Just down the road from my first house here (and not that far from where we are now) is this house owned by a doctor from Brive. It's a small ex-farmhouse with a very large Pigeon tower and barn, giving it a rather grand atmosphere.
At the time (Oct 1996) I was going round painting simple sketches of all the interesting houses in the village, and nearby.
The house comprised of three main buildings. The house itself, this very cute but tiny cottage (below), and another house that was in a poor state of repair.
This (below) is the ruin. Back in 1973 when I bought my first farmhouse this had still been 'saveable'. It still had a roof, the adjacent barn was still standing, and the porch over the front door still had tiles. By 1996, when I did this sketch, it had become dangerous and risked falling down.
I haven't been to see the house for quite some while so I don't know if it's still standing. It would be an awful shame if it was left to crumble; it used to be a really lovely old house. I must drive by sometime and see what's happened to it.
If I see the house's owner before we leave, I must give him the three drawings. They could be of more interest to him than they are to me.
We see old saveable and useable barns..and houses sometimes...just left to crumble here.
ReplyDeleteAnd a new one built beside it..and sometimes even a further newer barn put up and the other two abandoned.
It's such a shame, especially when the old ones are so much more beautiful than the new.
DeleteWonderful sketches. Those mellow coloured buildings are very pleasing. I hope repairs have been done.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably one of the most attractive of the local houses; mostly because of the Pigeon tower. The owners don't come very often.
DeleteHere it seems to be cheaper to demolish a lovely old house and replace it with a new build box. Probably more energy efficient for living but such a sad loss of a once beautiful building.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like here. We often see beautiful ancient ruins with a modern box built by the side. Cheaper than restoring an old house I suppose.
DeleteCro, that is a lovely set of pix. I echo local alien's comment. Mellow tones.
ReplyDeleteI've only just found them; I'd forgotten all about them.
DeleteThat’s sweet that you are going to give them to him
ReplyDeleteI've got too much 'stuff' hanging about. I'm pretty sure he'd like them.
DeleteLovely reminders of how things used to be. How sad that these places are left to just crumble away. It happens everywhere these days.
ReplyDeleteThere's another old farmhouse nearby that has now almost totally fallen down. When we first came here it was still a viable house. 50 years of neglect hasn't done it any favours, and now the owners are trying to sell it.
DeleteI hope that if you do go back there you will take some photos of the property to share on this blog.
ReplyDeleteI will do that tomorrow.
DeleteYes, please drive by and see what happened to it. And take photos for us please?
ReplyDeleteWill do.
DeleteReally lovely drawings, Cro.
ReplyDeleteJust simple sketches, they weren't done for any particular reason.
DeleteI agree with YP photos of the scene today would be fun to see. The paintings are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI shall make a detour tomorrow.
DeleteI love your 'sketches' and would frame them any day - they have a warmth to them.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I enjoyed doing them.
DeleteLovely drawings
ReplyDeleteThere is a TV show about (title?) people that bought a village, many in France. It doesn't make sense to me that old stone houses go to ruin. After the success of the film, "Under the Tuscan Sun," I'd expect there wouldn't be a ruin left in Europe.
The old architecture of my particular part of France is superb. It's a tragedy that so many buildings are left to fall down. I read recently of one in the centre of a nearby town that collapsed.
DeleteYour drawings are lovely. I rather like restoring buildings and making them beautiful homes. The stone and wood beams are not used like they were many years ago. What is the date on this building?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea Susan, but I imagine about 200-250 years old. Our own little house is supposed to be 300 years old.
DeleteIf 'twer me, I would. Heck, I would and it isn't me.
ReplyDeleteHa ha. If only t'was thus.
Delete