We've Bought an Historical Old Vicarage!

[yssie]

But YOU can sell salted fish.
Ooooh, she’s gonna be so jealous when y’all set up shop…


Ally so glad vacay was amazing!! Sorry the various councils are making your reno more difficult but happy to see you undeterred!! It will all be worth it in end

Funny story: Went to a colleague’s house for dinner the other day. He and his wife are wonderful people (and wonderful cooks, even if they didn’t serve salted fish!)… Who happen to be black. They told us that when they first moved in it was an older and very white neightbourhood… Lots of people asking what hubby did for a living. So she told everyone that they did Christian p*rn. Which is not a thing, but is nominally half-acceptable, with that Christian bit… The prying apparently ended real quick

 

[Ally T]

Is this the property you were looking at before and someone else bid on?

Yes. It was sealed & final bids, so no negotiation. We were outbid by 3 other bidders & were gutted. But then it amazingly came back to us - what will be, will be

 

[Ally T]

But YOU can sell salted fish.
Ooooh, she’s gonna be so jealous when y’all set up shop…


Ally so glad vacay was amazing!! Sorry the various councils are making your reno more difficult but happy to see you undeterred!! It will all be worth it in end

Funny story: Went to a colleague’s house for dinner the other day. He and his wife are wonderful people (and wonderful cooks, even if they didn’t serve salted fish!)… Who happen to be black. They told us that when they first moved in it was an older and very white neightbourhood… Lots of people asking what hubby did for a living. So she told everyone that they did Christian p*rn. Which is not a thing, but is nominally half-acceptable, with that Christian bit… The prying apparently ended real quick

I need to get my story & plan in place. This. Is. Hysterical!!

 

[Ally T]

It sounds like a lot of work and a very large place to upkeep after the children have left, I couldn't not do it.

Yes, but it's really exciting & we're looking forward to the future! It will be a great house for grandchildren to race around one day

 

[Ally T]

But YOU can sell salted fish.
Ooooh, she’s gonna be so jealous when y’all set up shop…


Ally so glad vacay was amazing!! Sorry the various councils are making your reno more difficult but happy to see you undeterred!! It will all be worth it in end

Funny story: Went to a colleague’s house for dinner the other day. He and his wife are wonderful people (and wonderful cooks, even if they didn’t serve salted fish!)… Who happen to be black. They told us that when they first moved in it was an older and very white neightbourhood… Lots of people asking what hubby did for a living. So she told everyone that they did Christian p*rn. Which is not a thing, but is nominally half-acceptable, with that Christian bit… The prying apparently ended real quick

Really appreciate your support It's going to be a beautiful & amazing home for our little family & we cannot wait! Though the full conveyancing report says there is woodworm in one of the bedroom timbers & that we need to spend £30k on roof repairs But.... Whatever.... I'll sell my salted fish and tallow candles!!

 

[SparklieBug]

Yes. It was sealed & final bids, so no negotiation. We were outbid by 3 other bidders & were gutted. But then it amazingly came back to us - what will be, will be

Why? Because *they* refused the covenants. They probably all wanted in on the nefarious businesses—too tempting to go all brothel ‘n cray-cray…

 

[Ally T]

Why? Because *they* refused the covenants. They probably all wanted in on the nefarious businesses—too tempting to go all brothel ‘n cray-cray…

I'm staying with The Outlaws at the moment & just spat my G&T on the card table, because I'm reading on here & not paying attention to the game. I got proper disapproving looks

You guys are just fabulous & you make my alcoholic, sign holding, salt fish selling brothel prospects all the more exciting!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Im afraid to ask
but what is salted fish ?
Does it smell?

 

[Ally T]

Im afraid to ask
but what is salted fish ?
Does it smell?

Yes. It's rank. But not as rank as burning a tallow candle made from rendered animal fat

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yes. It's rank. But not as rank as burning a tallow candle made from rendered animal fat

Yuck
i know thar stink
When to one of those farm museums that make stuff the old way

Thank goodness the vicerage has electricity and is plumbed in

 

[prs]

Yes, but it's really exciting & we're looking forward to the future! It will be a great house for grandchildren to race around one day

I may have missed this earlier in the thread, but I don't remember mention of a ground floor bedroom.

If this is your house for life, and whilst you are young and full of energy now, there will come a time when you and your DH are not so young, and your bodies don't work quite as well as they do now.

Planning now for a ground floor space that could easily be converted into a master bedroom suite will make sure this beautiful house can be your home for ever.

