Old Masters in the Attic

[Cubist]

Most of the finds the members of this forum come across with their properties are concerned with the sins of past tradesmen, professional bodgers, and unskilled amateurs - such as myself.

Being a recent joiner I have not read more than a small fraction of past posts recorded here so please forgive me if I am duplicating someones prior efforts - in which event please post a link to those messages.

After acquiring Fircroft a few years back we have had our share of unhappy discoveries and, under the diligent supervision of the First Lady, I am slowly correcting the sins of the past while keeping a wary eye out for our local Conservation Officer. However, several other discoveries have proven very pleasant indeed. None of these have been as lucrative as the odd Rembrandt cluttering the attic but each, in their own way, has given us a flavour of the history of the house and the people who lived here before us.

Sadly, as our house was the subject a ground-up restoration some time back, we have found nothing of note, so far, inside. The outbuildings and land on the other hand have produced quite a lot one way and another. I won't bother you with details of the dozens of bottles - booze, medicine and perfume or the continually growing collection of busted clay pipes and teapots discarded by previous gardeners. Nor will I itemise the galvanised buckets, enamel basins, and oddly a poe that have been pressed into service as plant pots in the herb bed. Bits, bridles, horseshoes, busted spades and ironwork of curious nature or use have also been rounded up with no indication yet that the flow will abate.

Amongst all this detritus though have been odd gems that merit a little more than just passing mention, these being;

1. A two man wood saw buried in the corner of a corrugated iron shed that was constructed over the old outside earth-closet.
2. A set of Avery sack scales made of cast iron and steel and obviously far too heavy for the previous owners to bother moving.
4. Four leaded and tin windows and frames discovered in a discarded 250 gallon water barrel.
3. An antique Oak internal door, complete with Suffolk Latch and Penny Strap Hinges found in a shed.

The last is clearly the best. Not least because it is constructed from a single plank and at over 30 inches wide must have been cut from a very old tree. As you may expect the door found its way back into the house in short order - albeit at the risk of a hernia - and now provides access to what we now call a dressing room.

The door may be the best find but my favourites are the pottery wren I unearthed in one of the fields and a biscuit tin full of buttons that reminded me of my Grandma's.

As I'm sure that many other members will have made interesting and/or valuable discoveries in and around their homes I thought some of them may wish to share.

So are you the one that found a Constable of the non-PC variety in some nook in your home?

 

[Socksitis]

What a lovely thread - it is all about the journey not the destination. We are renovating a house that has been in the family for 101 years, but has potentially been in existence since at least the 15C. We have found teapot spouts, bottles, bottle stops (my favourite), a perfume bottle, a penny from the mid 1800's but not much else, no keys - another favourite of mine.
But in reply to your question, my real favourite has been the journey of discovery, our house was divided and annexed, the dividing garden wall and the cut through a thick wall besides the chimney breast, the covered up window beside the chimney breast, the wood mullioned window frames still blocked up in the wall, all of this is treasure to me - oh, not forgetting sight of some of the old plaster. How grateful I am to uncover history - although it isn't cheap is it!

 

[plasticpigeon]

I wish, but under the floor boards in the upstairs bedroom I found lots of old fag packets, hair grips and gas mantle boxes. I totally cleaned out the spaces that I could reach when doing the central heating and wiring. I don't regret cleaning out the dust which actally smelled quite pleasant, but I shoudl have put the boxes back. I also found a 1960s newspaper up a chimney and much older paper filling in cracks around a sash window. It is regrettable that future owners won't discover these things. If doing up my small Edwardian terrace has tought me anything, it is that I should restore with the lightest of touches possible.

 

[Lostgardensof]

We have a museum (small display cabinet) for the children to display anything interesting we find during the renovation. So far it has a bird skull, a packet of players cigarettes (empty), a small ceramic pot and an "ancient" price of newspaper from... 1998! (as described by my 7 year old!)

