West Chiltington.

This quintessentially English thatched house was my parents' last Sussex home before moving up to Shropshire in the mid to late 1970's (I think).

I loved this house. It was situated in the beautiful village of West Chiltington in West Sussex, and had all that one could need; a veg' patch, an orchard, two small ponds, and some woodland. It looks much older, but in fact it was built in the 1920's (?). It was part of a development of several similar houses, known as 'Wells Cottages', situated well spaced apart in woodland.

Over the past 50 years the lay-out has changed a bit. The drive looks wider, the garden better organised, and one of the ponds is missing. The bit sticking out on the left used to be a garage, but I see they have done what I wanted to do, and they've changed it into another room. 

I must admit to having been a bit disappointed when they decided to move to Shropshire. The house they bought was pleasant, but Shropshire just ain't Sussex. Being a Surrey/Sussex boy, I would say that wouldn't I.

On a country house hunting programme I occasionally watch, people often wince at the thought of a thatched house. Goodness knows why. Personally I find them very attractive.

The lawn in front of the house was 99% moss, and was lovely to walk over bare-footed.

When my people bought the house, the previous owner had just died, and his son had been given the task of emptying, and selling it. Frankly he was not the sort of person I'd want as a son; he piled everything burnable on the front lawn, and lit it. We found antique hinges amongst the ashes. Goodness knows what he'd burned. Later I found a book of National Savings certificates in the garage. They had a nominal value of about £200, but were probably worth about £2,000. I sent them to him, but received no reply. What a charming individual.

I'm thinking a lot about Christmases past at the moment. This was a great Christmas house.

I'm sorry they sold up. Father was a Sussex man; Mother was from Shropshire. Mother won!

p.s. Their gardener (for a while) was Norman Wisdom's son. NW lived in the village.