Whilst my channel is predominantly a gardening channel, I thought you might like to see what we are doing with this Victorian Summer Kitchen/ Wash House we’ve discovered. The plan is to be able to utilise it for the vegetable garden, for storage, whilst restoring the wash copper so it’s usable. Thanks for watching Ps… How many Christmas hats do you count in this video? 🎄
The building is an old wash house. laundry was done by hand and a dolly tub was used for the washing. A dolly was used to agitate the clothing and a posser was used to create water movement and pound the washing. Whites were placed in the copper with the fire lit underneath until boiling. Soap used was usually bar soap which had to be grated up to put in the dollys etc. The sink was used for rinses or for washing small items by hand. It was also common to purchase sheet-lengths of unbleached calico and hem them (by hand, or if one was lucky enough to use a sewing machine) and after several washes, they turned into the best sheets for the beds ever and also became white, from the original dull creamy colour. Preferably no paint to be used on the walls as the walls were usually whitewashed to accomplish damp removal from the walls. Paint would seal the walls and cause problems in the future of the structure.
Thanks Beverley. I’ll be lime washing the walls which is white wash, I believe. We have lime powder here for disinfectant in the cattle bedding, mix with water and brush it on the walls. Fascinating history of how wash day would be. It does sound laborious. Apparently they used to leave overalls to soak for two days 😬
Hello Clare. I liked and subscribed. I love your videos from rural England. They are inspiring. They also remind me of my aupair time 30 odd years ago. You re such a hardworking lady and you have a talent of chatting pleasantly while doing your projects. I live in a semidetached and am currently planning to give the garden a makeover as I have retired recently.
What a lovely thing to say.Thank you for subscribing and for enjoying the video. I do mostly share vegetable garden content but this building is going to be quite a special hub for the garden now ❤️
Our one originally had a copper bowl As this would have been sterile Council removed during house "renovations😂" in 1970s I was told Doesn't look like they did much else though
As a Brit living in Australia now, this video brings back so many memories of old outhouses & sheds from home. They were so beautifully built with such care & you just never really see them over here. Wonderful video that i thoroughly enjoyed - thank you 🙂
Oh Glyn, I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed seeing this lovely little old Victorian wash house appear on your suggested video page. I can’t tell you how happy the building makes me, and how I regret not having explored it before, so to know you’ve enjoyed me sharing it with you is marvellous. My father in law died in 2021 and I wish I’d asked him about this building. There’s no one to ask now about any significant stories in its history. Duncan said at one point his dad told him they took the side wall and window out to put their first little Fergie tractor in there, before they had the newer agricultural sheds built in the early 1960’s. I’m so pleased they put it back to how it was when they were finished with it. Could so easily have knocked it down and it would have been lost forever. It explains why there’s newer plaster work inside. The roof collapsed in the early 80’s too and they used some farm shed wall panels to put on the roof to keep it dry. We’re unsure which panels they used as the farm has both asbestos and cement particle boards here. I have so many plans to make the space work for my current needs whilst retaining all of its character (and hopefully add to it!)
@TheFarmyardGarden Thank you for your lovely reply. I wondered if there had been another use at some point, when I saw the different coloured brick filled in at the back! It's just wonderful ❤️
Really enjoyed the transformation. When I’m restoring old cast iron skillets, I throw them in the ashes of a dying outdoor fire overnight, wire wool the remaining rust then start with the seasoning process. Maybe it would work for your bowl. We had outbuildings like that. Two huge cauldrons over two brick fire stoves. They may have been used as laundry/wash rooms but we used them for boiling barley for the horses as that’s what they’d been used for during the past 100 or so years as the house had Victorian plumbing for bathrooms and wash stations inside.
Thats a really interesting idea for the cleaning of the bowl. I don’t think it can be removed without damaging the brickwork around it, but it’s worth exploring. I did think I could heat up the wash copper from underneath and wire wool it with my heat proof woodburner stove glove on, as it cools down, to see if this helps. There’s been suggestions for vinegar, WD-40, cola, etc. So many options to give it ago. I’m excited to try, but it’s a job for after Christmas. I am so behind on my shopping/wrapping.
Oh Clare what an amazing little place that will be when you’ve finished renovating it. Imagine being in there with the fire going, having a brew, looking out of the window. Magical, especially when those spring bulbs come out. I can’t wait to see it finished. It’s better than any she shed in my opinion.
Ooo it’ll be amazing won’t it, Debra? I can’t wait. We have a blacksmith quite locally to us who makes all manner of bespoke things. I’m hoping he can make a door/grate for the fireplace. That’ll be a project for next year I think it’s the ultimate, original she shed, given why the building was built in the first place ❤️
i can’t believe you accomplished in just 4 days what you’d avoided for 23 years! well done you. I’m definitely giving you a follow so i can see how those flowers turn out-and to see how many more hats you have. greetings from los angeles!
So many hats 😂😂 I cannot believe I’d not made an effort to do this for 23 years either. Feeling rather silly about that but we’d never really had a use for the space before, so was quite happy to leave it hidden under all the trees etc. I have planted so many more bulbs in that space since filming. I really hope it gives a lovely display If you celebrate it, Merry Christmas to you and your family. If you don’t, Merry Wednesday for this coming week. Los Angeles… wow… can’t wrap my head around how far away people are watching my little video. ❤️❤️
Thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Whilst this is predominantly a gardening channel, this Victorian Wash house is destined to be a big feature and central hub to the growing space. ❤️
My grandmother had a kitchen with one of those in. I remember wash day very well and with a huge iron clothes wringer outside next to the metal bath hung on the wall. Those were the days! Out of all the hoovers today I still thing the Hoover Junior is the best!
I watch you for your content, yes, but even more for your accent. You see, my mom was from Birmingham, and a war bride that came to America to join my Dad. She has been gone these many years and I miss her and her accent. Thank you for listening to an old guy and his memories and brining them back with a your heavenly accent and sweetness. You’re a hard worker.
Hi John. I’m so sorry that your mum is longer with you. An everlasting pain. Birmingham is about 50 miles south of me. They have a very distinctive regional dialect. Lovely, friendly community spirit from “brummies”, as we call them colloquially. Thank you for watching and thank you for not telling me my voice is unbearable, like a recent commenter. It made me smile, so lovely of you to take the time to comment and share your memories with me. 🤗
Hi Claire it was an old wash house my gran had one when I was a little girl and she used to let the fire out on the copper first the the last of the water she scoped out out with an old saucepan then wiped the last bit out with a cloth. Also I think you threw the grate front away in your first barrow of rubbish .Your little wash house takes me back to my childhood great memories.
That grate front I put under a farm building (didn’t throw that away) was actually to a coal fire they had in the house. It is much too wide for the opening of this little fireplace. I did try to see if it would fit, sadly not. A few comments have correctly labelled it a Victorian wash house now. I’ll reference that in a later video, thank you. Initially when I did a picture search it came back with summer kitchen as a name, which fitted with my late father in law always calling it a summer house. I can see that was incorrect now 😊 Apparently they used to always swill the floor off with the last of the hot water before leaving, which is why there’s the big drain hole in the corner. The floor slopes quite a bit down to it It’s a lovely historical building. I’m so glad it brought back memories for you too. Thanks Brenda ❤️
I'm excited to see this come to life clare! Lovely idea to plant spring bulbs outside. It's going to be a wonderful building with plenty of charm! Not at all jealous! 😅 Danny 🌱
I was hoping you’d have some suggestions on cleaning the wash copper and window. I’d love to salvage them but no idea what is the best product to use for the job. I think the old iron window has an extra level of character to it, so don’t want or have to swap it for a wooden one 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Duncan brought home more bulbs and I have been eyeing up some bulk buy tulips too. It’s the ultimate, and original she shed isn’t it? (Given its original purpose)
What an absolute treat that building is - I can just imagine what it was like on wash days in the past. So looking forward to seeing you inject some life back into it. And as for the bulbs - aaargh, mine have still got to go in but they're going to look glorious in the Spring. Well done on all that hard work - it's really paid off!
Thank you so much Jane. Maybe you and Mike will come for a visit in spring, when it’s looking a bit more “ready for visitors”. I know Jo and I would love to have you both over, along with Roo and Ady. I am going for a trip out to Bridgemere or Trentham tomorrow. Hoping they have some more bulbs on offer in there. It’s the ultimate, original she shed isn’t it? It must have been boiling hot working in there on a hot summer’s day but I have this hankering to wash my garden fleeces in that pot now 😂❤️
Oh how lovely! I’d love to see photos of it, if you have any? Can email me at clare@thefarmyardgarden.co.uk I’m totally fascinated by it. I’ve seen some pics online with a bread oven. That would have been amazing, as I bake all my own bread 😭☺️❤️
Noooo I kept them. I’ve used a few around the garden already, under the greenhouse staging mostly 🙈😂 Oh wait.. you mean the bathroom ones? They’re in the skip 😬😬😬😱 I didn’t think anyone would want those They’re the floor tiles underneath very ugly carpet my mother in law has in her kitchen
My mum used to tell me how much she hated wash day. This was back in the 30's and 40's. That little building would get so hot with the fires going under the pots for boilng the clothes and the fire to keep the irons hot. My friends mum was still boiling clothes on the stove in the 70's.
Yes, I keep saying I have a very misty eyed view of finding such history, but I’m sure wash day was a huge chore for the women back in the day. We are so lucky with our modern day washing machines. I don’t remember anything other than a front loading machine, but I don’t have the best long term memory 🙈 I feel this ultimate she shed needs keeping, in honour of all those ladies who toiled for their menfolk inside it 🤗
@TheFarmyardGarden My father was an electrician. He wired my grandparents house with electricity and my mother was the first person in the village to have an electric cooker. Still have her cookbook that came with the stove.
