WORKING every evening and weekend for a year was a real labour of love for Matt Robson. He and his friend John Nixon, a local estate worker, built the home he now lives in, although Matt was more builder’s mate than project manager during the process.

“I was a glorified labourer and it was hard work, but I was very pleased with the result,” he says. “At the end I thought, ‘This is something which is truly mine’.”

All those long days in the mid-1980s resulted in The Bungalow, a stone-built property standing proudly above a hilltop at Crossridge Farm near Wark, with panoramic views of the delightful surrounding countryside.

Matt wanted to create a family home to bring up his four sons, who have all now moved out. Neil lives on the doorstep, in a conversion of one of the barns on the farm steading, Jamie is in Ireland and twins Graham and Mark – “They’re nothing like each other at all” – are in West Woodburn and Belford respectively.

Crossridge is no longer a working farm; Matt’s sister, Ann, lives in the old farmhouse and the land is let to a neighbour.

Matt, who works as a site manager for a concrete plant in Acomb, says the exterior of The Bungalow is very deceptive, giving no clue to the size of the accommodation.

Although it is in such a rural setting, The Bungalow is also convenient for local amenities, with pubs, shops, a post office and primary school in Wark, and a wider range of facilities in Bellingham and Hexham for all the benefits of a market town, including secondary schooling.

Matt’s house has a large tarmac area at the front which can easily accommodate up to four cars. The interior has double glazing and central heating provided by an oil-fired Rayburn which is also used for cooking.

The entrance lobby, which doubles as a utility room, has a wall-mounted cupboard, plumbing for a washing machine and a door to the dining kitchen.

This is a spacious room, at 22ft long, and has a range of fitted wall and floor units, tiled flooring and the Rayburn. It is plumbed for a dishwasher.”

An inner hallway, which is warmed by two radiators, has a useful built-in storage cupboard and a hatch to the loft. The remainder of The Bungalow’s rooms are accessed from here.

The lounge has a rear window and a feature stone fireplace with wooden mantle above and an inset multi-fuel stove. The master bedroom, which has delightful views through a picture window, and two remaining double bedrooms are also found here.

All have built-in wardrobes and share the three-piece family bathroom and separate shower room.

“About 10 years ago, we built a sunroom at the back which faces south,” says Matt. This is a real sun trap with dual-aspect views and a timber floor.”

The wraparound gardens are low maintenance, with front and rear lawns. The back garden overlooks open fields and has a greenhouse on an area of hard standing. The gardens also have a brick-built workshop and log store.

“The house is on the road from Wark to Stonehaugh and stands north-south on the hilltop,” said Matt.

“You can see for miles, across to Stagshaw, west into the forest and north to Bellingham. You can actually see the Cheviots.

“We’ve always said that the views up here are worth a million pounds.

“This house would be ideal for anybody who wants a quieter life with stunning views.”

The Bungalow, Crossridge Farm, Wark, is for sale at £295,000 from Keith Pattinson, tel. 01434 605376.