Victorian Cottage Museum

One of the things that I like about living in an old house, apart from the quirky characteristics and charm that old houses bring, is thinking about all the people who have called this house a home.  Our little cottage, the Gardener's Cottage, was built in 1890, so I would think a lot of people have lived here over the years.  I wonder sometimes who the original gardener was, a Mr Reiss, and what he would think of the garden now - oh I do hope he is not too upset with how it looks now - if only I had hours to pour into it!  So these are some of the things that I wonder about.  One day I will actually try and do some research and try to work out who has lived here.  I read a wonderful review of a book once - sadly I can't remember the title of the book - but the premise was similar.  The author had researched the families that had lived in her house and then she wrote a novel, trying to imagine the lives that these people lived.

Anyway, I seemed to have trundled off the point somewhat.  The other joy of living in an old house, inhabited by many people are the treasures we find in the garden.  I've started a little windowsill Museum in the kitchen for all my finds.  It is so wonderful to be digging away in the garden and suddenly unearth something, like that glass bottle stopper which I found in our new potato patch at the weekend.

So here is to all those who have called this house a home and I hope you loved it just as much as we do!

OK I've just done a quick search on google and found the book I was talking about Home: The Story of Everyone Who Ever Lived in Our House by Julie Myerson.