I am 53 years old I remember my gran having a wash board belfast sink and spinner wash day monday I myself had a twin tub spinner washer and i jr hoover 2 in my life time both 2nd hand best vac going if only they are built to last still als they are not My great aunt bought me my 2nd jr hoover And my hire twin tub from murry gateshead high st long gone now but it was like quid odd to hire my tub and my belt on hoover easy fix with a ring cut frim pair tights good as new belt drives and motor fix with easy not like today where u need PC tech 😢
@ oh wow.. this is so true! Everything was more of a mechanical fix back then and far more reliable wasn’t it? Think of cars.. now we have vehicle technicians, not mechanics, to read the electrical fault codes. I loved the twin tub when I moved to the farm. Wish we’d kept it. 😭
I can't wait to see how this project turns out, it's such a gorgeous little building. Having a food storage space like this, next year will be fantastic. ❤
Well done Clare. That's fabulous work. You have achieved so much in just a few hours. Duncan did a marvellous job on the roof too. It is starting to look like a really lovely space. How exciting! Great that the chimney is working too. Happy growing 🙂
Thank you. I’m so pleased with it. I can’t believe how quickly Duncan cleared the roof. He thought it was going to take him a week and it was done in under 2 hours. Amazing I’m so excited. It’s the original she shed, given its original use ❤️
What a cool shed! My father cleaned a cast iron pot by sandblasting it once. It left little pits in it that wasn’t ideal for cooking, but if you can’t remove yours to clean it, that may be an option that’s better than hours of scrubbing with steel wool. I know that works. I hope you can save your windows. Anything can be repaired. It’s only a matter of if it’s worth the effort and the expense.🐝🤗❤️
That’s promising Deborah. Definitely worth saving, if we can. It feels like it would be missing so much character if the window was replaced with a wooden one. I’m going to try the wire wool first, just to gauge the condition of the wash copper under the rust.
@ I don’t blame you for trying that first. Hopefully it will be easy to scrub off. Good luck with them both! I’m going to subscribe and see what happens ❤️🤗🐝
@ thank you. Obviously there’s also mostly vegetable content on this channel but I believe this building is going to become such a hub for the garden 😍
@ That fine by me! I love to garden too. I grew up on a farm and started helping when I was 5 years old. My health doesn’t let me really garden anymore, but I still grow a few tomatoes and bell peppers by the door.🤗🐝❤️
Hi Clare, a lot done and it's certainly a nice big space to store your harvest for next year. To clean it up I still think sand blasting, though it appears for copper using glass beads instead of sand. If you got the local mobile service in they could complete in a day leaving you with a nice clean area to slowly re grout and repair. It would also remove any harm full particles left from smoke / what ever was burnt on the fire and stored in there over the years, what was consider safe 60 years ago may not be safe now.
Oh that’s a very good idea Andy! The wash copper is actually cast iron. Only the very rich had a copper wash copper. We think the walls are line washed, as it looks and behaves very much like the paint job in the stables. I’ve done a limewash in the stables myself a few times too. It’s fun.. until I got it in my eyes (safety glasses fail). I’ll have a chat with someone on our local community page on Facebook in the new year about it. ❤️ We know the roof was redone, as the original roof collapsed. Not sure when it was done though, so unsure if it’s asbestos or cement boards. Will treat as asbestos to be on the safe side (which means ignore it and not handle it!) 😬
From the states and I just discovered your channel watch the first video and I really enjoyed it. I would love to see more on that renovation of the little summer shack and think it could look really cool when it’s finished.👍👍🙏🏻
Hello 👋🏼 I’ll try and do at least one dedicated video a month on it, but this is ultimately a gardening channel. It will feature heavily in the garden though. I don’t want to disappoint you when tomorrow’s video is all about the Christmas dinner harvest 🙈
Wish I was there .. I do miss my garden and the raking up and bulb planting. I still have some herbs and small shrubs in big pots on the roof deck of my apartment building. It's not the same. But great fun watching you two crack on. I would probably scrub the "basin" with a wire brush and olive oil. Don't put soap or chemical cleaners into it !!! When all visible dirt has been scrubbed off, boil water in it and then empty it, dry it and add a cup of olive oil, and heat the heck out of it for a couple of hours (like seasoning it) Then let it cool and wipe it out with a clean cloth. Should now be ready to be a wash tub. Good luck.
I love this approach to it. Sounds so gentile to it… albeit a lot of elbow grease for me. 😅😂 Going to work on it after Christmas. I’m so excited ❤️❤️ I can imagine you do miss a garden in an apartment but it sounds very much like you’re brightening up your roof deck well. I can only imagine the view you get from up there, Martem, too 🤗
My goodness! You have done an amazing amount of work in such a short amount of time! It makes me feel like a lazy sack of bones. I’ve recently moved to a new property and there is so much to do both in the garden and in the house, it feels like I’ll never accomplish anything. You have given me a renewed sense of peace. One thing at a time and keep at it. Thank you!
Thank you Dorinda. You are not remotely lazy at all. You’ve just moved house.. I think we need time to decompress and get used to our surroundings before we make big changes. Also.. I’ve lived here 23 years and only just cleared it out! In terms of one thing at a time.. we really did take our time with this one 🙈 How exciting to have a new home and new focus though. Here’s hoping you enjoy lots of projects in 2025, as you personalise your new home and make your mark on it 🤗
What a fab update on the summer house Clare 😍 It looks so different now. I'm so excited to see how it progresses. I'll certainly be watching this project so it's a thumbs up from me 👍😄 Duncan is a great help isn't he, always handy to have a man around 😂 That must have been a job and a half getting all that ivy from the roof and walls phew! Well done Duncan 👏👏👏 You even managed a bit of gardening so well done you and especially the clearing of the summer house 👏👏👏 I'd have probably rescued and used some of that junk e.g Welly planters and a sacking planter 😂 That's why you have a tidy plot and I don't 😂 5 changes of hat I think it was? 😂 Have a fabulous week ❤️ xx
I was hoping someone would pick up on the sheer irony of me saying farmers can’t throw anything away.. then immediately cutting to me saying “I was going to throw this tub and kindling away.. but I’ll keep it” 😂😂😂 The vines in the roof weren’t all ivy, thankfully, as ivy really sticks to things and damages it. I think Duncan would have gone on strike if it was 😂 I’m so pleased you have enjoyed the video and I really do look forward to turning this lovely old building in to a useful storage space for the vegetable garden too. I have this vision of washing the garden fleeces in the wash copper 😱❤️❤️ Can you believe there’s only one more Sunday before Christmas? Where has the time gone? Have a great week xx
I thought nooo, don't throw the birdcage away, could have been used as a plant protector or decoration 😂. It's a good job we are all different, I love a good skip rummage 👍
There was a certain level of irony of me saying farmers can’t throw anything away and then immediately deciding not to throw something away myself 😂😂 I never gave it a thought or keep the bird cage for that use! I cloche everything anyway. Silly me.
Hello, I've just come across your video. You are my kind of gardener. You are doing exactly what I would do and mix all the bulbs together, they will look great 😊
Hello Wendy 👋🏼 Got to mix them to get a nice display haven’t we? I need more tulip bulbs to mix in too. If you’re in the UK, Blue Diamond Garden Centres are now selling off packs of bulbs for £1. I got 12 more packets of the Purple Sensations Alliums. 15 bulbs per pack 😱😱😱
What a little gem you found there. Great job cleaning it out. When you found the hoover I was laughing out loud because it reminded me straight away of the film Hocus Pocus, when one of the sisters came out of the house with one like it. 😂😂😂 Btw, I counted 4 different crimbo hats. ❤
Not just useful but magical! I think each and every one of us have our own vision of what it will look like. Personally I’m hoping to see those old wooden or wrought iron dryer’s nestled high with your flowers drying! I do have other ideas too but I know you will do an amazing job of it and I’m invested all the way! Looking forward to watching you transform this idyllic space.
Just found you and am so interested in your property and projects! Love the outdoor Victorian way house! Had to subscribe! Will be looking forward to seeing the beautiful bulbs too! Happy New Year to you both!👏👏👍🤩😊
Thank you Cyndy. Always lovely to welcome new names to the comment section. There’s so much that could and should be done around the farm buildings. Very much under utilised space in places. Happy New Year to you ❤️
Wow! Some amount of work to clear the building, but what a thorough job you've done. I love the organised way you work, leaving nothing behind. It will be well worth the effort. Hope your back is ok after all that lifting and clearing.
You’d never believe this.. but my house is so untidy. I don’t have the same work ethic indoors.. unless I am on a mission and then no one dares leave even a crumb behind, I’ll spot it! 😂🙈 I’m all good after the clearing. So rewarding. I didn’t think it would so easily go from junk room to clean space. Really pleased how it turned out. Next step, sort out the door and the window. 🙈
Hi Clare, love your hat and what a beautiful place you have ❤ i love this time of year as you can find time to do tidy up jobs and planning too seems growing has slowed down for now. Good clearing up of the shed and roof,,love the little fire too. Looking forward to watching your progress. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Hi Christine. I hadn’t realised quite so much of the farm buildings were on display in the background until I was editing it. We are certainly very lucky to live where we do (apart from the major road running through the farm of course). I’m so over the moon with the shed. Watching it come back to life again is quite the privilege. I hope we can ensure it remains an asset to the property and garden for many years to come ❤️ Take care.. see you for one final harvest of 2024 next weekend ❤️
Seeing this brings back long forgotten memories of my Lancashire Grandmother and her wash house. Grandad would light the coal fire under the water filled copper (just like the one in the video) at 5am before cycling off to his job as a railway signalman. The water would be hot for when when Grandma would start the clothes wash at 7am. Does anyone out there remember "dolly blue" and what it actually was? It was some chemical in a small wrap of material that was added to the washing water. I remember grandma used to get it from the rag and bone man in exchange for bits of old scrap or clothes.