 

[Feltwell]

The previous owners left us a bag of bits they'd found, including a few Victorian postcards and coins.

I found the "rubbish dump" in the garden, all sorts buried there, lots of broken pottery and a few intact bottles.

Inside the house - a few fag packets left behind by tradesmen of old, some 1950's newspaper stuffed into a blocked up chimney - and a set of 1970's British Leyland car keys behind the kitchen radiator! Nothing too exciting alas - so far at least.

 

[Abi Cott]

During my rewire my electricians presented me with a box found under the floorboards.

It's a cigar box full of paperwork relating to the replacement of sash windows in a property 5 miles away. There were also a few empty government payment envelopes and a catalogue about bicycle gears.

I loaned it to the local antiquarians for recording, but eventually it will go back under the floorboards with an additional note from me.

 

[paulc]

There is an old brick lined cesspit half way up the garden that a previous alcoholic owner had filled with all his empty wine & beer bottles. Perhaps some day, I will try to locate the pit and go digging for any gold that might be lurking at the bottom.

 

[CliffordPope]

Two rusted Morris Minors, a half-buried lorry, some Dinky toys buried under a collapsed outbuilding, dozens of horseshoes dug up in the garden ranging in size from an enormous cart horse to a tiny shoe only 2" across, and the traditional cat skeleton intered in a mud and rubble wall.

 

[Kearn]

Our finds have been fairly standard when digging down, various animal bones around the inglenook, a mixture of 17C clay pipes, none fully intact, various era pieces of pottery, oh and this strange brick Georgian foundation built inside what was the original animal shelter
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16018&hilit=Hot+tub

A few strange bits and pieces were intentionally concealed in the frame of the house, in drilled holes in beams - before being filled with haired lime plaster, we've got seeds and cloth buttons wrapped in a dark cloth material, old handmade pins and a beautiful probable Georgian lock box key that was forced into a joint in the frame of the house and plastered in?!

 

[a twig]

Live 4" artillery shell in the cellar...

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Our finds have been fairly standard when digging down, various animal bones around the inglenook, a mixture of 17C clay pipes, none fully intact, various era pieces of pottery, oh and this strange brick Georgian foundation built inside what was the original animal shelter
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16018&hilit=Hot+tub

A few strange bits and pieces were intentionally concealed in the frame of the house, in drilled holes in beams - before being filled with haired lime plaster, we've got seeds and cloth buttons wrapped in a dark cloth material, old handmade pins and a beautiful probable Georgian lock box key that was forced into a joint in the frame of the house and plastered in?!

Have they been reported? Brian Hoggard will be pleased to know about them http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/

 

[Cubist]

What a lovely thread - it is all about the journey not the destination. We are renovating a house that has been in the family for 101 years, but has potentially been in existence since at least the 15C. We have found teapot spouts, bottles, bottle stops (my favourite), a perfume bottle, a penny from the mid 1800's but not much else, no keys - another favourite of mine.
But in reply to your question, my real favourite has been the journey of discovery, our house was divided and annexed, the dividing garden wall and the cut through a thick wall besides the chimney breast, the covered up window beside the chimney breast, the wood mullioned window frames still blocked up in the wall, all of this is treasure to me - oh, not forgetting sight of some of the old plaster. How grateful I am to uncover history - although it isn't cheap is it!

Thank you. I fully concur, and its why we regard our tenure here at Fircroft as a stewardship rather than ownership. Not wishing to sound sanctimonious but the First Lady and I try to treat the old place as both our home and as somewhere we are only visiting. With that in mind the intention is to leave it as we found it - but hopefully better.

I also agree that its not cheap - but better I think to invest a little of what the tax man will inevitably take in something genuinely worthwhile.

