The fireplace story...

On a cold, miserable day in January 2006, the gas fire in the sitting room decided to breathe its last!

We put a spare electric heater in its place which provided enough heat but overloaded the system and kept Mum busy in re-setting the fuse box.

So we realised that a new gas fire was needed, and here was an opportunity to get rid of the inappropriate 20th Century red brick fireplace. I spent a lot of time searching the internet for a style suitable for a Tudor farmhouse. A few trips around Lancashire and we found exactly what we were looking for. A little pricey, but perfect for the house.

Mel Rigbye, our builder suggested we didn't order anything until we saw what was behind the red bricks. And what a good job we did! Mel had come across situations like this before, but to us, what an amazing surprise! It wasn't a difficult decision to cancel Plan A   and go with the flow; see what would be revealed when the in-fill was taken out. Mum moved into the kitchen which is turning out to be very cosy...a good job!

As I write this, the project is only half way through....can't wait to see a restored fireplace that Edmund Arrowsmith himself might have sat round!

The story in pictures...