During covid everthing stopped. When we started going out again a lot of changes have been made. Fashion has gone altogether, but so has quaintness, or it seems to be slowly going unless someone saves it. Some sunday day out villages are rubbish now, full of weird products no one wants, instead of products in keeping with the history of the village, town, city or hamlet.
Ye ‘Olde’ Blacksmiths
On our day out we walked past this 18th century Blacksmiths and noticed a digger parked next to it. It is obviously in need for repair, but should it be salvaged or knocked down?
It seems a shame to demolish British history, but if no one wants to live in it, it is otherwise just going to rack and ruin.
Thought I would blog it just out of interest. If nothing else it is a record for history and memory if it is demolished.
The old Forge
In the 60’s and 70’s I’m wondering if these quaint type places had a resurgance. From a film I’m pondering about putting on for christmas, I think it may of been a twee Interest in Irish farmhouses. The lampost may therefore be newish and not a historical piece. Not sure if rural villages even had street lighting?
This style of gate is classed as shabby chic – someone has bought this gate, which is similar to the old forge one.
etsy.com/uk/listing/224169816/metal-garden-gate-shabby-chic-white _sold_out
The influence on British inerior design from Bridgette Bardot
her home in Dear Briggette
Really like her home as well as her. This is the first of her films I have watched.
You can restyle the interior of an older house without ruining the historical character.
The romance of the 18th century portrayed in film and tv
Another massive interest in these old type buildings was from the mass romantic love of Highway men films.
The Wicked Lady. (Margaret Lockwood, James Mason) 1945
This is one of my all time favourite films. If all the country villages get made into overbuilt housing estates maybe it will be even more timeless and important to history.
If she had been passing this Blacksmiths and needed a new horseshoe I’m sure the friendly Blacksmith would of obliged.
Richard O’Sullivan as Dick Turpin with Black Bess
Obviously in these days Blacksmiths were a necessity. Nowadays a garage is more practical.
You still can’t help feeling romance towards such a romantic period in history.
Maybe the 60’s and 70’s sale tactics worked too well; it has made us fall in love with these villages so much that people who want bachaelor pad style houses
have bunged there shag style houses in the villages of their dreams. The only possible problem here is it is starting to eat away at the dream.
Don’t get me wrong I love modern retro houses, but they need to be in situ with where they are built, does this house say country village to you?
You would expect to walk out of this house to loads of trendy bars and shops. Or have it in a massive grounds of its own for all the banging parties it would have.
Eventually quaint little villages may become carbuncle estates.
In Two minds
In the old days before digital T.V. I used to watch architecture programs and estate agent type tv shows. They would say about preservation rights, greenbelt and listed buildings.
Have to say I agreed with new buildings being in keeping with their surrounding areas, not building on green belt and so forth, but some of the listed building rules seemed a bit daft, such as keeping a wine cooling cellar in a victorian house that had been turned into apartments?
The annoying thing is that rule possibly still exists, but the greenbelt one seems to of gone.
In the quaint village of this weeks blog the ‘in keeping’ law has definately gone.
PROGRESS
Does it come to a point where progress has to overide whimsical dreams of the past? Maybe it does, I couldn’t decide myself. But in the village in question, someone has been confident enough to squash the romantic dreams of the old and plough forward with new builds.
Have to admit to liking one of them.
It has a beige interior with lawns on different levels.
It does make you ponder ideas for your own projects, if you can now put double glazing in listed buildings, do repairs and so forth, they would be an investment, rather than a pile of old bricks that are impossible to heat. The useless wine cellars could be converted into something useful.
Should crusty old relics of a lost civilisation be knocked down to make way for new civilizations?
To be honest I can’t answer this question?
Maybe if I watched digital t.v. I may know the answer to this.
Don’t miss tv shows at all, so really not bothered.
Anyway as I’m obviously a little no body and have no influence at all will let you know how the blacksmiths does.
Have made a record here of the original one.
We tried to buy a house in this village once, unfortunately they had ripped out the oak beams which was what we were looking for after living in our miniture dolls house box type new build.
When she joked she used to be Brown Owl, I asked her which division, this caught her out as she obviously hadn’t been a brown owl.
We then worked out it was the old Brownie hut, explaining why it was too small to be a house conversion.
They lived at the bottom of the garden in an olde worlde type house.
On questioning their views about one of the oversized new build houses in the village, they admitted to really not liking it.