I wish, but under the floor boards in the upstairs bedroom I found lots of old fag packets, hair grips and gas mantle boxes. I totally cleaned out the spaces that I could reach when doing the central heating and wiring. I don't regret cleaning out the dust which actally smelled quite pleasant, but I shoudl have put the boxes back. I also found a 1960s newspaper up a chimney and much older paper filling in cracks around a sash window. It is regrettable that future owners won't discover these things. If doing up my small Edwardian terrace has tought me anything, it is that I should restore with the lightest of touches possible.

I think the old newspapers that sometimes turn up provide a better understanding of the people that lived there than almost anything else. I fully agree regarding the need for lightness of touch but sometimes a Manchester Persuader does seem the most appropriate tool - for use on any dumb, unskilled and un-caring tradesman that comes near.

We have a museum (small display cabinet) for the children to display anything interesting we find during the renovation. So far it has a bird skull, a packet of players cigarettes (empty), a small ceramic pot and an "ancient" price of newspaper from... 1998! (as described by my 7 year old!)

We use a window shelf in the kitchen for small items, including my wren, but I did wind up constructing a small set of shelves out of reclaimed oak architrave to house some of the glass jars and bottles we have found so far.

The previous owners left us a bag of bits they'd found, including a few Victorian postcards and coins.

I found the "rubbish dump" in the garden, all sorts buried there, lots of broken pottery and a few intact bottles.

Inside the house - a few fag packets left behind by tradesmen of old, some 1950's newspaper stuffed into a blocked up chimney - and a set of 1970's British Leyland car keys behind the kitchen radiator! Nothing too exciting alas - so far at least.

What a great idea and very thoughtful of the previous owners - hopefully thats the start of a tradition.

During my rewire my electricians presented me with a box found under the floorboards.

It's a cigar box full of paperwork relating to the replacement of sash windows in a property 5 miles away. There were also a few empty government payment envelopes and a catalogue about bicycle gears.

I loaned it to the local antiquarians for recording, but eventually it will go back under the floorboards with an additional note from me.

I do like the idea of secreting messages or whatnots that have some association with the house in odd places - hmmm, when I level the bedroom floor perhaps.

There is an old brick lined cesspit half way up the garden that a previous alcoholic owner had filled with all his empty wine & beer bottles. Perhaps some day, I will try to locate the pit and go digging for any gold that might be lurking at the bottom.

A surprising number of period property owners seem to turn to drink - I wonder why.

Two rusted Morris Minors, a half-buried lorry, some Dinky toys buried under a collapsed outbuilding, dozens of horseshoes dug up in the garden ranging in size from an enormous cart horse to a tiny shoe only 2" across, and the traditional cat skeleton intered in a mud and rubble wall.

My Father Outlaw's brother restores Morris Minors but I guess they're gone now?

Our finds have been fairly standard when digging down, various animal bones around the inglenook, a mixture of 17C clay pipes, none fully intact, various era pieces of pottery, oh and this strange brick Georgian foundation built inside what was the original animal shelter
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16018&hilit=Hot+tub

A few strange bits and pieces were intentionally concealed in the frame of the house, in drilled holes in beams - before being filled with haired lime plaster, we've got seeds and cloth buttons wrapped in a dark cloth material, old handmade pins and a beautiful probable Georgian lock box key that was forced into a joint in the frame of the house and plastered in?!

I have offered a theory concerning your mystery which I think fits all the available evidence quite neatly - anything for the weekend Sir?

Live 4" artillery shell in the cellar...

Well, that could have ended with a bang - but hopefully and seemingly not.

 

[a twig]

Ha, it all ended ok but no thanks to the Somerset and Avon Keystone Cops routine...

Having rung 111 and been given an appointment I expected EOD to turn up, instead two of Bristol's finest turn up in a Panda car. Given the size of them I suspect that in between turns at being policemen, they were training to be circus strongmen.

One asks to be shown "the device" with that semi sarcastic "I don't believe you" tone of voice. I point out the way and he folds himself down into the cellar. Upon seeing said shell on a window ledge in the cellar, with its oddly coloured rust, he proceeds to very firmly jab it with a finger, and it rocks backwards and forwards to such an extent it almost rolls off the shelf.

