This House Podcast

Volunteer Nicky Morland gives Liz Barker a tour of the atmospheric David Parr House in Cambridge. Listen to this bonus episode for a limited time only. It concludes the This House Podcast series. Updates of some of the homes featured will be given via the instagram page but if you want to keep any of the podcast's please download any before they go! Thank you to all of the wonderful contribtors over the 2 series, and to you the listeners. Do go and visit the David Parr House yourself, there are exhibitions, workshops, which focus on slow making within a domestic setting and developing skills you can use at home, mindful activities such as Sashiko, French Beading, Millinery, Block printing, ceramics, bargello and garden planning. New Guided Tours  are an immersive experience enhanced by audio and visual elements. House visits provide the opportunity for you to explore at your own pace and are given by friendly and knowledgeable guides.  

There is nothing quite like experiencing Hemingford Grey Manor in Huntingdon for yourself, the oldest longest inhabited house in Britain since the 1130's, from the gardens on the river, the inspiration for the popular children's books written by Lucy Boston: The Greene Knowe series. Ghost stories, plays and world famous patchwork collection, but this tour by Diana - family relation and resident - is the next best thing. Enjoy this bonus episode. 

Film maker Martin Wallace gives a fascinating insight into the secret life and home of Ron Gittins who transformed the interior of his rented flat into a classical villa and fantasy world within. Martin is Patron and helped save it. It is now owned by Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust - and is currently being restored - it will be open to the public soon. Liz and Martin discuss the significance of Ron's Place in Birkenhead Liverpool on the wider community and art in general. Come on a journey into a unique home and mind of its creative creator Ron. Photos to accompany this episode are available to see on the This House instagram page courtesy of Historic England. 

Nicky Paton tells Liz about the grotto’s discovery and the different theories behind why it was made. It’s mythical, magical and still a mystery. What do you think? See photos on the this house  Instagram page, you can also watch this podcast episode on the this house you tube channel, & if you ever get the chance to visit Margate (a must) then put the Shell Grotto on your list of places to visit. You won’t be disappointed. 🐚

Charlie Worthington of Lowden construction ltd invited Liz Barker to his latest site in Grandsden St Neots before work starts on renovating the old farm buildings. He talks through other projects including the company has worked on including his own home and highlights the pitfalls and conservation work involved with turning British Barns into beautiful residential buildings. 

Jochen Runde and Fiona Kinghorn kindly invited Liz to take a look around their beautiful Bauhaus designed home and discuss what it is like living in this Nicholas Johnston Architect designed one level house. They discuss Bauhaus design, garden design, art, it's origins and past, as well as the interesting added feature of its grave yard!  

Rob Short is an all round excellent bloke and publican, as current proprietor of The Queens Head in Newton Cambridge, run previously by his grandparents then parents, he and his family live and work in a building that has had 18 landlords since 1729. As Rob says "everything here has a story" and this epiosde has stories in spades! Rob reveals what life is like growing up in and running a unique pub with its fascinating customers, history and decor. Everywhere you look there is a story but the best thing about it is its beer from the barrel and it's famous 'brown soup and sandwiches'. One of only five pubs to make it into every addition of CAMRA since it was published 50 years ago, Liz got to sample its delights in front of a roaring fire. 

Nick Rapley has lovingly restored Foxton House and its outbuildings over the last 15 years. A beautiful Georgian house hidden in the heart of this Cambridgeshire village it offers a glimpse into the Regency period which is still greatly valued and appreciated today, where the layout of the original house has hardly changed suggesting that the way Georgian living spaces were arranged still suit's todays society and it's testimony to the craftsmanship used that so much has survived. It has restrained charm and elegance and an interior as gorgeous as its exterior. Nick kindly invited Liz Barker to take a look and talk about its history, past astemed residents and how they contributed to local life and how the house is an important part of it's surrounding area. Enjoy this episode as Foxton House celebrates it's Bicentenary Birthday!! 

Fresh from Glastonbury Festival, lovely jewellery designer and maker from Lawson's Goldsmiths Henley, Laura Hewitt talks to Liz Barker about life on a houseboat. How it works, the upsides, the downsides and practicalities. Laura has lived on a houseboat around London for many years - first as an apprentice and now as a mum to two young gorgeous children. Laura shares her exciting journeys, experiences & stories, and gives advice and practical information. For anyone intrigued about this alternative way of living, the This House Podcast takes to the water and ditches the traditional brix and mortar approach to accommodation in this episode. Number five of series two is an adventure.  

