History of the House

The Building Restoration - So far...

Five year development plan

Dec 2001

• Property purchased
• Boxing day – work begins
• First job is to put in a proper driveway

Jan - May 2002

• Nine flats removed
• Site cleared - Found dump of bits from when originally stripped out – gave clues to restoration
• Gardens cleared – dead hedgerows replaced with mixed hedgerow
• Found barrel alcove and discovered original sprung floor in ballroom
• Victorian and Georgian toys found under the floorboards
• Remnants of oak panelling found, fragments of 1830 wall paper above a false ceiling

Jan – November 2002

• First (smaller) extension on workshop corridor begins

May – Sept 2002

• Start begins on removing concrete from exterior walls
• Structural walls rebuilt

Sept 2002

• Small room discovered revealing extensive bird damage to lime mortar in wall. All work stops to make wall safe and re-point
• All lime plaster reinstated

Nov 2002

• Decoration of interior including decorative plasterwork and polishing of all timber work
• Finishing to Ballroom floor made to match original

Dec 2002

• GRAND OPENING – over 500 people help us celebrate our first OPEN WEEKEND at Wheathills

Jan 2003

• Work starts on gardens, re-landscaping, replacing borders and work drains completed
• Planning for heritage events begin with first study day starting later in year.

May/June 2003

• All workshop areas completed
• Major restoration project begins on School House at Bakewell, Derbyshire

August 2003

• Planning application for second stage application submitted
• Roofing work carried out

Jan 2004

• 1st study day begins

August 2004

• Planning application for second application is accepted