Wow! What memories.. thank up for sharing them. My mother in law is 85 and she just said she remembers dolly blue, as she used it too. She said it was added to the white washes to keep them sparklingly white, especially bed sheets
Thank Mark. It’s really quaint isn’t it? I’ve been surprised to see it’s had some work done over the years to raised the front of it to form a slope. There’s a gulley at the back for water draining built into the roof. Needs some pointing in places. So many plans in my mind.. it’s going to be hard to stick being realistic for its future use, and not just want to get carried away creating a magical step back in time Thanks for watching 😊
Hello from Florida! Just joined your channel love everything you’re doing love love love English countryside and your cute little cottage or shed with its quaint little fireplace. Can’t wait to see what you’re doing Next ! Also can’t wait to see the flowers bloom should be spectacular. 🪴🥀🌹🌷🌺
Hello 👋🏼 So many new faces this last few days. Loving expanding the community and welcoming people from across the pond, so to speak. I do show a bit of the farm off in videos, so you’ll see some countryside. Predominately a vegetable garden channel but this little old Victorian Wash house is going to be taking centre stage 😍
Oh this is so lovely I can't wait to see it in the finished results this is the best video suggestion RUclips had shown to me ❤❤❤ get me back for updates 😅
I like your channel!! Thanks for doing what you do. For the cast iron wash sink, you'll need to hoover out any dust you can get out. Wire brush the inside surface and hoover again. Check the condition after that and see if it has a whole bunch of pits and grooves. If it's crazy pitted and grooved, consider it an opportunity to maybe put a wood burning stove in place of that fireplace/wash sink (if you're planning on using the little house to hang out in, having a coffee and a warm up when you're working in a garden.). If the pot is still relatively smooth after the cleaning then I would fill it almost full and boil water in it (use a propane boiler burner underneath if you can't light a fire) and skim off any crud that comes to the surface during boiling. When the water boils with no more crud to scoop, bail out as much water as possible (wet shop vac is handy!!) and allow the cast iron to boil dry. Once dry, turn the propane down and use an old rag to wipe out any remaining dirty bits, then another clean rag to oil the cast iron, make sure you're wearing heat protection. I recommend a lard like Crisco, as it doesn't go rancid if the sink sits for long periods without being used. A little oil goes a long way, wet the cast iron with the lard but not so much that it drips. Allow the heat to stay on low for about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Once cool, wipe the extra lard out. You can repeat this heat/oil/cool process several times until the sheen returns to the cast iron surface. Good luck!!!!!
Thank you so much for a detailed explanation of how you’d deal with the cast iron wash copper. I really appreciate it. I’ve screenshot this comment, so I can go back to it and use it as an instructional checklist…given I want to start with trying wire wool first on a drill. Happy New Year. Tackling the copper will be in the video released on the 12th of this month 🤩
First time watching your charming channel🥰. Looking forward to playing catch up on your previous videos. Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Nova Scotia, Canada 🇨🇦 ❄️ ⛄️ 🎄
Hi Donna. 👋🏼 Nova Scotia conjures up such fondness as I dream of owning a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. High on my “must have this in my life” list ❤️❤️ Thanking for stopping by. This video appears to reaching new audiences. I’m predominately a little vegetable gardening channel from out little corner of English countryside. ❤️ Merry Christmas to you, from Staffordshire 😍🤗🎄
It’s funny because yesterday we watched part one of a Victorian Christmas 🤶 and they had added a new wash house and it looked just like yours. Fab job Clare and look forward to seeing all the pictures of the house. Great to have a big bin to pop it all in. How’s that back doing today Clare mine was hurting watching you. We have all our windows with panes like that but all are aluminum. I would move it so the window area seems more “open”. Poor Sir Duncan of the Pants like Gerald he just digs in 💪💪. Have a fantastic week guys, stay warm and safe, Ali 🌞🥶🥶🇨🇦
Oooo I feel I need to watch this! It’ll be especially fascinating to watch now. This seems to be the original “she shed”. My back is fine, surprisingly. Face not so fine.. an exuberant Dexter has done a good clawing number right down my face today. I like the style of the window. I think it adds to its appeal. Hope we can restore it. I agree that it certainly seems brighter and more open with that wardrobe shifted across to the back wall. 🙌🏼🙌🏼 Duncan in long pants again. Unbelievable eh? Hope you and Gerald are staying warm and dry too x
I don’t think we can take it out, as it’s integral to the construction of the fireplace. Removing it would damage it for good I think. Will have to see if it can be blasted in situ but will try a wire wool and wire brush. Also been suggested to use the brush on a drill attachment. I actually think Duncan has one of those already ❤️
Oh wow!! Thank you. What lovely high praise, Val. I really enjoyed watching this building emerge from decades of neglect. Cannot wait to get cracking on properly on it early in the new year ❤️❤️
Thanks Tracy. No way could have I have cleared the roof with a pair of secateurs and brute force. Duncan was a star. It’s funny seeing it so prominent now, as it’s never really been visible before the last few months Hope you survived the storm ok last week. Have a fabulous week too 🤗
Yes just over 8ft x 8ft square. A decent shed size. It’s so tall though. I wonder when it was built up to raise the height. There’s so much history and I wish we’d thought to do this before my father in law died 😭
Thanks Jacqui. Can you believe it only took Duncan less than 2.5 hours to clean the roof? I couldn’t believe how quickly it came away. It over faced me when I first saw it. Blown away. I think it was six hats. Christmas Pudding, two Santa hats, a Christmas tree hat and two caps 😂❤️
Thank you Barbara. I have so many plans. Duncan is rolling his eyes at me, whilst also being fully on board with my fantasy for the building. Current project is trying to source a decorative mangle 😂❤️❤️❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden For the copper boiler I think I would give it a clean down with a wire brush and paint it with a black paint, or get the brasso out !
@ thinking wire wool by hand to start with and maybe on a drill if it doesn’t seem too damaged under the surface. Not sure brasso would help it. Whilst it’s called a wash copper, it’s actually made of cast iron. Only the very wealthy would have had a real copper version 😊
Wow, that is an incredible building. I would be so excited to find something like that as well, so i'm definitely waiting to see the renovation taking shape 😁
It is so weird to see it standing so prominently from the dog garden (behind the fence next to it) when in the house. It was so hidden by vines and trees only a few months ago. I remember Duncan battled undergrowth to put up the bug house for me. I used to want the soil around the base of that yew tree to have shade loving plants (ferns/hostas) out there and make a stumpery.. now it’ll be getting way too much sunlight for that 🙈😂
@TheFarmyardGarden So many people would just pull it down, so it's lovely that you're reviving it. The history behind buildings fascinate me so much. I have to say i'm pretty jealous looking at it even in it's current state, well i mean before you started on it of course 😂.
Oh it’s still a state! I really needs some love still. It’s going to take a lot of work. We don’t know when the roof was re-done. Mary (mother in law) remembers them doing it as a tree fell on the old roof but she can’t remember how old Duncan was.. this means we’re not sure if it’s pre-80’s. Hard to tell asbestos from cement particle board without testing it
Ha. You’re right Shannon, he does deserve a larger.. shame he doesn’t drink! He has to make do with a slice of home made sourdough smothered in lashings of homemade jam instead. 🙈😂 Such a huge first stage to get it this point. The previous video it appeared in was when we cleared all the vines from inside it too. Couldn’t get inside it before.
@TheFarmyardGarden Wow Clare, that sounds good too! Do you deliver across the pond? lol, that is a cute little house and restoring it an using it will bring you lots of happy times! Stay safe! vr, S
If only I could deliver it.. my sister would intercept the post. Seems her and my niece can’t get enough of the damson jam. Another thing we’ve had growing wild here for years and I’ve never used before 🙈😅😅 I’m a changed character
Well done Claire that looked overwhelming! So exciting! As you was taking the soil over I thought that it would look nice with flowers and then you brought the bulbs out lol great minds think alike 💚💚 Also great job Duncan 6 hats
It really did feel overwhelming when I opened the door but it was empty in a few hours. I really should have worn a mask though, but that’s not conducive to talking on camera 🙈😂 I really needed to get some bulbs in that area didn’t I? I picture hollyhocks and gladioli there too. Maybe even foxgloves, but I worry about the proximity to the dog garden (other side of the fence). Maybe I should plant a clematis against the fence now too. Not sure Duncan would left me put climbers up the building now, not after clearing all of that off the roof, or I’d suggest that to him 😂🙈 Were 6 hats too many? I’m thinking I need to fin them all out for next week’s video 😂
@TheFarmyardGarden yes totally agree with you you need large variety and the clematis along the fence. Maybe one planted near to the corner of the fence near to building so it can accidentally climb up the building and not be trained at all 😂😂🫣 I had a shed where the roof was rotten and wasn't using it just needed clearing and dismantled. But what an effort to even start but 99%was binned and only took half an hour. Dismantling which I assumed would be easier as it was falling to bits actually took 2 days as but together well. It's funny how our brains work isn't it. Definitely more hats and Duncan needs them too if he's going to make an appearance lol xx
It’s so cute isn’t it? It’s going to be such a handy place for the garden as well as trying to restore the wash copper side, to preserve its history for future generations too
Watch some videos on cast iron pan restoration… that will help you a lot. If there are holes in that bowl, take it to someone who can weld it up for you and ask them to file or grind down the surface. If you ask around, you might be able to find someone who does iron gates and ask them to make a new grate system for the front of the fireplace and repair the bowl all at the same time. Good luck. Very interesting video.