The Leper Chapel dates from around 1125 and is the second oldest building in Cambridge. Now run by the charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future it is open to the public. In Series 2 Episode 4 of the This House Podcast - Liz Barker meets volunteer and Manager of the Cambridge Colleges Conservation Consortium Flavio Marzo to discuss its rich history from hospital to the famous Stourbridge Fair and place of worship. Flavio talks about his fascinating work as an expert on book binding and restoration as well as another historically important building in Cambridge he wishes to restore next. Don't miss Flavio's infectious interview bringing this building to life.  

Lucy Copeland runs Howbury farm flowers from Howbury Hall’s Victorian garden in Bedfordshire. She and Cissy Bullock from Wildstems and the sustainable school of floristry talk to Liz Barker about their work and passion for British flowers. 

Lucy Copeland runs Howbury farm flowers from Howbury Hall’s Victorian garden in Bedfordshire. She and Cissy Bullock of Wildstems and the sustainable school of floristry talk to Liz Barker about their work and passion for British flowers. 

George Evennett of George Evennett Limited is an architect who has transformed his own home a former post office in a village in Cambridgeshire using the most eco friendly materials - come with Liz Barker as George takes us around his house and shares his ideas and techniques for the design.  

Historian, teacher and expert guide Thomas R Wheeley MA gives Liz Barker an extensive tour of Hinchingbrooke House in Huntington to kick off series two of the This House podcast. Come with them through the corridors and hear stories about one of the most historically interesting schools in Britain. From residents The Cromwells and Montagus and famous events, the Mediaeval nunnery and ghost stories to the present day, now as a place thousands of children learn. Tom brings it all to life in this exciting and informative episode. 

In the last episode of series one, Holly O'Brien the digital and events content producer for The David Parr House Charity discusses this hidden gem with Liz. The David Parr House epitomises the exact premise of the This House Podcast - behind an innocuous looking terrace facade in Gwydir St Cambridge there lay a beautifully designed homage to the Arts & Crafts period. Created by David Parr over 40 years it stayed in his family as a normal home until one day being discovered, and now we the public can visit and see the intricate skill deployed by a craftsman who worked for William Morris for ourselves. An important part of Cambridge's history and social history, showing a way of life over a hundred years it is also a love letter to the art and design techniques once used to decorate grand houses, churches and palaces. This homes is like no other. An audio tour with volunteer Nicky Moreland is available for members that subscribe or visit the house yourself to truly see what episode 10 tries to convey. The David Parr House Charity organises many workshops and events, please follow on social media for more information.  

Nicky & Mike Maddin live in Perks Close, a beautiful 500 year old thatch cottage, the fun loving couple from London talk frankly about looking after a piece of village history and the change from city life to village life, the history of their home and the journey they have had to settling in an old property. This episode looks at thatch cottages and as an added extra bonus there is an interview with Luke a thatcher of 30 years discussing this still secret craft and a video of a new thatch roof from start to finish available on the YouTube channel to accompany episode 9 in series 1 of the This House Podcast. 

Christine Schwick shares Kingfisher her converted watermill home on the river Bure in Norfolk, Liz discusses the history of this 1798 building & 1086 Mill, the village of Aylsham and living on Bure river is bought to life with video footage and photos to accompany this episode on the This House instagram page. Christine is also in the process of renovating Bure House on the other side of the river and Stanley cottage which came as part of the estate. It's a fascinating look at life on the water and a Georgian house stripped back to it's bare bones.   

From naming your house to bringing it back to life, actor Julia Swift takes us on her house journey, filled with love, enjoy her beautiful voice as she shares interior design tips, memories and her renovation of 2 Frog End, Pithayes, a house and garden straight out of a Jane Austin novel.      

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live in a windmill? Ben Gardiner tells Liz about the fascinating history of Barrington windmill and what living in one entails. He also offers an insight into running an Airbnb, with lots of lovely archive available through his website of the surrounding villages.  

Hemingford Grey Manor is a very special place, it is the oldest, longest continuously inhabited house in the country, dating back 900 years to the Norman's. Diana Boston, Lucy Boston - the author of the Greene Knowe books and world renowned patchworks - daughter in law, tells Liz about the incredible history and artifacts in the house. This episode is not to be missed. Look at accompanying photographs on @this_house_podcast and an extra bonus episode of an audio house tour coming soon which brings it to life.