The house that lied about its age

[bunn]

Chatting to a neighbour (who shall remain anonymous), I discover that her house is considerably older than she thought it was when she bought it.  She knew it was old - maybe 18th century or so.   But having looked it over thoroughly and burrowed through some of the paperwork, she thinks that parts of it are 15th century, or possibly even earlier.

So, she checked her insurance.  And found that insuring very, very old houses is really rather expensive and difficult. It seems likely that at least the last two owners of the place have been a little discreet about its age, at least in public.  She plans to follow their example.

I wonder how many other houses this applies to.

Comments

[demon-rum.livejournal.com]

speaking as one who lives in one of the "newer" corners of the globe, and who lives in an apartment *almost* 100 years old (a fact that makes all my friends' eyes glaze over with delight at my ancient, ancient living room--crown moulding!), may I just say that by any standards a house from the 15th century kinda makes my head spin?

All relative, of course; when I studied in Rome I lived in the "new" apartment building in the piazza, the one built in the 1700s. Everything else had 2000 year old basements. Nothing like spending your evening smoking in a support vault of Pompey's Theatre to really put your lousy essay in perspective...

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I suppose that one of the houses my father has lived in was post-1700 ...

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Well, rather him than me. Much as I love old buildings, I feel that damp proof courses, proper foundations and double glazing have a great deal to commend them, particularly in January.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Damn' right. Give me a glowing radiator over a glowing fire any day.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I like a glowing fire when I am on holiday, and know that I shall only have to clear the grate a couple of times - in no rush - before going home!

During a working day, I like stuff to be more turn-off-and-onable.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Never been to Rome, but I went to Istanbul a few years ago : similar feeling of extreme mindboggling age. Photo in icon is a recycled medusa head in a sixth century cistern : I liked the fact that it was *re-used* in the sixth century, so was presumably 'that old medusa head' even then!

A lot of the lanes around here are probably even older - Iron Age - but I don't think you get quite the same feeling of 'Whoa! This is OLD!' from a lane, particularly when it's almost impossible to tell the Iron Age ones from the 19th century ones!