Thank you. We do know a local blacksmith who forges bespoke items, so I think the Adsense from this video may well go to making a new fire grate! I’ve researched a bit and the grate should sit half way up the opening, to allow for ash to drop below. It should also have a door on it to protect the clothes/legs of those washing. It’s also why the fireplace itself is shaped the way it is, to allow the women to stand to the side away from the worse heat of the fire if necessary. I can’t remove the wash copper, as they’re built into the fireplace during construction. We’d need to dismantle the fireplace to do that. Will put some water in it over the next few days just to see if it holds water. Can’t see any holes in it though. Thanks for watching 😄
I can’t take the bowl to him, as I’d have to demolish the fireplace to get it out, but when he comes to look at the fireplace, we will seek his professional opinion/advice. 😆
Good work Clare, transformed already. You could remove the rust in the wash pot by filling it with water and adding in a few tablespoons of citric acid crystals (Amazon/Ebay etc) and giving it a good stir. Still a mild acid, but stronger than vinegar. Leave in there for a couple of days, giving it the odd stir then empty it (Syphon) and do it again a couple more times.
Great video Clare, you're a natural born narrator. The wash bowl could double up as a soil steriliser if you're not planning to go into the laundry business.
So George, high praise. Thank you! ☺️🤗 I really do want to refurbish the wash bowl. It could have so many gardening related uses couldn’t it? ❤️ I’m not sure I’m cut out for hand washing bed linen 😂
When I moved into my house which was built in the 1920s the people that were here before me died and it was left up to their son to empty the house. He had lost his brother and his mum the same day due to an accident. So we said to him don't worry about it will clear the house. One of my best experiences of this house was going through all of their old just basically junk. We threw away all of it. It was just so interesting going through and seeing someone else's life..
It is fascinating isn’t it? I was hoping for something really cool but disappointed to realise it was the building used for hoarding those useless things you tell yourself you may need one day 😂
Hey there, I recently saw a video by Beyond Ballistics about some DIY evaporust that I've tried and it works really well (plus, it's SUPER cheap)! If you wanna remove the rust from that basin (and it holds water!), you could try making a whole bunch of that solution and fill it with that. It should dissolve the rust in a couple of hours and leave whatever remains of the base metal as intact as possible. If the basin is removable you can take it out and soak it in another container, that way you'd get the outside, too!
Hey there. Thanks for that suggestion. You’re the second person to suggest evaporust now. I think it could work quite well, if the metal work is in tact. I need to put some water in it, to see if it actually does still hold water. From what little research I can find. The cast iron wash coppers are built into the fireplace during construction. Whilst I could remove it, I’d have to take down the fireplace to do so. I’m not keen on that idea, even if it’s rebuilt, as it just seems a shame to destroy the authentic originality of it. I’m keen to try to treat it, simply to stop further rust penetration from damaging the metal.
Great building. Those windows look like Crittall windows. They were in my Gran’s old house and outbuildings. The company is still around and could make you a replacement if you decide to go that way and your window is too far gone. It looks like there used to be more windows in the building, judging by the bricked-up sections you can see from outside, especially. 👍🏻
Yes, I think that’s why my head pictures them black as modern day crittalls all seem to be black at the moment. I’ll look into a replacement if we can’t salvage it 😀 Weirdly one of the bricked up sections inside does not show bricked up on the outside. It must have had so many different uses over the years.
It’s amazing what a shed can amass in that time. I still can’t quite get over someone shutting the door on that shed one day and just never going in it again. (Probably when they had other farm sheds built and moved in to storing things elsewhere).
New subscriber here! I just came across your channel. This is the kind of work I love to do (cleaning and renovating) I’m looking forward to the continued progress of your project.
Hi Rosie, thank you for subbing. ☺️ Whilst this channel is mostly about my vegetable gardening, this building will heavily feature as a very central hub to the garden space. I’m looking forward to giving it centre stage, main character appreciation ❤️❤️
My house was built in 1805 and it still has the original summer kitchen. The fireplace is huge and it still has the original pot hooks, although they are no longer functional. I recently had the foundation rebuilt, a floor poured, wiring and insulation installed, and now it is being drywalled. Next comes paint and then flooring. I will build bookshelves all along two walls, and I will use the room as a library. I am going to subscribe to see how you fix up yours!
Oh wow! Yours sounds amazing and so much bigger than this. I believe mine is actually only. Victorian Wash House now but still very exciting to find, nonetheless. I would love to know when or why the floor was poured in this one too, as it’s had quite a bit of work done at times, so they must have cared to keep the building before finally letting it fall neglected. I’d love to see photos of yours! I can be emailed, my email address is in my channel info Thank you so much for subbing ❤️
Clare you have grafted there, such a transformation already - I bet the roof is a lot happier! You're going to have so many wonderful bulbs 🌼🌷 Aw that mini fire! 🔥 Ps congratulations on 4,000 subscribers!!! 🎉👏x
Aww thank you Dora. 4000 subscrivers seems so surreal I’ve not mentioned it yet! 😱🤗🤗 It was a big job to clear it. Was devastated to realise it was all just junk. Was hoping to find something cool, although I guess it doesn’t come much cooler than the fireplace and wash copper ❤️☺️
Thanks Mikey. I have so many ideas swarming around my head but I need to keep a lid on them a bit as I’m still mainly using it as a glorified shed. It’s a shame there isn’t a cooling stove in there too, as a lot of summer kitchens would also have had a mini type of aga. There were so many barrows to the skip, I lost count. Thanks for watching ☺️
@TheFarmyardGarden used to see loads in front gardens round here 😄, guess most have rotted over time and been got rid of. Now I'm getting towards the end of the video I think I need one of those elf hats 😂. Yea don't you go up there, just send Duncan 😮😂
If you’re in the UK, I popped to a Blue Diamond Garden Centre yesterday and the purple sensation allium packets were reduced to £1 a pack (15 bulbs). Cannot wait for spring bulbs
New subscriber here. Love gardening, but must say I thoroughly enjoyed what you're doing with this little wash house. Looking forward to your continued adventures! 😊
Hi Allison 👋🏼 Nice to have you joining the community in the comment sections. New faces always welcome ❤️ I am so excited to show you more of the little wash house. (Now I know what it’s actually called!) it will be the centre piece for the garden. I do share a few bits from around the farm too, maybe I’ll include more of those buildings in the future too 😊
You are very lucky to have such a beautiful house to work on. I have just discovered your channel and I am looking forward to seeing your next projects.
Actually it’s not a very old Hoover..the older ones were canisters …my grandfather would hang one in the barn to clean the horses off when my grandmother got a new one for the house!
@ This is my first full season, as it’s a new plot to me. Sunday’s video is going to be all about the Christmas vegetable harvest. Glad to have you along. You live in the most beautiful area of the country too and I’m sure your garden is lovely. If you have a Blue Diamond Garden Centre close by, they are selling off bulbs ridiculously cheaply. 15 purple allium sensations £1 a pack! ❤️
I know what you mean. I’m surprised the roof didn’t collapse under the weight of those vines. We’d already removed so much before this video too, as the inside was full of vines too. They get everywhere. I am really looking forward to both restoring it and utilising it for my current gardening needs
Thanks Gemma. Absolutely in love with this little building. Cannot wait to really get cracking on it in the new year. Merry Christmas to you, Vince and the children. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2025 for us all 🎄❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden it's stunning, I know you will make it as fabulous as it can be 👏 Yes, wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2025 too 🥰 xx
@ thanks Gemma. It’s all a bit mind blowing and overwhelming, I suspect many people who have subbed will soon be very disappointed that this is just a gardening channel really 😭😬
I say summer house in the video as my father in law always referred to it as that, but I believe the correct term is a summer kitchen, although there’s no cooking stove. Doesn’t a wash house refer to bathing?
@TheFarmyardGarden We had a wash house which was actually in part of the farmhouse. But it predated yours by probably 200 - 300 years. The whole property was built on rock, no foundations, and there were springs running underneath. So in hot weather rather than run the cold tap we would take a jug into the cellar for ice cold drinks. The washing part was an open spring enclosed in 3" high slate slabs. I'm guessing they would step over this straight into the spring with the laundry.
Wow! That’s absolutely fascinating! Never heard of that type of set up. Amazing. There’s precious little footings to our house, which is why you can see the new brick work around the back of the house. We had footings dug and the new “skin” built around the house, tied in to the original single brick wall, to take the weight of the roof. Big job. Looks like a huge extension, but it’s not at all.
Looks like the Hoover my mum got for Christmas in 1977. She used it until she gave it to when I got married in 1994. All that she had done with it was fix the zipper on the bag keeper. I gave it to another sister in 2000. It was a work horse.
Thank you John. I’m so excited to see how it develops. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Are you likely to get a white Christmas in your area of Scotland?
