Days numbered for grand old house near me.

[plasticpigeon]

This grand old place is the only mansion house left on the Yardley Rd, which is the road that my cul de sac joins. It was used as a school for a while but is now being sold, I believe with planning permission to knock it down and build a load of small houses. It was built around 1850 and originally there were 4 mansion houses in a row here, with a few others dotted about on the same road. Many of the the rich people left my area around 1900 when the railway arrived and loads of of houses (like mine) were built for the workers. The remaining rich people left when council housing was built near by in the 1920s and 30s. Many beautiful places were lost around that time. This may be the last month it is standing, unless someone on this forum fancies it. The owner wants £600,000. There is enough land behind to build a road of houses.

 

[88v8]

Lovely porch, bay rooves, stone dressings.
Such a shame when a fine house gets marooned in a sea of tat, Council tat or otherwise. If Bill Gates would devote just a tiny fraction of his wealth to moving houses such as this, would seem to me infinitely better than pouring it into the bottomless pit of Africa.

We saw a fair few such houses when we were looking, great in the Agent's pictures, not so good on Streetview.
One of the reasons we left our last house was the rising tide of local tat, and the people who go with it. Yourself being an honourable exception.

Ivor (who is not very PC sometimes)

 

[JoceAndChris]

What a terrible shame if it gets pulled down - it's lovely. Hope a saviour will come along. I couldn't live with neighbours at all though, not even nice ones.

 

[DJH]

Is that chap after the lead??? :shock:

Doug

 

[plasticpigeon]

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41555270.html?premiumA=true

The chap is the owner replacing some lead that was stolen!

 

[spot]

I know that house!
One of my mates lives very close to it.
Just checked it out on google maps. Bloomin' heck it's got a load of land with it. I never realised.
I'd love that. If I could afford to do it up. And it was in a different location.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Just in case anyone is interested her are a few more photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dynamickinacocksgreen/sets/72157633511545333/

 

[michael]

I wonder if it has any damp problems or render cracks? Not sure, but It looks like it might be rendered in a relatively ‘unbreathable’ Roman cement which I think at the time was a bit experimental. (Not as unbreathable as Portland cement mind – was that around during that period?)
If it is a type of roman cement, then it’s quite hard to get hold of nowadays if repairs are needed, as everybody (in this country at least), has gone down either the Portland or lime road abandoning Roman cement altogether. The French product ‘Vicat Prompt’ is the nearest I’ve found to the original product but still not a perfect match to some of the old cement renders. Whilst the building looks nice and tidy, I suspect you could be storing up a heap load of exterior general maintenance problems for the future if you buy into this one.

 

[andrew gayton]

Roman, Keene, or Parian cement/s would have been used before this house was built. OPC was the universal cement at this time.

 

[ladytmwright]

Wowsers!!! This house is truly stunning, and just right for a Lady! Fingers crossed for tonight's lottery! Lets hope it gets snapped up soon as it would break my heart in two know it went to the ground!