 

[Ally T]

I may have missed this earlier in the thread, but I don't remember mention of a ground floor bedroom.

If this is your house for life, and whilst you are young and full of energy now, there will come a time when you and your DH are not so young, and your bodies don't work quite as well as they do now.

Planning now for a ground floor space that could easily be converted into a master bedroom suite will make sure this beautiful house can be your home for ever.

Stannah Stair Lift on standby!
But on a serious note, there's a lot of space downstairs that we can adapt if necessary.

 

[canuk-gal]

Stannah Stair Lift on standby!
But on a serious note, there's a lot of space downstairs that we can adapt if necessary.

Elevator? More common here than what I suspected. My dear friends new home has one!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Phoenix]

I'm loving this thread!

Look forward to more pics & stories & loads of laughs.

xx

 

[prs]

Stannah Stair Lift on standby!
But on a serious note, there's a lot of space downstairs that we can adapt if necessary.

If you are going to have the floor up, then putting in the necessary plumbing pipes now might save you a lot of time and trouble twenty years from now.

 

[Austina]

Everytime I see your thread come up @Ally T, I read it as “We bought a hysterical old vicarage”

 

[Ally T]

Everytime I see your thread come up @Ally T, I read it as “We bought a hysterical old vicarage”

If it keeps throwing up unforseen & hideously expensive issues, it may very well become hysterical at this rate!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Updates??? I thought about you yesterday when I had a toasted coconut margarita! (except I wasn't on vacay....)

cheers--Sharon

 

[Ally T]

HI:

Updates??? I thought about you yesterday when I had a toasted coconut margarita! (except I wasn't on vacay....)

cheers--Sharon

That sounds absolutely delicious! Send the recipe!!

We are at the Solicitors office at 9am tomorrow to sign the contracts. Yippee!! There has been some delays whilst Radon meters were fitted due to the low risk in the area, but that can be remedied if detected. So fingers crossed once we've signed it will be swift: next stage is the exchange of contracts by the both solicitors, then we arrange to transfer the funds to our Solicitors, who then transfer to theirs 24 hours later, then we complete, get given the new Title Deeds & the keys. AND IT WILL FINALLY BE OURS!

It's a long old process to buy a house here in the UK. The local searches have taken weeks. But we are almost there. Thankfully because it's empty, the Architect & surveyors etc have been able to crack on & prepare what they need to, so there are no delays for the builders to start in June 20th.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Hope it all unfolds smoothly! Sounds like you are well on your way!! YAY!!!

Sorry I have no recipe--had it at a restaurant. It tasted interesting--that's for sure!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Ally T]

We've been at the house all afternoon with the interior designers, and the gardens are in full bloom with beautiful flowers wherever you look

 

[SparklieBug]

@Ally T When I lived on the west coast (Canada), a very dear friend was an elderly Englishwoman with a fabulously gorgeous yard. Your shrubs remind me of her garden, as these are all plants she had in her yard. Spring was simply the BEST time in her yard, and I spent many an enjoyable hour out there with her.

ETA: In fact, your photos make me nostalgic (in a very good way) for her garden, and I have so many lovely memories of her friendship.

 

[kah42]

So beautiful!! I'm so excited for you

 

[Ally T]

@Ally T When I lived on the west coast (Canada), a very dear friend was an elderly Englishwoman with a fabulously gorgeous yard. Your shrubs remind me of her garden, as these are all plants she had in her yard. Spring was simply the BEST time in her yard, and I spent many an enjoyable hour out there with her.

ETA: In fact, your photos make me nostalgic (in a very good way) for her garden, and I have so many lovely memories of her friendship.

I'm glad I've brought back such lovely memories for you! There really is something special about a well planted English country garden

We need to have a LOT of work done in the gardens, mostly to bring back to life the kitchen garden & greenhouses, but the landscapers have promised that they can carefully remove & re-establish any plants that are currently in the "wrong" places, such as the lilac tree that is by the courtyard. The kitchen will be extended out into this area, but as it takes such a long time to establish this kind of growth, the last thing we want to do is bulldoze it all. That would just not be the right thing to do.

