Needless to say the barn is beyond renovation. It would cost a fortune to
do anything with and is not financially viable. So a "romantic ruin" is
it's only future as it slowly crumbles away.

David.




My son in law has a barn in the grounds of the hotel ,which he has retained
even though the hotel is sold, which the 1987 storm almost demolished. He
has had all sorts of ideas, one of which was to restore it for the cars, but
has decided to rebuild it as a 'Medieval Banqueting Hall' :-))) Almost
finished. BUT, what he did and planning could do nothing about it,was to
rebuild on the existing foundations which were yonks old. (Like when the
Manor was built and that was Doomsday??)

So all is not lost with you. Save the stone and think big :-)

I trust it is yours????????? :-))

Mike



--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

On 8/9/07 16:09, in article , "David
(Normandy)" wrote:

If the Russian vine let's everything else thrive. It really is a monster!
I would never use it myself but in the OP's case, given that she's looking
into someone else's garden from her own, I think using one of those would
give nothing but trouble to both parties. He won't be too happy when his
new sapling hedging is eaten by the Russian vine......

--
Sacha

I planted the Russian vine in the least favourable position of all the
climbers. The barn faces South so the sun lovers are all on that side. The
passion flower is loving it's position. The Russian vine was relegated to
the North facing side of the building. It put on quite a spurt initially
reaching the top of the wall (about 20 feet) then strangely has stopped
growing with a number of it's leaves turning rust or red coloured. It is
almost as though it has decided it has grown enough for one year or that
Autumn is here so time to throttle back.

The roof of the barn (what remains of it) is huge and very steep, covered in
rusty corrugated tin sheets. I'm hoping that at least one of the climbers
will be able to tolerate growing over them without baking in the Summer sun.
The rusty tin sheets are really ugly. I may post a photo some time - the
barn is quite a monstrosity at the moment. The weathered stone walls and
ancient wooden doors / windows have charm but the tin sheets completely
spoil the look. Needless to say the barn is beyond renovation. It would cost
a fortune to do anything with and is not financially viable. So a "romantic
ruin" is it's only future as it slowly crumbles away.

David.

It sounds extremely pretty, actually, David. Some friends of ours have a
little and very old manor house on Dartmoor, all built from local stone,
which used to belong to Drake and his family. It had some of those lovely,
old stone pigsties and when they bought the place, parts of the barn and all
of the pigsties were pretty tumbledown. They didn¹t have enough money then
to chuck at the whole project and coming home one night, they let the big
gate clang to a bit too hard. There was a low rumbling noise and a huge
billow of dust and the pigsties collapsed before their eyes! In the end,
having been widowed very, very sadly, the wife restored the barn and finally
got planning to let her put an interior door through from her kitchen into
it (there had been a window there once, for some reason) and she turned the
pigsties into the sort of thing you describe. It hasn't been gussied up at
all but one wall has been carefully reconstructed but left roofless and it's
there that they have barbecues or tea on summer days. The rest of the pile
has all sorts of things rambling and scrambling over it and very pretty it
looks, too.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 8/9/07 16:09, in article ,
"David
(Normandy)" wrote:

If the Russian vine let's everything else thrive. It really is a
monster!
I would never use it myself but in the OP's case, given that she's
looking
into someone else's garden from her own, I think using one of those
would
give nothing but trouble to both parties. He won't be too happy when
his
new sapling hedging is eaten by the Russian vine......

--
Sacha

I planted the Russian vine in the least favourable position of all the
climbers. The barn faces South so the sun lovers are all on that side.
The
passion flower is loving it's position. The Russian vine was relegated to
the North facing side of the building. It put on quite a spurt initially
reaching the top of the wall (about 20 feet) then strangely has stopped
growing with a number of it's leaves turning rust or red coloured. It is
almost as though it has decided it has grown enough for one year or that
Autumn is here so time to throttle back.

