With several failed attempts to engage an architect, I now have a good ‘un, or so he seems for now. We’ve had two productive discussions in his offices and a very useful visit to site. He was impressed with the location and am very proud with the fact that he thinks my plans should fit in very well with what remains of the old farm. We tiddled about with a few details inside and even moved the house by a few metres, from it’s initial location. I think it’ll be a much better arrangement now.
For his visit I had cleared the front of the old house of all the brambles and mess of collapsed walls and detritus that has gathered over the last thirty or so years. The building looks a bit more proud than it has done up till now, and definitely worth keeping, even if it is going to become a workshop rather than a home. There is a concrete path running along its length which will marry in well with the proposed covered terrace and has set levels for the whole project.
Not much treasure yet, just some lovely old bottles and a couple of pan lids. The rest is tiles, mainly broken, which is no surprise, along with roots of brambles, brambles and more roots. Stupidly or otherwise I am taking the time to sort the rubble as I go. The tile fragments will be ideal hardcore for later use or even rough track grade for more solid access around the site. The beams, rafters and other timbers are fairly rotten to date, but still coming in useful for raised bed construction and any excess will be put to one side for future projects. I’m still waiting for some decent bits to construct a frame for a fruiting arbour.
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| in need of attention |
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| beardy man clearing brambles in french farmers uniform |
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| my first treasure |
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concrete. a bit of a rarety here
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| all clean and tidy |
The ruin is going to be saved in part. The walls are going to come down to the height of the window sills on the first floor then a structure is going to be erected within the footprint of the building which will support a new roof. The walls will be left intact but will not be expected to bear the weight of the new roof. Facing due south, an excellent place for a few/plenty of solar panels.
