'We're going to defend our castle to the death,' said farmer couple

Above: Robert and Linda Fidler stand in front of Honeycrock Castle [photo. Murray Sanders]

Honeycrock Castle, Salfords Surrey

Over the course of two years Robert Fidler a farmer from Surrey managed to secretly build a mock Tudor castle complete with ramparts and cannons. He reclaimed many pieces for the house including two chandeliers and a huge glass dome. "We found the dome smashed up in a reclamation yard; someone said it was from the old West Pier at Brighton so Rob went on a glass course just so he could learn how to repair it properly," said Linda Fidler.

Because Mr Fidler did not get planning permission for the structure it has been concealed behind a 40ft pile of straw and huge tarpaulins. He has recently unveiled the castle as he believes that because the building has been there for four years without any objections, it is no longer illegal.

However, this week, three years of heated legal squabbling concluded in the High Court with a judge's ruling in favour of the council. As things stand, the Fidlers must now return the plot to grassland within a year or the council will bring in the bulldozers. Although the Filders plan to take the case to the court of appeal and hope that they will have more luck there.

Mail Online

Country House Wanted

Country House Rescue on Ch4 is back and looking for country house owners who would like to take part in the third series. This follows the success of series one which broadcast in 2008 and 2009, and the second series of eight house which will be aired on Ch4 starting in March this year. If you or someone you know has a country house which is in need of some help contact Caroline.austin@betty.co.uk, 020 7290 0541.


New House Wanted

Contemporary Design

The latest reuse design projects from DesignBoom News



Above: Elisa Strozyk a recent graduate, is showcasing her wooden textile carpets and table cloths made from veneer offcuts at Imm Cologne 2010.



Above: French architect firm Olgga Architects have designed a student housing complex from 100 recycled shipping containers, located in le havre, France the individual shipping containers are stacked on top of one another, each signifying a different student's room.




Above: 'Two-by-Block' is proposed by a Japanese firm a-asterisk for a small tea-shop in the town of Hokkaido, the shop is constructed entirely from leftover scraps of wood. The project involves a special construction method, where the initial structure is built in the winter time using a snow mountain as a base to create the exterior. In the Spring the snow is dissolved leaving the structure which is to be situated over a lake.

Wooden carpet

100 recycled container student housing

two-by-block

Wharton Antiques in House & Garden

Bath, Somerset UK
Wharton Antiques are featured in the March edition of House & Garden.








Wharton Antiques

Salvo Beano

Islington, London UK
Jason and Nadine of Architectural Forum were the first to be featured in a run of Period Living articles, leading up to the Salvo Fair. The article discusses their passion for salvage, interesting items they have bought and sold and past exhibitions at Salvo Fair.








Architectural Forum

V&V Reclamation

100's of buildings to be torn down to reach carbon emission standards

Following an interview with The Times and the Government's new chief construction adviser The Times online reports that many sixties and seventies buildings which fill British towns will have to be demolished as they do not meet carbon emission standards.

Paul Morrell, who took up his new post at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills at the end of November last year, said, “In the Sixties, everything was built cheaper, faster and nastier. If you are going to try to fix buildings, then really you won’t have too many problems with anything built earlier than the Fifties or after the Eighties. Although you can do some things to buildings from the Sixties and Seventies, like replacing the roofs, there are probably some places that need to come down entirely." According to the British Property Federation, property is responsible for 50 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions. Mr Morrell is in charge of reaching the governments target to cut UK carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.


Times Online

The ongoing Aga saga

Following the European Union's insistence on lower sulphur levels in domestic kerosine, oil-fired Agas are said to be caking up with soot, and in some cases breaking down completely. This has been heightened in the recent cold weather as people rely on their Aga to heat their homes. “We have to literally drill out the carbon build-up from the burner every six to eight weeks, and relight the Aga,” complains Catherine Lewis, who runs a thatching business in Hertfordshire.

The full extent of the problem became apparent when Peter Anslow, director of the Listed Property Owners Club, sent an email to members asking if they were having the same problems with their Aga as him. “The response has been instant and sizeable. Agas are going out all over the country," he reports.

Fixing the problem does not come cheap but many owners seem prepared to dig deep, rather than abandon their oven: “My Aga has dried out sodden rugs, shivering ducks and damp dogs on numerous occasions,” says architectural salvage dealer Amanda Garrett, from Oxfordshire. “I’m having to get it serviced at least four times a year now, but I’m still prepared to persevere. A true Aga owner never gives up.”

Aga ambassador said "Sometimes, problems can be down to people having their oven serviced by someone who’s not an accredited Aga engineer. Sometimes, too, the Agas can be a little old. After all, a car from the Thirties wouldn’t run on today’s fuel.”

Telegraph