They then said, ‘hi’, to a neighbour chatting up a teenager. Coincidently he lived next door to the said blacksmiths of this blogs topic.
Wondering if this is why there is so much angst in what used to be a quaint little village.
Just noticed quite a few houses have now come up for sale in said street, not a good sign. For some reason they have converted quaint oak beamed cottages into bachaelor pad boxy style bland bachaelor pads. They are selling it with cheesy music and a weird bloke with an odd hairstyle? Then the estate agent bumf crashes?
Products from blog
Hoping to purchase these from:
Worth a browse they do all eras in history, just put in your era and click the link above for a good browse.
1st dibs
Discovered these 18th century jewellery pieces at the online Antique shop 1st dibs. We are enquiring into whether they are worth what they are on sale for. If they are worth it we will purchase them. Really like both of them. Will write another blog if we purchase them.
Decided to blog them both as it demonstrates why people like quaint country villages. Makes us imagine the romanticism of the past.
This style of jewellery is in your mind, along with highway men and old fashioned twee dresses.
This jewellery still works today.
Modern women style them as statement pieces, contrasted with understated simple clothing.
Remarkable 18th Century ‘Queen Anne’ Choker and Earrings
1stdibs.com/jewelry/necklaces/choker-necklaces/remarkable-18th-century-queen-anne-choker-earrings
In this stunning suite, almandine garnets set in gilt metal are fashioned into a striking pair of earrings and choker with drop, which can be removed. The choker is tied on with a ribbon. Much of the jewelry of this period was set with pastes. These pieces are unusual in that gemstones were used. Though called “Queen Anne”, jewelry of this type was actually made some 30 odd years after her reign.
- Stone: Garnet
- Style: Georgian
- Place of Origin: England
- Period: 1740-1749
- Date of Manufacture: Circa 1740
- Condition: Excellent
Georgian Neoclassical Pendant with Paste
Antique Georgian Neoclassical pendant with paste, featuring a sitting lady and a putto. The pendant is mounted in 9kt. rose gold and silver and set with paste. Each paste crystal exhibits slight variations in colour, while black dots painted onto the underside of the stones expertly imitate the look of old cut diamonds. Dimensions: Length x width x depth: 3.2 x 2.4 x 0.7 cm Weight: 5.00 grams Condition: Pre-owned, glazed panel chipped. Colourless paste is fairly well matched, good condition overall. ( Putto is winged infant who either plays the role of angelic spirit in religious works or acts as an instrument of profane love. Putti are often shown as associates of Cupid. They have their origin in Greek and Roman antiquity (the Latin word putus means little man.Read Less
- Metal: Gold,Silver
- Weight: 5 g
- Style: Georgian
- Place of Origin: Europe
- Period: Late 18th Century
- Date of Manufacture: Late 18th century
- Condition: GoodWear consistent with age and use.
Love this period so romantic.
Think the Wicked Lady would be happy with this haul.
If we purchase the jewellery we are taking on a responsibilty to archive history. In the same way wondering if it would be possible to move the forge on little rollers like they do in America, to somewhere where it is wanted?
Just a thought.
The 18th century look
photo by silversirens.co.uk
Just discovered panda hall jewellery if you fancy making your own 18th century jewellery
18th century cameos you make into your own jewellery or trinket boxs.
Mixed Color Royal Lady Portrait Resin Cameos Oval Cabochons for Antique Finger Ring Making, 24x18x5mm(X-CRES-C0035-M)
Resin Cameo Cabochons, with Brass & Rhinestone, Oval with Lady Head Portrait, Silver Color Plated, Mixed Color
pandahall.com/p-2152137-resin-cameo-cabochons-with-brass-rhinestone-oval-with-lady-head-portrait.
Then you set it in a pendant backing or ring or box etc.
There are quite a ‘lot’ of options to browse – this is great fun. You used to be able to purchase these necklaces in Miss Selfridge pre covid.
This is a customer review – what a pretty idea – would never of thought of doing that.
That makes a statement, wonder if it is one necklace or all the cameos made up individually?
Purchasing these will blog when I receive them. Really fun!!!
Hope you enjoyed this blog and it inspires you to discover highway man history or local history to you, whatever it may be. Really fun creative day out!!!
Conclusion
Treat yourself to an historic shop.
Purchasing antiques keeps history alive and design ideas flowing.
Hope you enjoyed this blog and shop.
Saphire
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