TimHardusty
Member
- Messages
- 38
- Location
- Portland, Dorset
Recently signed up as we (me, Tim, and my wife, Jane) have just moved in to a Grade II listed cottage on Portland, Dorset. It dates from around 1680.
Once upon a time it was two cottages, but these were joined together at a time unknown - you can see where one of the old front entrances was in the picture above...and more on that in a post I'll do separately in a minute.
The house has loads of interesting features - remains of a bread oven that you can also see in the picture above, plus inglenook fireplace. All following pictures are from before we moved in, not that we've changed much yet.
Door on the left is the original very steep staircase to the first floor and attic space.
The other half of the house (with the blocked up front door):
Construction is solid Portland stone - 1.1m in places, and rarely less than 900mm. We haven't yet "explored" under the carpets but there's probably original stone floors to be found.
There's still some original 17th century stuff "plank and muntin screenwork and a C17 wide 3-plank beaded door on battens" according to the listing...whatever that means lol.
It is all generally sound, but needs rewiring in the fullness of time. Some minor damp, not helped by some gypsum plaster fix-ups, and non-breathable wallpaper, but nothing we can't deal with over time. Except for a damp cupboard, which I will post about a little later.
Anyway, I have been reading loads of threads on here and have already learned a lot...but please do expect lots of questions as we've never owned such an old property before, let alone a listed one that deserves our respect, our care, and our attention.
Once upon a time it was two cottages, but these were joined together at a time unknown - you can see where one of the old front entrances was in the picture above...and more on that in a post I'll do separately in a minute.
The house has loads of interesting features - remains of a bread oven that you can also see in the picture above, plus inglenook fireplace. All following pictures are from before we moved in, not that we've changed much yet.
Door on the left is the original very steep staircase to the first floor and attic space.
The other half of the house (with the blocked up front door):
Construction is solid Portland stone - 1.1m in places, and rarely less than 900mm. We haven't yet "explored" under the carpets but there's probably original stone floors to be found.
There's still some original 17th century stuff "plank and muntin screenwork and a C17 wide 3-plank beaded door on battens" according to the listing...whatever that means lol.
It is all generally sound, but needs rewiring in the fullness of time. Some minor damp, not helped by some gypsum plaster fix-ups, and non-breathable wallpaper, but nothing we can't deal with over time. Except for a damp cupboard, which I will post about a little later.
Anyway, I have been reading loads of threads on here and have already learned a lot...but please do expect lots of questions as we've never owned such an old property before, let alone a listed one that deserves our respect, our care, and our attention.
