Recently in property Category

It seems the fairytale got it wrong and the three little pigs would've been safe after all. Scientists have proved straw houses won't necessarily blow over, no matter how many wolves try to huff and puff it down.

A two-story straw house built by the University of Bath wobbled just 4mm when it was subjected to 120mph winds.

And it's proved so sturdy that a straw housing estate is being planned.

While straw seems an unlikely thing to biuld a house out of, scientists reckon they are cheaper to heat than traditional homes, the building materials have a lower carbon footprint and they pass all the necessary fire tests.

One snag? It seems banks won't offer loans for straw houses because of the perception of the building material being weak. So if you want a house made famous by little pigs, start saving your pennies. Now where's my piggy bank...

The Withnail farmhouse has ended up going to a new buyer, after the £265,000 acution deal fell through.

Kent based architect Tim Ellis has snapped up Sleddale Hall and hopes to transform the ramshackle building (more photos of which are here) into a house.

Mr Ellis, an under-bidder at the auction, hasn't decided on his exact plans but, as a fan of the film, "would like to restore the building in a way that other fans could approve of".

My colleague Grant has been talking about this place this morning - he wants to relocate there!

It's an idea - the beaches look wonderful. There again, as with a lot of remote cottages, I'm sure the reality (especially in the middle of winter) is rather different to the dream.

We've talked about buying islands before. Well forget islands. Islands are so yesterday. I'm into beaches these days.

And anyone else who fancies owning one will get a chance on July 13, when 76 acres of Gwithian beach in Cornwall will be sold at auction.

The sandy beach, situated in the north east of St Ives Bay, is well known for its surfing.

The guide price is £50,000, but a spokesman for the firm that's conducting the auction, Colliers CRE, said it was impossible to say how much it would end up making. "Who can value a beach?" he said.

If it's anything like the Withnail farmhouse, it could smash the guide price (although that deal did subsequently fall through).

There are some photos of the beach the Daily Mail's website.

Now I'm off to dust down my surfboard...

I've always fancied living on an island.

I'd become a grumpy old eccentric, have loads of cats and smoke a pipe. My fiefdom would be gloriously caravan free.

I was interested, therefore, to read this piece in the Telegraph about island life.

This bloke, Joe Cornish, has been busy photographing landscapes for the National Trust. They're great pictures.

I wonder if he's taken any of Blea Tarn. That's one spot that's well worth the climb to, if you're ever in the Lake District.

And now I'll shut up before I sound like I'm trying to mimic Alfred Wainwright.

See - you do learn something every day, whether it's members of the same family running Tesco, that potatoes can be purple, or that bread can make £15 a loaf.

Today, it's this: that Stonehenge changed hands in 1915 for £6600. It was bought by Cecil Chubb as a present for his wife (she gave it to the nation three years later).

The entire town of Reigate in Surrey also was sold for £203,840 in 1921.

If you're wondering why on earth someone told me this, it's beacuse a friend of mine has been researching the history of property firms, and Knight Frank did both deals. 

The Cumberland News has caught up with the guy who bought the Withnail Farmhouse.

Here's what he plans to do with it.

Sleddale Hall - the 'Withnail farmhouse' - made £265,000 at auction yesterday, smashing the guide price of £145,000.

Sebastian Hindley a Withnail fan who runs the nearby Mardale Inn, has vowed to preserve the isolated property near Shap in Cumbria for film fans.

Having bid successfully for lot 88 by telephone at the London auction which attracted seven bidders, he confirmed he wanted to preserve its "heritage". He dubbed it "as important as Wordsworth's home to this area".

"My big mission in life," he told journalists, "is for more people to recognise the beauty of the Eastern Fells here in the Lake District, which is underlined in the film.

"I will be glad to welcome everyone - from local people to fans of the film to those who would like to spend some quality time in tranquillity."

The derelict house, previously owned by water company United Utilities, has attracted many visiting fans and the idea of a pilgrimage is something the new owner is keen to continue.

"It would have been sad if Sleddale was bought by someone rich who didn't understand what it means," he said.

The publican says the film's enduring message is the stark difference between Britain's urban and rural dwellers. "We once had the girls from Atomic Kitten visiting when it was snowing heavily," he recalled. "Their Range Rover got stuck, and when they got out they were all wearing high heels."

The battle is hotting up for the Withnail farmhouse.

Three of the principle contenders for the run-down place are thought to be the Radio 2 DJ - and massive fan of the film - Chris Evans (I actually did email him when I heard the place was on the market, but am still waiting for a reply!), the model Kate Moss and a Liverpool based consortium.

If I win the lottery between now and February 16, I'll throw my hat into the ring, too.

As a youth I did, after all, used to weep in butchers' shops.

I like Aldeburgh.

If I won the lottery the Suffolk town would be one of the places where I'd like to buy a house - along with somewhere in south Somerset, Clapham Junction, West Jesmond in Newcastle and rural Northumberland.

This house, once home to the crime writer Ruth Rendell, has come on the market in Aldeburgh.

Only one problem. £900,000.

I might have to kickstart my 'low offer' scheme again.

I've just been perusing my middle class pornography (the office copy of Country Life).

I think I'll have this one please.

Everyone tells me the bottom is falling out of the housing market. Maybe they'll accept a low offer. A 10% of the asking price-type low offer!

After my foray into the world of powerful and pricey machinery yesterday, it's time for something more touchy-feely. Some poetry.

I used to love Dylan Thomas's work. The sheer sound of it, it's like listening to music. I can't help but a feeling now, though, as if that's pretty much all it is: nice sounds.

Anyway, the reason I'm thinking about him is because one of the houses where he wrote some of his poetry has come on the market, in the beautiful spot of Laugharne in West Wales.

Even if you can't afford the house, the area is well worth a visit.

The highlight for me when I visited was seeing the Boat House, where he lived for a while, but you can also see (if, like me, you're interested in morbid things) his grave.

And finally, here's an interesting fact. The name the poet came up with for the fictitious village in Under Milk Wood, Llareggub, is actually 'Bugger All' spelt backwards.

He obviously had a sense of humour as well as a drink problem.

Bad news. I now receive my copy of Country Life on a Wednesday, rather than a Thursday.

Wednesday's one of my busiest days - so this isn't good. I spend a big part of it in a grump, having had to look at all those lovely houses that I'll never be able to afford.

I'm considering putting on a low offer on this one.

When I say 'low', I obviously mean about 10% of the asking price. You never know - it's supposed to be a buyer's market at the moment.

Times are tough for thatchers, it seems, according to this article in yesterday's Times.

Forget the naked man village, it's the Chilterns that actually offer the best quality of country life, according to new research.

I've just been reading Country Life and now I'm depressed.

Looking at all those lovely houses always makes me wonder if I went into the wrong line of work.

If it wasn't for the fact that I'm innumerate, I reckon I could have made quite a good venture capitalist (it can't be that difficult a job to do - presumably it's a bit like being in the venture scouts, with a calculator).

The front cover of this week's Country Life made me laugh.

This, then, is obviously what a "smaller" country house looks like. Yes, positively poky, I'd say!

My own des res has, in fact, an east wing (well, it's got a spare bedroom). It also has a Chinese room - so named, I should point out, not because of the style of decor but because it's where I once ate a takeaway from the Chopstick House takeaway.