The roof of the barn (what remains of it) is huge and very steep, covered
in
rusty corrugated tin sheets. I'm hoping that at least one of the climbers
will be able to tolerate growing over them without baking in the Summer
sun.
The rusty tin sheets are really ugly. I may post a photo some time - the
barn is quite a monstrosity at the moment. The weathered stone walls and
ancient wooden doors / windows have charm but the tin sheets completely
spoil the look. Needless to say the barn is beyond renovation. It would
cost
a fortune to do anything with and is not financially viable. So a
"romantic
ruin" is it's only future as it slowly crumbles away.

David.

It sounds extremely pretty, actually, David. Some friends of ours have a
little and very old manor house on Dartmoor, all built from local stone,
which used to belong to Drake and his family. It had some of those
lovely,
old stone pigsties and when they bought the place, parts of the barn and
all
of the pigsties were pretty tumbledown. They didn¹t have enough money
then
to chuck at the whole project and coming home one night, they let the big
gate clang to a bit too hard. There was a low rumbling noise and a huge
billow of dust and the pigsties collapsed before their eyes! In the end,
having been widowed very, very sadly, the wife restored the barn and
finally
got planning to let her put an interior door through from her kitchen into
it (there had been a window there once, for some reason) and she turned
the
pigsties into the sort of thing you describe. It hasn't been gussied up
at
all but one wall has been carefully reconstructed but left roofless and
it's
there that they have barbecues or tea on summer days. The rest of the
pile
has all sorts of things rambling and scrambling over it and very pretty it
looks, too.

--
Sacha

My posting about my Son in Law's barn triggered your memory? ;-)

:-))

Mike



--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

It sounds extremely pretty, actually, David.
--
Sacha

I've just popped outside and taken a photo of the barn (along with a photo
of my ailing tulip tree.)
It isn't possible to find a vantage point to take a photo getting the entire
length of the building in. More of the roof is missing on the other (North)
side. The barn has a number of rooms, upstairs and down with stalls for
cattle, grain storage, hay loft even the remains of a big cider press.
However, the building is not safe, so I've sealed the doors shut now.

You may be able to just make out a couple of clematis, the wisteria and
passion flower. I think you will agree they have their work cut out to cover
the barn!

Photo at:

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/images/Hpim5753a.jpg

David.

"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...

Photo at:

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/images/Hpim5753a.jpg

David.


I see some 'Holiday Lets' here ;-)

Wouldn't cost too much to set something up. Want a partner? ;-)

Mike



--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

Photo at:

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/images/Hpim5753a.jpg

David.


I see some 'Holiday Lets' here ;-)

Wouldn't cost too much to set something up. Want a partner? ;-)


:-) Premium Bonds were 'kind' to me this month ;-)

Mike


--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

In message , Sacha
writes
Thanks, Sacha. We have been so gobsmacked that someone could be so
insensitive that thinking rationally has been difficult. It never
occurred to me that indeed asbestos might well be a magic word here....

I'd think so. It seems to me that while you're keen to keep good
relations with your neighbour, he's taking thorough advantage of your
good natures! He doesn't appear to be at all concerned about the effect
his actions are having on your lives and these things surely have to
work two ways.

Well, it's particularly painful because we do have a good relationship
otherwise - we've looked after each other's houses, children, pets, etc.
companionably for some 30 years, and I imagine we must be reasonably
pleasant to have next-door because while since (early) retirement he has
been a never-ending source of DIY noise, smoke, etc. we barely have time
to look up from our computers, so run no machines, burn nothing, etc.
etc. - and even while the thing was going up, my husband spent some 10
hours or more sorting out their computer, etc. problems.... We would
never have imagined that it would occur to him to do this. Perhaps he
doesn't realise how obtrusive it feels, given that it's something like
120 feet from our back wall....

