained. These qualities drew the couple, formerly living in council-owned properties, to invest in such an unusual project.
Their original vision—to transform the 1940s structure into a seven-bedroom, four-bathroom family home—began taking shape in 2021. With a budget of £350,000, the Davises embarked on the renovation, which involved extensive work such as installing new utilities, sewage systems, and safe drinking water on previously uninhabited land. But as with many grand designs, the actual costs soon outstripped their forecasts. Now facing a projected total spend of £500,000, the family have launched an online appeal for financial support, stating that abandoning the project would leave them with neither home nor funds.
The couple’s motivation has only intensified since Sean was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in March 2023, a serious and currently incurable condition that gradually impairs the nervous system. “The sooner it’s finished, the sooner we can enjoy it together,” Mary told reporters. “With Sean’s diagnosis, we’re more determined than ever to see it through. We want him to experience everything we’ve built here while he is still able.”
Their connection to the site is both practical and deeply personal. Mary’s father once served as a civilian electrician at the hospital, while Sean was a patient there as a child. “It’s been part of the landscape for locals since the 1940s,” Mary commented. “We feel like custodians, not owners, of the water tower. Our hope is that it survives long after us.”
Transforming the robust 15-metre structure, with its half-metre thick brickwork, has proven to be a monumental task. Inside the tower, five floors were staked out, allowing the placement of seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. To secure planning permission, they designed a distinctive glass and timber-framed extension using the old holding tank foundations, which now accommodates their kitchen, living areas, office, gym, and utility spaces. Mary reflected, “The tower itself isn’t huge in width, but it’s tall—and with the new extension, it truly becomes a family home.”
During the early stages, the pair endured living in a caravan while essential works were underway. They tackled the installation of their own heating, water filtration, and sewage systems—essential for making the formerly derelict site habitable. Now, only the upper three floors of the main tower and a sophisticated sprinkler system remain to be finished.
There is hope on the medical front, too. Sean has been trialling Tofersen, an experimental drug for MND, which he credits with helping to alleviate some of the muscle weakness and other symptoms. “It’s given us a better outlook for the future,” Mary shared.
Their online crowdfunding campaign has attracted contributions, for which the couple express deep gratitude. “We deliberated long and hard before asking for help,” Mary said. “Once a project like this starts, you must see it to the end—you can’t just leave it half done or you lose everything. We’re enormously thankful for the support we’ve received so far.”
With completion targeted for the end of the summer, Mary and Sean remain determined to realise their vision for the water tower and to create a lasting home that respects both its history and their own future. Their story is a testament to resilience in the face of adversity and a vivid example of how history can find new purpose in the present.
Those interested in supporting Mary and Sean’s efforts or learning more about the project can visit their GoFundMe page: [gofundme.com/f/complete-converting-a-ww2-water-tower](https://www.gofundme.com/f/complete-converting-a-ww2-water-tower).