Staying Power

Reportage 13595210 | © living4media / Narratives / Stewart, Jody | 19 images

Wendy and Mike bought their cottage as a stop gap and after 30 years realised that it's a perfect fit. In 1984 Mike and Wendy were in temporary lodgings with their three daughters having sold their small Victorian house in Dorset. They were looking forward to moving into their dream Georgian house nearby with the mouthwatering prospect of lots of space and wonderful proportions. They were devastated when the owners decided not to sell after all. The village cottage they eventually purchased dates from 1750 so is Georgian too but it has been a gardener's cottage designed on an altogether more modest scale. Wendy admits she had reservations. 'I never wanted to live in a cottage but thought it would do for a bit until we found somewhere with high ceilings and good fireplaces. '.