rogerzilla
Squire
The NT won't take on country houses any more unless they come with a substantial endowment for their upkeep. They were always being given estates that needed millions spending on them, which of course is why they were donated.
The 'End Of An Era'
- Thread starter Richard A Thackeray
- Start date
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Or in the case of Brodsworth hall they could not make any money out of it. Once they found out the tenant land round it was not part of the deal they walked away. Government then had to step in and it was handed to English Heritage to save it.
OP
OP
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
Ridden & driven past many times, but never been
(used to part of a loop, passing through Hooton Pagnell too)
Andy in Germany
Legendary Member
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
I've known some bad house guests, but really...
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
Time Waster
Guru
Whilst not in the same league we did the hadrians wall trail and just before Carlisle we stayed in a hostel. It was in the doghouse of an old manor house. The owners were several generations back owners and were originally from yorkshire, Leeds I think, where they were lawyers and businessmen with money. Now the owners were farmers, run B&B in the halls, Hostel in the doghouse and campsite on the lawn between the nice borders. We were fed and watered in their huge dining hall, a big square room with very high ceilings and past generations in portraits on the walls, some by famour portraitists of their day.
It was nice but had the air of hard times, some very posh people that a few generations back were likely to be part of high society, but now were farmers trying to make ends meet to pay for the upkeep of the house and estate for the next generation. You could feel the desparation of that endeavour.
I must admit I do feel sad for people with such high value but low worth properties and the long tradition of stewardship for the next generation and on into the future. It is an anchor round the neck while swimming cross the channel for many such places I reckon. Would you want to be the 26th generation owning the property who had to sell up, to give up? The 25 ghosts in the castle forever haunting you as you pick up the pieces of a life so different to what you had.
Then again, I reckon they will still come out of it with money that most people won't ever see in their own bank accounts so perhaps we should not be too sad for them really. Also, what other interests? Perhaps not being virtually broke trying to keep the castle sound?
It was nice but had the air of hard times, some very posh people that a few generations back were likely to be part of high society, but now were farmers trying to make ends meet to pay for the upkeep of the house and estate for the next generation. You could feel the desparation of that endeavour.
I must admit I do feel sad for people with such high value but low worth properties and the long tradition of stewardship for the next generation and on into the future. It is an anchor round the neck while swimming cross the channel for many such places I reckon. Would you want to be the 26th generation owning the property who had to sell up, to give up? The 25 ghosts in the castle forever haunting you as you pick up the pieces of a life so different to what you had.
Then again, I reckon they will still come out of it with money that most people won't ever see in their own bank accounts so perhaps we should not be too sad for them really. Also, what other interests? Perhaps not being virtually broke trying to keep the castle sound?
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
Magnolia emulsion paint, mostly matt rather than satin has to be one of the greatest creations of the last 40 or so years I'd say. It covers a multitude of sins quite easily 🧐
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slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Satin emulsion is the work of the Devil.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
There is something about a woodchip papered wall, painted over in matt magnolia emulsion paint that makes you think of England!! 🧐 🏴
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Andy in Germany
Legendary Member
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
rogerzilla
Squire
Unless you have cats. Then the wipe-clean nature comes into its own.
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Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
My Aunt and Uncle are also selling their farmhouse and farm this year. It's been in my Uncle's family for 14 generations. Still has some of the old grain lofts in it (where they'd spill the grain through the loft into a bucket below so that all the chaff was blown out through the open-sided shed). They have spent a fortune over the last 20 years because it's listed, so they had to have a period stone wall done. My Dad also made an ensuite between two of the bedrooms which was a nightmare, as all the walls were rough cut stone and nothing was level. The floor joists were also just thick tree branches. It has become so expensive to maintain and heat in the winter that they are finally selling up. It's a shame, but someone rich with a large family will have a very nice house
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
We've done English Civil War re-enactments with the Sealed Knot at Ripley castle, a couple of times.
