In Britain people’s passion for their homes knows no bounds – especially if they are period houses with an interesting
history. One of my enthusiasms is vernacular architecture, and I have written about building conservation issues for newspapers,
magazines and periodicals. I have lived in a listed thatched 17th century cottage in the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire
for more than 30 years, and over this time have undertaken most tasks involved in its restoration.
One of my specialities is advising my readers on sourcing the materials and craftspeople they need to carry out the job. Others
include thatch – its various forms, maintenance and replacement – and how to improve and extend your period house
without altering its basic character.
Specific aspects of building conservation I have written about include damp and its cure, historic floors, the many forms of
earth construction, lime plasters and renders, matching mortars, wattle and daub, traditional fireplaces, matching flintwork,
traditional weatherboarding, hand-made clay rooftiles, traditional stone roofing and many other topics.
Many of these have appeared in appear Homebuilding and Renovating magazine. From 1998 to 2004 I was responsible for the monthly
Character Building column and I continue to contribute monthly articles on elements of traditional domestic architecture, new
self-builds and period house restoration projects to this popular magazine. In addition I write for its sister publication Move
or Improve and contribute articles on restored period properties to the weekend property pages of the Financial Times and
occasionally to Country Life and to Period Living magazine.
Some examples of the monthly articles I have written can be viewed using the links below:
Magazine Articles
The house that was never a home
Written for Listed Heritage magazine
Nov/Dec 2019
Cultivating an idyllic listed home
Written for Listed Heritage magazine
September/October 2019
A taste for the vernacular?
Written for Listed Heritage magazine
March/April 2019
The House Rescuers
Written for Listed Heritage magazine
January/February 2019
Me And My Listed House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2018
Safely Anchored For A Few Hundred More Years
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2018
The Saving Of Cruck Hall
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2018
Me And My Listed House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2018
Precious Memories – And A Cosy Home To Retire To
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2017
The Châtelaine’s Story
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2017
Buying A Listed Property?
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2017
It’s ‘Back To School’
For Seasoned Renovators
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2017
Me And My Listed House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2017
Forty Years Of Transforming A Sixties Bodge
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2016
Owning And Living In A Georgian House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2016
Cracking The Mysteries Of Coade
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2016
Me And My Listed House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2015
The Enterprising Upcyclers
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2015
Me And My Listed House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2015
Rescuing An Ancient Treasure
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2015
The Job That Was Thought Impossible
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2015
How Loving Care Paid Off
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2015
Battling Against The Sands Of Time
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2014
Advice From The Brick Face
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2014
A Listed Brick House?
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2014
The Rich History Of Bricks
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
June 2014
The Old House Doctor
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2014
The Complete Guide To Listed Homes
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
February 2014
From Acorns Grow
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
September 2013
Eco–retrofitting
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2013
England’s Housing Heritage – A Regional Guide
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
May 2013
Rosy In The Garden
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
May 2013
Unravelling The Delights Of A Period Gem
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2013
Vernacular vs. Polite – Getting Traditional Style Right
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
April 2013
The Perfect Blend
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
April 2013
Walnut Tree Cottage
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2013
When A Plan Comes Good...
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2013
A Hymn To The Arts & Crafts Movement
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2012
The Perfect Job – But At A Price
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2012
Genius At Work
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
August 2012
It Pays To Do Your Homework...
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2012
History, Mystery – And Georgian Splendour
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2012
From The Ashes
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
February 2012
Barn Building With A Happy Ending
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2012
A Gentle Process Of Improvement
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2011
Home On The Hillside
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
November 2011
A Steep Learning Curve
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
November 2011
A Labour Of Love – From Afar
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2011
Listed Living – On Stilts!
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2011
The Cedar House
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
June 2011
Crazy, Eccentric And ... Wonderful!
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2011
The Ultimate Wendy House
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2011
The Joy Of Old Houses
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2010
A Brand New Barn
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
November 2010
The New Counting House
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
November 2010
A Model Barn Conversion
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
September/October 2010
Cottage Comfort – Eco–style
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
July/August 2010
A Five Year Labour Of Love
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2010
Return To Grace
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
May 2010
A Low Profile
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
April 2010
An Eye For The Vernacular
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
March/April 2010
A New Direction
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
March 2010
Getting Stuck In
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2010
Miracle Of Modernisation
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
December 2009
Dukes Restoration
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
November/December 2009
Heart Of The Country
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
November 2009
One Man’s Masterpiece
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
October 2009
From Across The Pond
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
August 2009
Getting The Right Pitch
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
June 2009
A One–Man Heritage Mission
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
May/June 2009
Positioning Windows
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
March 2009
We’ve Built A Sustainable Home On A Budget
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
March 2009
We Transformed A Run–Down Cottage
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
February 2009
TV Expert Brings Old Timber–Framed Gem
Back To Life
written for Listed Heritage Magazine
January/February 2009
Cob Makes A Comeback
written for Country Life Magazine
September 2008
New Classical Houses In An English Arcadia
written for Country Life Magazine
July 2007
Rescue Mission
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
April 2007
Change Of Plan
written for Move Or Improve Magazine
December 2006
Metal Windows
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
August 2006
New Uses For Concrete
written for Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
July 2006
Restoring Fireplaces
written for Move Or Improve Magazine
May 2006
If You Want To Make A Mark, Do It Yourself
written for the Financial Times
29 April 2006
Restoration Diary
written for Period House Magazine
September 2005
When An Englishman’s Castle Is His Home
written for the Financial Times
8 August 2005
Old Beams In New Places
written for the Financial Times
30 July 2005
Timber-Framing Brought To Book
written for Thatched Living Magazine
Issue 38 2003
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