The bathroom tiles? Would people still want them? I guess trends come around again. The floor ones I’ve saved. They’re lovely when polished up. I’ll correct the name in a later video. My late father in law always called it the summer house, so when I saw the term summer kitchen (google search of wash coppers), I assumed that was the name. Wash house makes sense though, given there’s no cooling facility in there. ❤️
I watched this with the spider fear running through my veins and an envy that you seemed so unbothered by the 8 legged ones that could have been hiding out 😂
Whilst my channel is predominantly a gardening channel, I thought you might like to see what we are doing with this Victorian Summer Kitchen/ Wash House we’ve discovered.
The plan is to be able to utilise it for the vegetable garden, for storage, whilst restoring the wash copper so it’s usable.
Thanks for watching
Ps… How many Christmas hats do you count in this video? 🎄
Not enough! 😂
😂😂😂
😅
@ThatBritishHomestead 😂❤️
7?
The building is an old wash house. laundry was done by hand and a dolly tub was used for the washing. A dolly was used to agitate the clothing and a posser was used to create water movement and pound the washing. Whites were placed in the copper with the fire lit underneath until boiling. Soap used was usually bar soap which had to be grated up to put in the dollys etc. The sink was used for rinses or for washing small items by hand. It was also common to purchase sheet-lengths of unbleached calico and hem them (by hand, or if one was lucky enough to use a sewing machine) and after several washes, they turned into the best sheets for the beds ever and also became white, from the original dull creamy colour. Preferably no paint to be used on the walls as the walls were usually whitewashed to accomplish damp removal from the walls. Paint would seal the walls and cause problems in the future of the structure.
Thanks Beverley. I’ll be lime washing the walls which is white wash, I believe. We have lime powder here for disinfectant in the cattle bedding, mix with water and brush it on the walls.
Fascinating history of how wash day would be. It does sound laborious. Apparently they used to leave overalls to soak for two days 😬
Hello Clare. I liked and subscribed. I love your videos from rural England. They are inspiring. They also remind me of my aupair time 30 odd years ago. You re such a hardworking lady and you have a talent of chatting pleasantly while doing your projects. I live in a semidetached and am currently planning to give the garden a makeover as I have retired recently.
What a lovely thing to say.Thank you for subscribing and for enjoying the video.
I do mostly share vegetable garden content but this building is going to be quite a special hub for the garden now ❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden ❤️🌻👩🌾
Our one originally had a copper bowl
As this would have been sterile
Council removed during house "renovations😂" in 1970s I was told
Doesn't look like they did much else though
So I am currently suffering from derelict building envy!!!! How very exciting. 😊
Awww but you have the cutest garden room and summerhouse! I definitely have greenhouse envy ❤️❤️❤️❤️
As a Brit living in Australia now, this video brings back so many memories of old outhouses & sheds from home. They were so beautifully built with such care & you just never really see them over here. Wonderful video that i thoroughly enjoyed - thank you 🙂
Oh Glyn, I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed seeing this lovely little old Victorian wash house appear on your suggested video page.
I can’t tell you how happy the building makes me, and how I regret not having explored it before, so to know you’ve enjoyed me sharing it with you is marvellous.
My father in law died in 2021 and I wish I’d asked him about this building. There’s no one to ask now about any significant stories in its history. Duncan said at one point his dad told him they took the side wall and window out to put their first little Fergie tractor in there, before they had the newer agricultural sheds built in the early 1960’s. I’m so pleased they put it back to how it was when they were finished with it.
Could so easily have knocked it down and it would have been lost forever. It explains why there’s newer plaster work inside.
The roof collapsed in the early 80’s too and they used some farm shed wall panels to put on the roof to keep it dry. We’re unsure which panels they used as the farm has both asbestos and cement particle boards here.
I have so many plans to make the space work for my current needs whilst retaining all of its character (and hopefully add to it!)
Yes out house or wash rooms where here in Australia but mainly in country home in the out back , my grandmother had one in her house at Balmain Sydney
@TheFarmyardGardenamazing to uncover the history and the origin of this charmer. 😊
@TheFarmyardGarden Thank you for your lovely reply. I wondered if there had been another use at some point, when I saw the different coloured brick filled in at the back! It's just wonderful ❤️
Fascinating!
Really enjoyed the transformation. When I’m restoring old cast iron skillets, I throw them in the ashes of a dying outdoor fire overnight, wire wool the remaining rust then start with the seasoning process. Maybe it would work for your bowl.
We had outbuildings like that. Two huge cauldrons over two brick fire stoves. They may have been used as laundry/wash rooms but we used them for boiling barley for the horses as that’s what they’d been used for during the past 100 or so years as the house had Victorian plumbing for bathrooms and wash stations inside.
Thats a really interesting idea for the cleaning of the bowl. I don’t think it can be removed without damaging the brickwork around it, but it’s worth exploring. I did think I could heat up the wash copper from underneath and wire wool it with my heat proof woodburner stove glove on, as it cools down, to see if this helps.
There’s been suggestions for vinegar, WD-40, cola, etc. So many options to give it ago. I’m excited to try, but it’s a job for after Christmas. I am so behind on my shopping/wrapping.
Oh Clare what an amazing little place that will be when you’ve finished renovating it. Imagine being in there with the fire going, having a brew, looking out of the window. Magical, especially when those spring bulbs come out. I can’t wait to see it finished. It’s better than any she shed in my opinion.
Ooo it’ll be amazing won’t it, Debra? I can’t wait. We have a blacksmith quite locally to us who makes all manner of bespoke things. I’m hoping he can make a door/grate for the fireplace. That’ll be a project for next year
I think it’s the ultimate, original she shed, given why the building was built in the first place ❤️
I bet that grate for the stove is in the garden somewhere nearby.
i can’t believe you accomplished in just 4 days what you’d avoided for 23 years! well done you. I’m definitely giving you a follow so i can see how those flowers turn out-and to see how many more hats you have. greetings from los angeles!
So many hats 😂😂
I cannot believe I’d not made an effort to do this for 23 years either. Feeling rather silly about that but we’d never really had a use for the space before, so was quite happy to leave it hidden under all the trees etc.
I have planted so many more bulbs in that space since filming. I really hope it gives a lovely display
If you celebrate it, Merry Christmas to you and your family. If you don’t, Merry Wednesday for this coming week. Los Angeles… wow… can’t wrap my head around how far away people are watching my little video. ❤️❤️
I so enjoyed the lighthearted and simple nature of this video. Such progress! Lovely. Can't wait to see what happens.
Thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Whilst this is predominantly a gardening channel, this Victorian Wash house is destined to be a big feature and central hub to the growing space.
❤️
My grandmother had a kitchen with one of those in. I remember wash day very well and with a huge iron clothes wringer outside next to the metal bath hung on the wall. Those were the days! Out of all the hoovers today I still thing the Hoover Junior is the best!
I watch you for your content, yes, but even more for your accent. You see, my mom was from Birmingham, and a war bride that came to America to join my Dad. She has been gone these many years and I miss her and her accent. Thank you for listening to an old guy and his memories and brining them back with a your heavenly accent and sweetness. You’re a hard worker.
Hi John.
I’m so sorry that your mum is longer with you. An everlasting pain. Birmingham is about 50 miles south of me. They have a very distinctive regional dialect. Lovely, friendly community spirit from “brummies”, as we call them colloquially.
Thank you for watching and thank you for not telling me my voice is unbearable, like a recent commenter. It made me smile, so lovely of you to take the time to comment and share your memories with me.
🤗
Fantastic work Clare and Duncan, what a transformation WOW look forward to seeing what's next. Take care for now Clare and family
Thanks Michelle. It’s a big step in the right direction ❤️
Hi Claire it was an old wash house my gran had one when I was a little girl and she used to let the fire out on the copper first the the last of the water she scoped out out with an old saucepan then wiped the last bit out with a cloth. Also I think you threw the grate front away in your first barrow of rubbish .Your little wash house takes me back to my childhood great memories.
That grate front I put under a farm building (didn’t throw that away) was actually to a coal fire they had in the house. It is much too wide for the opening of this little fireplace. I did try to see if it would fit, sadly not.
A few comments have correctly labelled it a Victorian wash house now. I’ll reference that in a later video, thank you. Initially when I did a picture search it came back with summer kitchen as a name, which fitted with my late father in law always calling it a summer house.
I can see that was incorrect now 😊
Apparently they used to always swill the floor off with the last of the hot water before leaving, which is why there’s the big drain hole in the corner. The floor slopes quite a bit down to it
It’s a lovely historical building. I’m so glad it brought back memories for you too. Thanks Brenda ❤️
I'm excited to see this come to life clare! Lovely idea to plant spring bulbs outside. It's going to be a wonderful building with plenty of charm! Not at all jealous! 😅 Danny 🌱
I was hoping you’d have some suggestions on cleaning the wash copper and window. I’d love to salvage them but no idea what is the best product to use for the job. I think the old iron window has an extra level of character to it, so don’t want or have to swap it for a wooden one 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Duncan brought home more bulbs and I have been eyeing up some bulk buy tulips too.
It’s the ultimate, and original she shed isn’t it? (Given its original purpose)
What an absolute treat that building is - I can just imagine what it was like on wash days in the past. So looking forward to seeing you inject some life back into it. And as for the bulbs - aaargh, mine have still got to go in but they're going to look glorious in the Spring. Well done on all that hard work - it's really paid off!
Thank you so much Jane. Maybe you and Mike will come for a visit in spring, when it’s looking a bit more “ready for visitors”. I know Jo and I would love to have you both over, along with Roo and Ady.
I am going for a trip out to Bridgemere or Trentham tomorrow. Hoping they have some more bulbs on offer in there.
It’s the ultimate, original she shed isn’t it? It must have been boiling hot working in there on a hot summer’s day but I have this hankering to wash my garden fleeces in that pot now 😂❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden definitely!
