Pond House, Aislaby, Whitby North Yorkshire, £695k




This is a beautiful, symmetrical, classical, stone built 18th century house in the most wonderful and unusual setting. It is listed grade ii* http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=327090&mode=quick

and was featured in Country Life, earlier this year.

https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/picture-perfect-cottage-sale-delightful-village-near-coast-north-york-moors-193055

It is not huge, just under 3000 square feet, but it makes up for that in its great beauty.  One reaches the front door by crossing a lawned bridge over the eponymous pond.

I wish people wouldn’t put fitted carpets in period, country homes.  Of course they did exist in the late18th century, but they don’t seem right, they are too uniform and unyielding.  But of course they are very expensive and were one to move in one would feel it terribly extravagant and disrespectful to take them out, where they are little worn and not actually vulgar or offensive.  Dark blue would show up the white hair of my beautiful white Alsatian and I would have to spend a portion of each day wielding the Dyson.

I would furnish the drawing room with more elegant, Regency type scroll arm sofas and include one or two tea tables, a bureau bookcase, an 18th century long case clock  and a more rectangular, tripartite mirror and some period paintings.  An old Ushak rug in muted shades would be so much more pleasing than the fitted carpet.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59762871.html


The dining room would benefit from a longer Georgian dining table and chairs, these are so affordable these days, it is right to invest in them.  This room also needs a lovely 18th century sideboard and two large mirrors to increase the size and grandeur of the room.  I’m sure the price of antiques will rise again in the years post Brexit, as we start to feel some pride and interest in our country and its history and art and architectural history again.

This another historical home that has had a fitted kitchen thrust upon it.  I can’t quite believe the window at the back of it is the real thing either, but some original glazing bars are so thin as to deceive one into thinking they are hideous plastic ones. One could have  have these fitted units sprayed a beautiful shade of blue grey, rather than take them out and put a little 18th century gate leg table in the middle.  But really fitted kitchens are the height of naff and should really be avoided if possible.  The floor is a bit funny looking, I would prefer terracotta tiles.

The fitted wardrobes in the bedroom are passable, but 18th century mahogany linen presses and chests on chests give a period bedroom a sense of masculine dignity and seriousness, this can be balanced by walnut low boys for dressing tables with Queen Anne or Regency toilet mirrors, and Chinoiserie or chintz wall paper, no need for built in reproductions.

But this dignified, beautiful house, under this softest blue sky could never be false or tasteless and its garden and setting are absolutely stunning and cared for by someone with great skill.







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