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 8/9/07 16:48, in article , "David
(Normandy)" wrote:

It sounds extremely pretty, actually, David.
--
Sacha

I've just popped outside and taken a photo of the barn (along with a photo
of my ailing tulip tree.)
It isn't possible to find a vantage point to take a photo getting the entire
length of the building in. More of the roof is missing on the other (North)
side. The barn has a number of rooms, upstairs and down with stalls for
cattle, grain storage, hay loft even the remains of a big cider press.
However, the building is not safe, so I've sealed the doors shut now.

You may be able to just make out a couple of clematis, the wisteria and
passion flower. I think you will agree they have their work cut out to cover
the barn!

Photo at:

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/images/Hpim5753a.jpg

David.

What a gem! Are you *sure* you can't make it into a cottage? ;-) Those
lovely old oak (?) lintels above doors and windows make my mouth water. It
is just gorgeous and yes, I can see rampant vegetation is called for to
create your bower! ;-) Do you have to take the roof off for safety's sake
or is that too dangerous in itself?


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On 8/9/07 16:54, in article , "Klara"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Thanks, Sacha. We have been so gobsmacked that someone could be so
insensitive that thinking rationally has been difficult. It never
occurred to me that indeed asbestos might well be a magic word here....

I'd think so. It seems to me that while you're keen to keep good
relations with your neighbour, he's taking thorough advantage of your
good natures! He doesn't appear to be at all concerned about the effect
his actions are having on your lives and these things surely have to
work two ways.

Well, it's particularly painful because we do have a good relationship
otherwise - we've looked after each other's houses, children, pets, etc.
companionably for some 30 years, and I imagine we must be reasonably
pleasant to have next-door because while since (early) retirement he has
been a never-ending source of DIY noise, smoke, etc. we barely have time
to look up from our computers, so run no machines, burn nothing, etc.
etc. - and even while the thing was going up, my husband spent some 10
hours or more sorting out their computer, etc. problems.... We would
never have imagined that it would occur to him to do this. Perhaps he
doesn't realise how obtrusive it feels, given that it's something like
120 feet from our back wall....

I think he may just not have thought about it. It sounds as if he's
happily playing in his new found freedom and is enjoying it so much, it
doesn't occur to him that not everyone else takes vicarious pleasure from
it. But while your first recourse is to talk to him - and mention you're
worried about having asbestos around! - if common sense doesn't prevail with
him, you'll have to try other avenues. It's all very unfortunate after
harmony for such a long time. ;-(
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"Klara" wrote in message
...


.. Perhaps he
doesn't realise how obtrusive it feels, given that it's something like 120
feet from our back wall....

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

So therefore you TALK to them. Invite them round and tell them your problem.

Where is the problem with that?

None other than your own making :-(

Mike


--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

In message , Sacha
writes
It's not one that we have and none of us has heard of it. Proceed with
caution would be my advice! ;-) My reservations about leylandii are
always great but if you're going to lose sun and space, I really would
think again. I realise you would trim it etc. but its roots would take
a lot of goodness from the soil and shade the sunniest part of your
garden. Would beech do the trick? Although slower growing, they keep
their leaves on if kept at a height of about 9', even though the leaves
go brown.

--
Sacha

I'm afraid I find beech terribly depressing in the winter.... In fact,
the shade would only affect the back of the back garden, not the house,
and mainly the area where we have the compost daleks, etc... with
something eventually climbing through them and kept to 12 feet or so, it
might leylandii might just work - but we won't rush into anything!

(Sorry if this came through to you in an email: I'm so used to replying
to work emails, the fingers do it automatically....)

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , "David (Normandy)"
writes
It sounds extremely pretty, actually, David.
--
Sacha

I've just popped outside and taken a photo of the barn (along with a photo
of my ailing tulip tree.)
It isn't possible to find a vantage point to take a photo getting the entire
length of the building in. More of the roof is missing on the other (North)
side. The barn has a number of rooms, upstairs and down with stalls for
cattle, grain storage, hay loft even the remains of a big cider press.
However, the building is not safe, so I've sealed the doors shut now.