So rest assured that those blooms will be on full display next May too, just possibly in slightly different places. As for the wall of glorious pink Hydrangea trees that greet you when you walk out through the front door & into the driveway, they will all stay right where they are.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm glad I've brought back such lovely memories for you! There really is something special about a well planted English country garden

We need to have a LOT of work done in the gardens, mostly to bring back to life the kitchen garden & greenhouses, but the landscapers have promised that they can carefully remove & re-establish any plants that are currently in the "wrong" places, such as the lilac tree that is by the courtyard. The kitchen will be extended out into this area, but as it takes such a long time to establish this kind of growth, the last thing we want to do is bulldoze it all. That would just not be the right thing to do.

So rest assured that those blooms will be on full display next May too, just possibly in slightly different places. As for the wall of glorious pink Hydrangea trees that greet you when you walk out through the front door & into the driveway, they will all stay right where they are.

Oh Ally you make my heart sing
im terribly found of trees and shrubs and feel so sad when new owners rip everything out

 

[yssie]

We've been at the house all afternoon with the interior designers, and the gardens are in full bloom with beautiful flowers wherever you look

It’s a botanical garden. Right in your back yard. How festive is that!?

 

[Phoenix]

We've been at the house all afternoon with the interior designers, and the gardens are in full bloom with beautiful flowers wherever you look

GORGEOUS gardens!

 

[yennyfire]

Wow! What a stunning display and glad that you will be keeping/relocating them!

 

[OneKuhlChic]

Thank you to all of you for your kind words! This is such an exciting new chapter!

We have lived in this lovely house for 16 years & it's all we have ever known as a family - Mr T & I bought it a few months after we got together. The community is small & close - everyone are friends & we are all there for one another. The neighbour that feeds our cats whenever we are away has already committed to doing it when we move, as the new place is literally a mile down a quiet lane & is the first property as you reach the next village.

I will DEFINITELY be sharing pictures of the progress, so there will be heaps of before & afters for you to see

I am so happy for you! I've always loved historical charm, although it needs love, it sounds like you have found the most charming home of all...!

Pictures, pictures pictures throughout the reno process please! Maybe you can do a reno blog!!! That is if you have any spare time...

 

[OneKuhlChic]

You're so funny!

OK, so on the main upstairs floor there are currently 6 bedrooms, one massive bathroom with no toilet (!), a seperate room across the other side of the large staircase with a lonely solitary toilet in (no sink), plus a shower room. The main staircase runs up the centre of the front of the house, with the landings sweeping left to right. Immediately to the left of the stairs as you come up, on the same side, is the large & sparse family bathroom. Adjacent to the right is the solitary toilet.

We are up the stairs & have turned left, past the bathroom. We come to:
Bedroom 1. This will become the main guest room. There isn't enough space to fit an ensuite due to the beautiful green Art Deco fireplace which I pictured, as that will remain & leaves the rest of the room too awkward due to dual aspect stone mullioned windows.

Bedroom 2. This is the smallest room at 11 feet square. This will become an ensuite bathroom for the master bedroom.

Bedroom 3. This will be the master. It has dual aspect stone mullioned windows & an Art Deco fireplace identical to the green one, only this is burgundy. This will come out, as otherwise getting a large bed & wardrobe storage in due to the large windows on the other 2 walls, will be extremely problematic.

Bedroom 4. This is immediately in front of you as you arrive upstairs. This will be our youngest daughters room. It is large enough at 20 feet x 18 feet to have a lovely ensuite fitted.

Next is the shower room, which is big & has a sink & toilet in there too. This will be knocked into an ensuite for:

Bedroom 5. This will be our eldest daughters room & again has dual aspect windows. Sadly these were replaced with modern double glazing at some point & the mullions were smashed out. We will look into having new mullions put back in.

Bedroom 6. This will be the second guest room & again no ensuite, as it's not large enough.

From here is the servants staircase that starts in the kitchen & goes all the way up to the attic rooms.

Next to this, which separates the 2 staircases, is the lonely toilet room without a sink. This will become a linen store room. Then we are back to the main stairs.

On the top floor there are 3 rooms:
The main attic, which will stay as it is, fully boarded, for storage.

Bedroom 7. This has a large dormer which needs completely replacing as it's rotten. This will become Mr T's office & the dormer window will be replaced by doors & a glass balcony, so that he can look out over the gardens & fields from his desk, rather than having to stand up to peer out of the currently very high windows. Obviously servants were only allowed windows for daylight purposes & not for pleasure!

Small attic room will remain for storage. This is a dark room with only a tiny window pane & is where we found the soldiers trunk pushed into a corner.

Now, i hope I haven't passed too much of your lunch break, but you did ask

This is my new favorite thread!!! Love it!'