IAN ROCK Is author of the Haynes Victorian House Manual
As I was taking an early evening walk along a farm track at the edge of our village, the retired couple who live in one of the more eclectic houses in the locality popped out for a chat. Their property, incongruously named after a harbour (it’s located as far from any sea port in the UK as you could possibly imagine), has a somewhat convoluted history. The original oak-framed part of the house dates back to the 18th century but numerous subsequent additions and a shallow concrete tiled roof give it an overall appearance of a 1970s-style ‘executive home’ Like many older buildings that have been extensively remodelled and extended over the years, the amalgamation of different styles and materials can pose technical challenges, because what’s right for one part may be anathema to adjoining structures with a different construction DNA.