Country Life
My name is Louise Sargent and I live in a large rural village in Sussex, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which has origins tracing back to a 10th-century settlement. As with many villages, its growth is visible in the diverse landscape and architectural changes, and its earliest surviving house dates from c.1390. The picturesque village has seen many changes in its rich history, but it retains a thriving community.
In 2021, my mother and I decided to move from a nearby coastal town, having missed living in the countryside. We found an unusual former stable tucked away down a “twitten” – the Sussex dialect word for a narrow path between walls or hedges serving as a shortcut. It forms part of a late-17th-century house, which preserves a sandstone undercroft from its medieval predecessor, possibly dating from as early as the 14th century. It was used as a tavern or inn in the late medieval period, and in the late 15th or early 16th century a detached stable block was built to the rear. This was partly demolished during construction of a rear servants’ wing to the inn in the mid-17th century, although the surviving part of the late medieval stable forms the northern bay. In the 20th century, the former stable was sympathetically converted into a residential dwelling, and it later became the home of a talented stone sculptor.
It is heavily beamed and has many quirky features, such as sloping floorboards and internal pargeting (a traditional craft that involves applying ornamental plasterwork). It has intriguing finds, such as carpenters’ marks on the beams, along with taper burns (tadpole-shaped charring marks) on various timbers, which are ritual marks to protect the inhabitants and building from fire, lightning and evil spirits! The cottage has embraced colour and textures, and it has an interesting mix of old and new finds, giving this country home an eclectic interior design. It has a traditional cottage garden and a cobbled courtyard, which retains what is believed to be a former milkhouse. There are many historical signs buried beneath the ground: long forgotten walls and little treasures from bygone years – broken plates and bottles, clay pipes and coins. The former artistic owner has left her mark too; remnants of Indian granite and marble are scattered everywhere.
Having lived in both old and modern properties, we moved here with various skills and knowledge, although managing a historic timber-framed building has been a learning curve! Although the charms of this cottage won us over, we didn’t take on the responsibility without significant consideration, especially due to the demands my Myalgic Encephalomyelitis has on our lives. Owning a Grade II listed building has its drawbacks and challenges; however, it’s also a great privilege and a wonderful ongoing project. I look forward to writing more about history, crafts and this beautiful part of the country. Please follow me on my new Instagram account for regular snippets into my English country life.