❤️❤️❤️
Nice work Clare. The Victorian wash house in my north Wales smallholding includes a bread oven, awaiting renovation. It has an ornate brick chimney.
Oh how lovely! I’d love to see photos of it, if you have any? Can email me at clare@thefarmyardgarden.co.uk
I’m totally fascinated by it. I’ve seen some pics online with a bread oven. That would have been amazing, as I bake all my own bread 😭☺️❤️
The tiles are amazing. Hope you didn't throw out!!
Noooo I kept them. I’ve used a few around the garden already, under the greenhouse staging mostly 🙈😂
Oh wait.. you mean the bathroom ones? They’re in the skip 😬😬😬😱 I didn’t think anyone would want those
They’re the floor tiles underneath very ugly carpet my mother in law has in her kitchen
My mum used to tell me how much she hated wash day. This was back in the 30's and 40's. That little building would get so hot with the fires going under the pots for boilng the clothes and the fire to keep the irons hot. My friends mum was still boiling clothes on the stove in the 70's.
Yes, I keep saying I have a very misty eyed view of finding such history, but I’m sure wash day was a huge chore for the women back in the day. We are so lucky with our modern day washing machines.
I don’t remember anything other than a front loading machine, but I don’t have the best long term memory 🙈
I feel this ultimate she shed needs keeping, in honour of all those ladies who toiled for their menfolk inside it 🤗
@TheFarmyardGarden My father was an electrician. He wired my grandparents house with electricity and my mother was the first person in the village to have an electric cooker. Still have her cookbook that came with the stove.
Oh wow! That a story. I love that so much. I bet she was the envy of the entire village ❤️
I am 53 years old
I remember my gran having a wash board belfast sink and spinner wash day monday
I myself had a twin tub spinner washer and i jr hoover 2 in my life time both 2nd hand best vac going if only they are built to last still als they are not
My great aunt bought me my 2nd jr hoover
And my hire twin tub from murry gateshead high st long gone now but it was like quid odd to hire my tub and my belt on hoover easy fix with a ring cut frim pair tights good as new belt drives and motor fix with easy not like today where u need PC tech 😢
@ oh wow.. this is so true! Everything was more of a mechanical fix back then and far more reliable wasn’t it? Think of cars.. now we have vehicle technicians, not mechanics, to read the electrical fault codes.
I loved the twin tub when I moved to the farm. Wish we’d kept it. 😭
I can't wait to see how this project turns out, it's such a gorgeous little building. Having a food storage space like this, next year will be fantastic. ❤
It’s going to be amazing isn’t it? I’m so over the moon with it and can’t quite believe it’s been there waiting to be discovered all these years ❤️❤️
I can’t believe how much garbage was in that tiny little building! You got a lot of work done!
Me too! It was like a tardis wasn’t it? (Dr WHO reference, if you’re not from the UK).
I’m so excited to move on to the next stage. ❤️
Well done Clare. That's fabulous work. You have achieved so much in just a few hours. Duncan did a marvellous job on the roof too. It is starting to look like a really lovely space. How exciting! Great that the chimney is working too. Happy growing 🙂
Thank you. I’m so pleased with it. I can’t believe how quickly Duncan cleared the roof. He thought it was going to take him a week and it was done in under 2 hours. Amazing
I’m so excited. It’s the original she shed, given its original use ❤️
What a cool shed! My father cleaned a cast iron pot by sandblasting it once. It left little pits in it that wasn’t ideal for cooking, but if you can’t remove yours to clean it, that may be an option that’s better than hours of scrubbing with steel wool. I know that works.
I hope you can save your windows. Anything can be repaired. It’s only a matter of if it’s worth the effort and the expense.🐝🤗❤️
That’s promising Deborah. Definitely worth saving, if we can. It feels like it would be missing so much character if the window was replaced with a wooden one.
I’m going to try the wire wool first, just to gauge the condition of the wash copper under the rust.
@ I don’t blame you for trying that first. Hopefully it will be easy to scrub off. Good luck with them both! I’m going to subscribe and see what happens ❤️🤗🐝
@ thank you. Obviously there’s also mostly vegetable content on this channel but I believe this building is going to become such a hub for the garden 😍
@ That fine by me! I love to garden too. I grew up on a farm and started helping when I was 5 years old. My health doesn’t let me really garden anymore, but I still grow a few tomatoes and bell peppers by the door.🤗🐝❤️
Would very much to see this building slowly come back to life, plz continue with updates!!!
I will do. Next video on this building is a week tomorrow 😊
Hi Clare, a lot done and it's certainly a nice big space to store your harvest for next year.
To clean it up I still think sand blasting, though it appears for copper using glass beads instead of sand. If you got the local mobile service in they could complete in a day leaving you with a nice clean area to slowly re grout and repair. It would also remove any harm full particles left from smoke / what ever was burnt on the fire and stored in there over the years, what was consider safe 60 years ago may not be safe now.
Oh that’s a very good idea Andy! The wash copper is actually cast iron. Only the very rich had a copper wash copper.
We think the walls are line washed, as it looks and behaves very much like the paint job in the stables. I’ve done a limewash in the stables myself a few times too. It’s fun.. until I got it in my eyes (safety glasses fail).
I’ll have a chat with someone on our local community page on Facebook in the new year about it. ❤️
We know the roof was redone, as the original roof collapsed. Not sure when it was done though, so unsure if it’s asbestos or cement boards. Will treat as asbestos to be on the safe side (which means ignore it and not handle it!) 😬
From the states and I just discovered your channel watch the first video and I really enjoyed it. I would love to see more on that renovation of the little summer shack and think it could look really cool when it’s finished.👍👍🙏🏻
Hello 👋🏼
I’ll try and do at least one dedicated video a month on it, but this is ultimately a gardening channel. It will feature heavily in the garden though.
I don’t want to disappoint you when tomorrow’s video is all about the Christmas dinner harvest 🙈
Wish I was there .. I do miss my garden and the raking up and bulb planting. I still have some herbs and small shrubs in big pots on the roof deck of my apartment building. It's not the same.
But great fun watching you two crack on. I would probably scrub the "basin" with a wire brush and olive oil. Don't put soap or chemical cleaners into it !!!
When all visible dirt has been scrubbed off, boil water in it and then empty it, dry it and add a cup of olive oil, and heat the heck out of it for a couple of hours (like seasoning it)
Then let it cool and wipe it out with a clean cloth. Should now be ready to be a wash tub. Good luck.
I love this approach to it. Sounds so gentile to it… albeit a lot of elbow grease for me. 😅😂
Going to work on it after Christmas. I’m so excited ❤️❤️
I can imagine you do miss a garden in an apartment but it sounds very much like you’re brightening up your roof deck well. I can only imagine the view you get from up there, Martem, too 🤗
My goodness! You have done an amazing amount of work in such a short amount of time! It makes me feel like a lazy sack of bones. I’ve recently moved to a new property and there is so much to do both in the garden and in the house, it feels like I’ll never accomplish anything. You have given me a renewed sense of peace. One thing at a time and keep at it. Thank you!
Thank you Dorinda. You are not remotely lazy at all. You’ve just moved house.. I think we need time to decompress and get used to our surroundings before we make big changes. Also.. I’ve lived here 23 years and only just cleared it out! In terms of one thing at a time.. we really did take our time with this one 🙈
How exciting to have a new home and new focus though. Here’s hoping you enjoy lots of projects in 2025, as you personalise your new home and make your mark on it 🤗
What a fab update on the summer house Clare 😍
It looks so different now. I'm so excited to see how it progresses. I'll certainly be watching this project so it's a thumbs up from me 👍😄
Duncan is a great help isn't he, always handy to have a man around 😂 That must have been a job and a half getting all that ivy from the roof and walls phew! Well done Duncan 👏👏👏
You even managed a bit of gardening so well done you and especially the clearing of the summer house 👏👏👏
I'd have probably rescued and used some of that junk e.g Welly planters and a sacking planter 😂 That's why you have a tidy plot and I don't 😂
5 changes of hat I think it was? 😂
Have a fabulous week ❤️ xx
I was hoping someone would pick up on the sheer irony of me saying farmers can’t throw anything away.. then immediately cutting to me saying “I was going to throw this tub and kindling away.. but I’ll keep it” 😂😂😂
The vines in the roof weren’t all ivy, thankfully, as ivy really sticks to things and damages it. I think Duncan would have gone on strike if it was 😂
I’m so pleased you have enjoyed the video and I really do look forward to turning this lovely old building in to a useful storage space for the vegetable garden too. I have this vision of washing the garden fleeces in the wash copper 😱❤️❤️
Can you believe there’s only one more Sunday before Christmas? Where has the time gone? Have a great week xx
I thought nooo, don't throw the birdcage away, could have been used as a plant protector or decoration 😂. It's a good job we are all different, I love a good skip rummage 👍
Oh a plant protector!! I NEVER gave that a thought!
Wonder if we can find it in the skip 🤣😮
Lol I was yelling "don't throw out the wood it's free fuel" and then the red tote came into use
Felt the same about the birdcage too 😂
There was a certain level of irony of me saying farmers can’t throw anything away and then immediately deciding not to throw something away myself 😂😂
I never gave it a thought or keep the bird cage for that use! I cloche everything anyway. Silly me.
😬🙈🙈🙈
Hello, I've just come across your video. You are my kind of gardener. You are doing exactly what I would do and mix all the bulbs together, they will look great 😊
Hello Wendy 👋🏼
Got to mix them to get a nice display haven’t we? I need more tulip bulbs to mix in too.