You may be able to just make out a couple of clematis, the wisteria and
passion flower. I think you will agree they have their work cut out to cover
the barn!

Photo at:

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/images/Hpim5753a.jpg

David.

That is lovely! And vast! If only the woodshed resembled it even a
little... actually, it does to the extent that the whole thing, right
down to the ground, looks just like your roof!

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , Sacha
writes
Well, it's particularly painful because we do have a good relationship
otherwise - we've looked after each other's houses, children, pets, etc.
companionably for some 30 years, and I imagine we must be reasonably
pleasant to have next-door because while since (early) retirement he has
been a never-ending source of DIY noise, smoke, etc. we barely have time
to look up from our computers, so run no machines, burn nothing, etc.
etc. - and even while the thing was going up, my husband spent some 10
hours or more sorting out their computer, etc. problems.... We would
never have imagined that it would occur to him to do this. Perhaps he
doesn't realise how obtrusive it feels, given that it's something like
120 feet from our back wall....

I think he may just not have thought about it. It sounds as if he's
happily playing in his new found freedom and is enjoying it so much, it
doesn't occur to him that not everyone else takes vicarious pleasure
from it. But while your first recourse is to talk to him - and mention
you're worried about having asbestos around! - if common sense doesn't
prevail with him, you'll have to try other avenues. It's all very
unfortunate after harmony for such a long time. ;-(
--
Sacha

Unfortunately, when he first mentioned the building of the woodshed, we
had no idea of the size and ugliness he had in mind - and now it's a bit
late, since the thing has been built. Stupidly, while it was going up I
thought it was metal corrugated sheeting (because he and his two
gardeners/odd job men were merrily drilling lots of holes all through
it): my husband has only today pointed out that it was actually asbestos
sheeting.

But the sawing will definitely have to be a point for more discussion.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 8/9/07 17:26, in article , "Klara"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Well, it's particularly painful because we do have a good relationship
otherwise - we've looked after each other's houses, children, pets, etc.
companionably for some 30 years, and I imagine we must be reasonably
pleasant to have next-door because while since (early) retirement he has
been a never-ending source of DIY noise, smoke, etc. we barely have time
to look up from our computers, so run no machines, burn nothing, etc.
etc. - and even while the thing was going up, my husband spent some 10
hours or more sorting out their computer, etc. problems.... We would
never have imagined that it would occur to him to do this. Perhaps he
doesn't realise how obtrusive it feels, given that it's something like
120 feet from our back wall....

I think he may just not have thought about it. It sounds as if he's
happily playing in his new found freedom and is enjoying it so much, it
doesn't occur to him that not everyone else takes vicarious pleasure
from it. But while your first recourse is to talk to him - and mention
you're worried about having asbestos around! - if common sense doesn't
prevail with him, you'll have to try other avenues. It's all very
unfortunate after harmony for such a long time. ;-(
--
Sacha

Unfortunately, when he first mentioned the building of the woodshed, we
had no idea of the size and ugliness he had in mind - and now it's a bit
late, since the thing has been built. Stupidly, while it was going up I
thought it was metal corrugated sheeting (because he and his two
gardeners/odd job men were merrily drilling lots of holes all through
it): my husband has only today pointed out that it was actually asbestos
sheeting.

Well, a discussion about the use of asbestos might be the opportunity for
the removal of that and a new discussion about what is a reasonable size for
a wood shed!

But the sawing will definitely have to be a point for more discussion.

It certainly should be, IMO. Constant noise is intolerable and makes people
ill. You may just have to go into a tiny decline for a while, Klara. ;-))
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

But the sawing will definitely have to be a point for more discussion.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

It is ALL, repeat ALL a point for discussion.

Talk, talk, talk :-))

Have you not lived with neighbours before?

Mike


--
www.rneba.org.uk for the latest pictures of the very first reunion and
Inaugural General Meeting. Nothing less than a fantastic success.
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk to find your ex-Greenie mess mates
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand