**Lincolnshire Couple Appeals to Public to Rescue Their £500,000 Water Tower Home Dream**
A determined couple in Lincolnshire, engrossed in turning a derelict water tower into a striking seven-bedroom home, have found themselves more than £150,000 over their original renovation budget. Facing mounting costs and dwindling reserves, Mary and Sean Davies have now launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to secure the funds necessary to finish their ambitious project.
Mary, 57, and Sean, 55, first acquired the disused property at the site of the old RAF Hospital Nocton Hall for £25,000 in 2018. Inspired by the unique post-war structure and the one-acre plot surrounding it, the Davies family saw potential for a forever home—one as extraordinary as their dreams. By 2021, construction was underway, with a sizeable £350,000 budget earmarked for the transformation. The couple’s vision included seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, and enough space to suit not just themselves but also their five children and five grandchildren.
The reality of refurbishing the 1940s concrete tower, however, soon proved more challenging than anticipated. Essential utilities, including sewage disposal and potable water, needed to be sourced and installed from scratch due to the site’s years of abandonment. For a period, Mary and Sean found themselves living in a caravan on the property, overseeing the installation of key infrastructure—a testament to their dedication and hands-on approach.
Setbacks, both expected and unforeseen, began eating into their finances. With total projected costs now reaching the £500,000 mark, the couple admitted they simply could not abandon the partially-completed home. Mary explained, “Once you start a project like this, you’ve got to finish it – you can’t afford to not finish it because then you’ve got nothing.” The pair are hoping that with public support, they’ll be able to complete work on the upper levels of the tower and install the fire safety systems now required by regulations.
The family’s determination to see the project through was only intensified by personal tragedy. In March 2023, Sean was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), an incurable and progressively debilitating condition. This diagnosis has brought a renewed urgency to the couple’s efforts. Speaking to PA Real Life, Mary said, “Sean’s diagnosis made us even more determined. The sooner everything is finished, the sooner he can enjoy what we’ve built before his condition deteriorates.”
For the Davies family, the emotional connection to the site runs deep. Mary’s father had worked there as an electrician, and Sean himself was a patient at the former hospital as a child. The location, with its secluded setting and piece of local history, captured their imaginations. “When we arrive home, we go through the big military gates and drive past all these derelict buildings,” Sean commented. “There’s no street lighting, no public access, no neighbours – we’re driving through history just to reach our home.”
The home itself is a striking blend of old and new, with a glass and timber-framed extension that houses the main living spaces: kitchen, lounge, gym, and office. Meanwhile, the original tower structure accommodates the bedrooms and bathrooms across five floors. Although the tower is not wide, its vertical design allowed for ambitious plans—a necessary compromise to comply with strict planning regulations, as Mary pointed out.
Work inside the tower is still ongoing, with plumbing, plastering, decorating, and especially the installation of a fire safety sprinkler system topping the to-do list. While Mary reports that staying in the partially-converted tower offers “the perfect place for a restful sleep,” the couple is keen to finish all works before Sean’s health deteriorates further.
Sean has also been receiving an experimental drug treatment to manage his symptoms, something Mary credits with giving them hope. “It’s given us hope for a better future,” she noted, emphasising both the medical battle and the renovation struggle they face in tandem.
Mary acknowledges the support they’ve already received from donors online. “We’re really grateful to everyone who has donated. You don’t set up a GoFundMe page without a lot of thought—we’re just trying to relieve some of the stress on us.”
For now, the Davieses remain custodians of a piece of wartime history. Their hope is that, with help from the public, they can complete the transformation and enjoy the home they’ve poured so much of themselves into—a future legacy for their family, and perhaps, for the local community.