If you’re in the UK, Blue Diamond Garden Centres are now selling off packs of bulbs for £1. I got 12 more packets of the Purple Sensations Alliums. 15 bulbs per pack 😱😱😱
Looking forward to this transformation! 🤗
Me too, Sarah, me too ❤️❤️🤗
What a little gem you found there. Great job cleaning it out. When you found the hoover I was laughing out loud because it reminded me straight away of the film Hocus Pocus, when one of the sisters came out of the house with one like it. 😂😂😂
Btw, I counted 4 different crimbo hats. ❤
I need to get it back out of the skip and fly away on it …. Challenge accepted!
Claire totally loved watching this video! Can’t wait to see the end result. What I’m struggling with is sir Duncan in long trousers 😂 Well done you x
Let me tell you, I’m with you there! It’s a weird and wonderful sight for me too! 😂😂😂
I’m so excited by this room. It’s going to be so useful ❤️
Not just useful but magical! I think each and every one of us have our own vision of what it will look like. Personally I’m hoping to see those old wooden or wrought iron dryer’s nestled high with your flowers drying! I do have other ideas too but I know you will do an amazing job of it and I’m invested all the way! Looking forward to watching you transform this idyllic space.
I think that would be a great idea, Sharon. I can picture that too.
I can just tell I’m going to get carried away 😂❤️❤️❤️
A lot of progress made in just a few short days, 🌿💚 those spring bulbs are going to look amazing Claire 🌸
I can’t wait for those spring bulbs Lisa. I have a very misty eyed feeling about what I want this space to look like in the months/years ahead. ❤️
Just found you and am so interested in your property and projects! Love the outdoor Victorian way house! Had to subscribe! Will be looking forward to seeing the beautiful bulbs too! Happy New Year to you both!👏👏👍🤩😊
Thank you Cyndy. Always lovely to welcome new names to the comment section.
There’s so much that could and should be done around the farm buildings. Very much under utilised space in places.
Happy New Year to you ❤️
Wow! Some amount of work to clear the building, but what a thorough job you've done. I love the organised way you work, leaving nothing behind. It will be well worth the effort. Hope your back is ok after all that lifting and clearing.
You’d never believe this.. but my house is so untidy. I don’t have the same work ethic indoors.. unless I am on a mission and then no one dares leave even a crumb behind, I’ll spot it! 😂🙈
I’m all good after the clearing. So rewarding. I didn’t think it would so easily go from junk room to clean space. Really pleased how it turned out.
Next step, sort out the door and the window. 🙈
Hi Clare, love your hat and what a beautiful place you have ❤ i love this time of year as you can find time to do tidy up jobs and planning too seems growing has slowed down for now. Good clearing up of the shed and roof,,love the little fire too. Looking forward to watching your progress. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Hi Christine.
I hadn’t realised quite so much of the farm buildings were on display in the background until I was editing it. We are certainly very lucky to live where we do (apart from the major road running through the farm of course).
I’m so over the moon with the shed. Watching it come back to life again is quite the privilege. I hope we can ensure it remains an asset to the property and garden for many years to come ❤️
Take care.. see you for one final harvest of 2024 next weekend ❤️
Seeing this brings back long forgotten memories of my Lancashire Grandmother and her wash house. Grandad would light the coal fire under the water filled copper (just like the one in the video) at 5am before cycling off to his job as a railway signalman. The water would be hot for when when Grandma would start the clothes wash at 7am.
Does anyone out there remember "dolly blue" and what it actually was? It was some chemical in a small wrap of material that was added to the washing water. I remember grandma used to get it from the rag and bone man in exchange for bits of old scrap or clothes.
Wow! What memories.. thank up for sharing them.
My mother in law is 85 and she just said she remembers dolly blue, as she used it too. She said it was added to the white washes to keep them sparklingly white, especially bed sheets
It's the same thing as what's called blue-ing today. Probably same ingredients. And, yes, used to keep the white clothes the absolute whitest.
I see to recall my mum soaking her net curtains in some like that to make them brilliant white again
@@CricketsBay I also used to have some powder to add to water to rinse off my grey (white really) horse to make her sparkling white too
@@janemsxrayspecs9843 yes! I imagine it was very popular for nets and white shirts
Looks like a very nice project. I really like the old brick on that shed. I'm sure it is going to look great once you finish fixing it up!
Thank Mark. It’s really quaint isn’t it? I’ve been surprised to see it’s had some work done over the years to raised the front of it to form a slope. There’s a gulley at the back for water draining built into the roof.
Needs some pointing in places. So many plans in my mind.. it’s going to be hard to stick being realistic for its future use, and not just want to get carried away creating a magical step back in time
Thanks for watching 😊
Hello from Florida! Just joined your channel love everything you’re doing love love love English countryside and your cute little cottage or shed with its quaint little fireplace. Can’t wait to see what you’re doing Next !
Also can’t wait to see the flowers bloom should be spectacular. 🪴🥀🌹🌷🌺
Hello 👋🏼
So many new faces this last few days. Loving expanding the community and welcoming people from across the pond, so to speak.
I do show a bit of the farm off in videos, so you’ll see some countryside. Predominately a vegetable garden channel but this little old Victorian Wash house is going to be taking centre stage 😍
Oh this is so lovely I can't wait to see it in the finished results this is the best video suggestion RUclips had shown to me ❤❤❤ get me back for updates 😅
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. The little wash house will appear in a dedicated video each month 🤗😍
@TheFarmyardGarden please please please 🙏🏻 make those videos longer i really like ❤️
Aww I’ll try my best for you.
I like your channel!! Thanks for doing what you do.
For the cast iron wash sink, you'll need to hoover out any dust you can get out. Wire brush the inside surface and hoover again. Check the condition after that and see if it has a whole bunch of pits and grooves. If it's crazy pitted and grooved, consider it an opportunity to maybe put a wood burning stove in place of that fireplace/wash sink (if you're planning on using the little house to hang out in, having a coffee and a warm up when you're working in a garden.).
If the pot is still relatively smooth after the cleaning then I would fill it almost full and boil water in it (use a propane boiler burner underneath if you can't light a fire) and skim off any crud that comes to the surface during boiling. When the water boils with no more crud to scoop, bail out as much water as possible (wet shop vac is handy!!) and allow the cast iron to boil dry. Once dry, turn the propane down and use an old rag to wipe out any remaining dirty bits, then another clean rag to oil the cast iron, make sure you're wearing heat protection. I recommend a lard like Crisco, as it doesn't go rancid if the sink sits for long periods without being used. A little oil goes a long way, wet the cast iron with the lard but not so much that it drips. Allow the heat to stay on low for about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Once cool, wipe the extra lard out. You can repeat this heat/oil/cool process several times until the sheen returns to the cast iron surface. Good luck!!!!!
Thank you so much for a detailed explanation of how you’d deal with the cast iron wash copper. I really appreciate it. I’ve screenshot this comment, so I can go back to it and use it as an instructional checklist…given I want to start with trying wire wool first on a drill.
Happy New Year. Tackling the copper will be in the video released on the 12th of this month 🤩
How very cool! This is my favorite type of content (well, in addition to gardening, of course) - can’t wait to see what you make of it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video, as much I enjoyed watching the building emerge from under the vines and years of junk. ❤️
First time watching your charming channel🥰. Looking forward to playing catch up on your previous videos. Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Nova Scotia, Canada 🇨🇦 ❄️ ⛄️ 🎄
Hi Donna. 👋🏼
Nova Scotia conjures up such fondness as I dream of owning a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. High on my “must have this in my life” list ❤️❤️
Thanking for stopping by. This video appears to reaching new audiences. I’m predominately a little vegetable gardening channel from out little corner of English countryside. ❤️
Merry Christmas to you, from Staffordshire 😍🤗🎄
Wow, Duncan, look at that flexing. A skip for Christmas almost as bad as when bob got me a bin for my birthday.
Best Christmas present! The junk I’ve cleared out of the house too 😱😂😂❤️❤️
Yes! My mum had a copper, but it was made of copper. Washing day was quite an undertaking!
Oooo Robyn, very well to do family.. only the wealthy had real copper. Lovely ❤️
It’s funny because yesterday we watched part one of a Victorian Christmas 🤶 and they had added a new wash house and it looked just like yours. Fab job Clare and look forward to seeing all the pictures of the house. Great to have a big bin to pop it all in. How’s that back doing today Clare mine was hurting watching you. We have all our windows with panes like that but all are aluminum. I would move it so the window area seems more “open”. Poor Sir Duncan of the Pants like Gerald he just digs in 💪💪. Have a fantastic week guys, stay warm and safe, Ali 🌞🥶🥶🇨🇦
Oooo I feel I need to watch this! It’ll be especially fascinating to watch now. This seems to be the original “she shed”.
My back is fine, surprisingly. Face not so fine.. an exuberant Dexter has done a good clawing number right down my face today.
I like the style of the window. I think it adds to its appeal. Hope we can restore it.
I agree that it certainly seems brighter and more open with that wardrobe shifted across to the back wall. 🙌🏼🙌🏼
Duncan in long pants again. Unbelievable eh? Hope you and Gerald are staying warm and dry too x
@ Gerald says sandblasting but if you don’t that option sadly a big wire brush for cleaning steel etc and elbow grease 💪💪
I don’t think we can take it out, as it’s integral to the construction of the fireplace. Removing it would damage it for good I think. Will have to see if it can be blasted in situ but will try a wire wool and wire brush. Also been suggested to use the brush on a drill attachment. I actually think Duncan has one of those already ❤️
@ yes Gerald has a “grinding brush” too 🤦♀️ of course these men do 🤣🤣. Victorian Christmas Farm is probably on RUclips
@@myrustygarden Ali I have said brushes 😂😂😂
What a great video and what a beautiful old building love your videos Clare you are both making things look easy
Oh wow!! Thank you. What lovely high praise, Val. I really enjoyed watching this building emerge from decades of neglect.
