Heart Home magazine Issue 12 August 2014 | Page 12

Helpfully, the building had been deconsecrated before Nick’s
purchase and had already served as a scout hut and latterly,
premises for a joinery. “Which meant one of my first tasks here
was removing all the old lumber and machinery from the last
incarnation,” recalls Nick. “It was pretty hard work, but once
the internal space was cleared I realised I was facing an even
bigger job. For starters the floor had been ruined, as the joiners
had cut huge holes in it to sweep the sawdust from their work
into. The piles of old sawdust had then rotted down there and
that rot had spread to the floorboards.”