At this point I rapidly exit the cellar...

Well, dumb and dumber clearly decided they were off and running now, and opened the very small window in the cellar that opens onto ground level, and one of them gingerly picks up the shell and passes it out through the tiny window to the other who is standing outside...

This huge chap is then stood there, on my driveway, shell cradled in his hands, and from my vantage point at the bottom of the garden with my insurance docs in hand, I watch the change in his face as he realises they haven't decided what to do next...

They eventually settle for "leaving it in some long grass on the side of the road for someone to collect later" so he plods up to the main road, deposits it behind a low wall and the two cram into their tiny panda car before tootling off.

I never saw the actual collection but it was gone by next morning, so I assume all went well...

 

[Cubist]

For reasons I won't go into, other than to say all legit and honest Guv, in the past I had some rather extensive associations with most of the Police Forces in the UK and a number overseas. The earliest, and most memorable, contact was through my best mate who joined the force direct from school. A number of years later he asked me to do the best man thing and on the bachelor night I was intended to safeguard him from serious harm from some of his more imaginative colleagues - in particular the ones in the SPG.

Suffice to say that I failed in that duty insofar that the hulking great brutes that decided to practice some of their aggressive stop and apprehend tactics on the car my mate and I used (his) to get to the venue. Sadly, my mate was never able to re-fit the doors terribly well but he did keep it as some kind of badge of dishonour.

I should not say it of course but clearly those guys were not the sharpest knives in the drawer - pretty good blunt instruments though.

 

[Westholme]

My great discoveries have been the tiled and paved floors, as mentioned elsewhere. Regarding things in the attic, I have swifts at the front and sparrows at the back. The latter peck at the lime mortar outside my kitchen regularly between chirping away all day.

 

[paulc]

Well, dumb and dumber clearly decided they were off and running now, and opened the very small window in the cellar that opens onto ground level, and one of them gingerly picks up the shell and passes it out through the tiny window to the other who is standing outside...

Where I work, we have a steel chimney affair with a blast door at the bottom. If anyone finds a suspect package, company policy is to hand it to a manager and he/she places it in the blast chimney before calling the bomb squad. We, the workers, are not permitted to place any packages in the blast chimney ourselves. Management is expendable, we are not :lol:

 

[bobby spray]

I found an old marconi radio from the 1920's - sold for £90 and a pile of beatles records sold for £200. al stored in the attic.

 

[Kearn]

Have they been reported? Brian Hoggard will be pleased to know about them http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/

Hi Gareth, reported - to who? I'd happily have a more detailed chat with someone knowledgeable regarding some of the items and my port of call was going to be Reading museum, but as of yet that hasn't happened and the various bits are stored away for now. I've looked at Brian's website in the past, it wasn't obvious what role he played, if any in this space though.

Cheers
KLF

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Have they been reported? Brian Hoggard will be pleased to know about them http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/

Hi Gareth, reported - to who? I'd happily have a more detailed chat with someone knowledgeable regarding some of the items and my port of call was going to be Reading museum, but as of yet that hasn't happened and the various bits are stored away for now. I've looked at Brian's website in the past, it wasn't obvious what role he played, if any in this space though.

Cheers
KLF

Reported to Brian - he is (probably) the leading expert on the subject at the moment. There's a contact page here: http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/report-a-find.html But it would make sense to contact the local museum (or the county archaeology service) too, so that there's a local record of it.

 

[MatthewC]

My best find was NOTHING!

Our 19th C house is between a mediaeval church on the site of a Saxon minster, and a known Saxon graveyard, so there was a possibility of finding more graves, possibly Saxon. Consequently, when completely rebuilding the Victorian brick extension, I had to have an archaeologist present while the foundations were dug. As we stood there watching the digger, I remarked on oddity of the situation where she was hoping that we would find something interesting, and I was hoping that we would find precisely nothing. I won.

Matthew