Really, we ought to know better ……!!!

In 1988 many of our friends and family believed that Rod and I were crazy, naive, stupid or brave to buy the listed but derelict Water Tower on Frith Hill in Godalming. There is much truth in the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ and we certainly happily muddled our way through various planning and logistic obstacles (nobly guided by our friend and architect Sue Kent) before living on site in a mobile home whilst the house (a Skandia Hus) was built abutting the Tower. Everyone was very keen to visit us and we must have broken the world record for the most number of people crowding into a caravan. We moved into the house in April 1990 and finally finished converting the Tower in 1995/96. In the early days there was much doubt we would ever complete the project (some planning officers and a Godalming Bank manager were particularly scathing) and a great deal of opposition to some of our plans. But, complete it we did and we were very proud of the end result.

We loved every year of living in the Tower and made some close friendships, so it probably surprised even more people when we decided that we had ‘one more building project in us’. Our son Callum was born during the early part of the Tower conversion and, as the place was particularly dear to him, he has probably only just forgiven us for selling his beloved home. A large number of properties throughout the Surrey Hills were viewed but nothing seemed quite right. However, in March 2014 we moved into our ‘hidden gem’ site in Hambledon on which we thought would be perfect to build our final dream home. It was indeed a considerable wrench to leave the Tower and it took a couple of years before I could bring myself even to look at the outside. However, the current ‘custodians’ clearly love the Tower too and they have done a great job in putting their own stamp on the property.

Little did we realise how well acquainted we were about to become with various minefield aspects of the planning jungle, including going to appeal (and losing) on a ‘permitted development’ loophole. So, having built a conservatory on the back of the house in December 2016 to increase the footprint (as advised by our patient planning

consultant), it was not until towards the end of 2017 that we finally received planning permission to demolish the existing house and then build a new, ‘traditional with a modern twist’ oak-framed house, which we believe will complement its environment. Whilst our neighbours generally seem fairly relaxed about our plans (and our immediate neighbours have themselves recently demolished an old barn house and completed an imposing contemporary home), we accept that many in the village are disappointed with our decision to redevelop and deeply suspicious about what we might build. However, as there are already many excellent examples of 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century buildings in Hambledon, we hope that the village will come to acknowledge that the new houses on its outskirts are fine examples of 21st century architecture.

Callum and his girlfriend Jeanette had moved in with us on a ‘temporary’ basis in March 2017 after the purchase of a London flat fell through.  They soon identified an alternative prospect, that of an idyllic little Georgian cottage in the centre of Godalming, although it did not take long to see that it needed a great deal of remedial work – every inch of wall has now been re-plastered; the main bedroom has a completely new ceiling; there is also a new shower room and kitchen! We all survived nearly a year of living together, the cats receiving far more attention than usual and the parents certainly benefitting from some delicious meals prepared by Callum (and his uncomplaining sous chef), although we were often quite shocked at the number of empty wine bottles in the recycling bin!  After eight months of hard work by Rod (project manager and general soother of outbursts when, inevitably, things went wrong), Tim (plasterer), Dan (electrician), Darren and Dan (builders), Carol (painter) and the ever-faithful Michael and Robert who can turn their hands to anything, Callum and Jeanette finally moved into their own place on Thursday 22 February 2018. They love being only seconds from the High Street and just a few minutes from the station.  Ironically, Callum can see the Water Tower on the hill if he just steps out of their house (the blue one).

In the meantime, we had been working on converting the barn at Hazels, with the same cast of characters as listed above (plus a few others such as brick and tile layers, and Dennis the gardener who successfully moonlights as a willing Man Tuesday and IKEA furniture builder). On Thursday 15 March 2018 Rod and I transferred all our belongings the mere 50 metres from the house, almost four years to the day after moving to Hambledon. I am a great culler so I was amazed at how much we had managed to accumulate in a relatively short space of time.  Despite the short distance, we were very grateful to have the assistance of four cheerful removal men, although Rod was somewhat taken aback to be asked for a left-handed screwdriver to put the bed frames back together! 

Our three cats (Freddie, Moses and Layla) made the transition to the barn very well, including having to negotiate a tunnel to reach the cat flap. In the early weeks, they liked nothing more than to be toasted by the underfloor heating whilst basking in the sunshine flooding through the windows.  A talented young friend (Kirsty Lunn) has used her interior design skills to help us plan the downstairs space. Taking her cues from the bold (for us) choice of astral blue for the kitchen and our definite leaning towards the Scandi style in the living areas, she identified a choice of some beautiful yet practical items that fit really well together. (Apologies for the current lack of pictures of the barn interior!) We are really enjoying our cosy temporary home, so much so that we sometimes wonder why we are bothering to build a new house?  

The week beginning Monday 9 April 2018 saw the start of the house demolition. We (well, strictly speaking, I) must confess to more than a little disappointment that using a large ball to knock down a house is no longer the preferred option. Quite rightly, the aim is now to salvage as much material as possible. The team from Titchfield in Hampshire was led by Tom, ably assisted by Justin, Ben and Bob. We were impressed by the organised approach and their determination to save and clean as many bricks (14,500) and tiles as they could.

Our ‘young’ neighbour Martyn has a very good eye for what might come in useful but even he could see that the ‘good stuff’ would not be burnt but sold to offset the overall price.  The ‘bat lady’ visited towards the end of the first week (prior to the roof being removed). She proved to be surprisingly pragmatic and we were relieved when she departed quite happily with two of the three ‘friends’ she had spotted. (Those bats have cost us a great deal of money in the past few years!) We have to admit that it was quite sad to see the old house gradually stripped of her dignity, but the fire surround from the main bedroom will have pride of place in our new house and the log burning stove is already very much at home with Sarah and Nick.

On Tuesday 1 May 2018 dawned the day that had been long-promised by us and one that many of our friends and family fervently hoped would never arrive (you know who you are, Nina!) – the old Hazels was no more.  Suddenly, it all seems quite exciting again. So, now we just await for the piling and for the foundations to be laid for the new Hazels and it all starts over again. 

Really, we ought to know better……….!!!!