Cannot wait to get cracking on properly on it early in the new year ❤️❤️
Well, this looks exactly like something that I would tackle! So satisfying to see something being restored!
I hope we can do it justice, whilst also giving the building a new purpose that suits my needs on the vegetable garden ❤️
Yes - looking forward to seeing the walls etc pressure cleaned then painted !!!
It’s going to look very different and clean after a lick of paint isn’t it? ☺️
Your a little power house Clare ! Great job and it's going to be super 😁
Thanks Susie. It was surprisingly quicker to empty than we expected, especially the vines on the roof.
So excited about how it’ll finish up ❤️
What a amazing job you both are doing to restore it, and a brilliant space. I can’t wait to see what you do with it, have a great week Tracy 😊
Thanks Tracy.
No way could have I have cleared the roof with a pair of secateurs and brute force. Duncan was a star.
It’s funny seeing it so prominent now, as it’s never really been visible before the last few months
Hope you survived the storm ok last week. Have a fabulous week too 🤗
Wow bigger than I thought now it's cleared , can't wait to see it finished love it 😍
Yes just over 8ft x 8ft square. A decent shed size. It’s so tall though. I wonder when it was built up to raise the height. There’s so much history and I wish we’d thought to do this before my father in law died 😭
I loved watching this video 😊 you did a great job on your own, can't wait for the next one 😊😊😊
Thank you. It was fun to get stuck in. I’m surprised how clean it came ❤️
Job well done, Clare. And Duncan, of course.
Not sure if you had 5 hats 😊
Thanks Jacqui. Can you believe it only took Duncan less than 2.5 hours to clean the roof? I couldn’t believe how quickly it came away. It over faced me when I first saw it. Blown away.
I think it was six hats. Christmas Pudding, two Santa hats, a Christmas tree hat and two caps 😂❤️
Looking forward to seeing more progress 😀!
Thanks Irene. I’m looking forward to doing more with it too and sharing it ❤️
I love your hat!! And you did a great job decluttering ❤
I’m addicted to Christmas bobble hats ❤️😂🎄
Love what you are doing with the out house.
Cant wait to see it progress.
Copper boiler is very interesting.
Thank you Barbara. I have so many plans. Duncan is rolling his eyes at me, whilst also being fully on board with my fantasy for the building. Current project is trying to source a decorative mangle 😂❤️❤️❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden For the copper boiler I think I would give it a clean down with a wire brush and paint it with a black paint, or get the brasso out !
@ thinking wire wool by hand to start with and maybe on a drill if it doesn’t seem too damaged under the surface. Not sure brasso would help it. Whilst it’s called a wash copper, it’s actually made of cast iron. Only the very wealthy would have had a real copper version 😊
Stonking video clare!!! My goodness what a huge job. Well done. Loved the fire at the end ❤
Thanks Kerry. ❤️
That fire needs some work but there’s definitely hope for it isn’t there? I’m so excited about what’s to come with it ❤️❤️
Wow, that is an incredible building. I would be so excited to find something like that as well, so i'm definitely waiting to see the renovation taking shape 😁
It is so weird to see it standing so prominently from the dog garden (behind the fence next to it) when in the house. It was so hidden by vines and trees only a few months ago. I remember Duncan battled undergrowth to put up the bug house for me. I used to want the soil around the base of that yew tree to have shade loving plants (ferns/hostas) out there and make a stumpery.. now it’ll be getting way too much sunlight for that 🙈😂
@TheFarmyardGarden So many people would just pull it down, so it's lovely that you're reviving it. The history behind buildings fascinate me so much. I have to say i'm pretty jealous looking at it even in it's current state, well i mean before you started on it of course 😂.
Oh it’s still a state! I really needs some love still. It’s going to take a lot of work. We don’t know when the roof was re-done. Mary (mother in law) remembers them doing it as a tree fell on the old roof but she can’t remember how old Duncan was.. this means we’re not sure if it’s pre-80’s. Hard to tell asbestos from cement particle board without testing it
@TheFarmyardGarden I wouldn't know how you go about testing it. Still a great project though 🥰
Poor Duncan! He deserves a lager! lol Very nice video! You did an amazing job cleaning it out. I can't wait to see more progress!! Cheers, Shannon
Ha. You’re right Shannon, he does deserve a larger.. shame he doesn’t drink! He has to make do with a slice of home made sourdough smothered in lashings of homemade jam instead. 🙈😂
Such a huge first stage to get it this point. The previous video it appeared in was when we cleared all the vines from inside it too. Couldn’t get inside it before.
@TheFarmyardGarden Wow Clare, that sounds good too! Do you deliver across the pond? lol, that is a cute little house and restoring it an using it will bring you lots of happy times! Stay safe! vr, S
If only I could deliver it.. my sister would intercept the post. Seems her and my niece can’t get enough of the damson jam. Another thing we’ve had growing wild here for years and I’ve never used before 🙈😅😅
I’m a changed character
Well done Claire that looked overwhelming! So exciting!
As you was taking the soil over I thought that it would look nice with flowers and then you brought the bulbs out lol great minds think alike 💚💚
Also great job Duncan
6 hats
It really did feel overwhelming when I opened the door but it was empty in a few hours. I really should have worn a mask though, but that’s not conducive to talking on camera 🙈😂
I really needed to get some bulbs in that area didn’t I? I picture hollyhocks and gladioli there too. Maybe even foxgloves, but I worry about the proximity to the dog garden (other side of the fence).
Maybe I should plant a clematis against the fence now too. Not sure Duncan would left me put climbers up the building now, not after clearing all of that off the roof, or I’d suggest that to him 😂🙈
Were 6 hats too many? I’m thinking I need to fin them all out for next week’s video 😂
@TheFarmyardGarden yes totally agree with you you need large variety and the clematis along the fence. Maybe one planted near to the corner of the fence near to building so it can accidentally climb up the building and not be trained at all 😂😂🫣
I had a shed where the roof was rotten and wasn't using it just needed clearing and dismantled. But what an effort to even start but 99%was binned and only took half an hour. Dismantling which I assumed would be easier as it was falling to bits actually took 2 days as but together well. It's funny how our brains work isn't it.
Definitely more hats and Duncan needs them too if he's going to make an appearance lol xx
What a quaint little place. ❤😊
It’s so cute isn’t it? It’s going to be such a handy place for the garden as well as trying to restore the wash copper side, to preserve its history for future generations too
Watch some videos on cast iron pan restoration… that will help you a lot. If there are holes in that bowl, take it to someone who can weld it up for you and ask them to file or grind down the surface. If you ask around, you might be able to find someone who does iron gates and ask them to make a new grate system for the front of the fireplace and repair the bowl all at the same time. Good luck. Very interesting video.
Thank you. We do know a local blacksmith who forges bespoke items, so I think the Adsense from this video may well go to making a new fire grate! I’ve researched a bit and the grate should sit half way up the opening, to allow for ash to drop below. It should also have a door on it to protect the clothes/legs of those washing. It’s also why the fireplace itself is shaped the way it is, to allow the women to stand to the side away from the worse heat of the fire if necessary.
I can’t remove the wash copper, as they’re built into the fireplace during construction. We’d need to dismantle the fireplace to do that.
Will put some water in it over the next few days just to see if it holds water. Can’t see any holes in it though.
Thanks for watching 😄
@TheFarmyardGarden yep that’s who I would take that bowl too and talk about the grate.
I can’t take the bowl to him, as I’d have to demolish the fireplace to get it out, but when he comes to look at the fireplace, we will seek his professional opinion/advice. 😆
Good work Clare, transformed already. You could remove the rust in the wash pot by filling it with water and adding in a few tablespoons of citric acid crystals (Amazon/Ebay etc) and giving it a good stir. Still a mild acid, but stronger than vinegar. Leave in there for a couple of days, giving it the odd stir then empty it (Syphon) and do it again a couple more times.
Thanks. This does seem a popular suggestion for it. I will give it a whirl in the new year. 😊😊
Great video Clare, you're a natural born narrator.
The wash bowl could double up as a soil steriliser if you're not planning to go into the laundry business.
So George, high praise. Thank you! ☺️🤗
I really do want to refurbish the wash bowl. It could have so many gardening related uses couldn’t it? ❤️
I’m not sure I’m cut out for hand washing bed linen 😂
What a super satisfying video. You must sleep well at night😊
Aww what a lovely thing to say, glad you enjoyed it.
I sleep well if there’s no snoring happening (cat or husband) 😂😂
When I moved into my house which was built in the 1920s the people that were here before me died and it was left up to their son to empty the house. He had lost his brother and his mum the same day due to an accident. So we said to him don't worry about it will clear the house. One of my best experiences of this house was going through all of their old just basically junk. We threw away all of it. It was just so interesting going through and seeing someone else's life..
It is fascinating isn’t it? I was hoping for something really cool but disappointed to realise it was the building used for hoarding those useless things you tell yourself you may need one day 😂
@ I think them tiles were so nice I can't believe you binned them you could have redone you kitchen with them!
Hey there, I recently saw a video by Beyond Ballistics about some DIY evaporust that I've tried and it works really well (plus, it's SUPER cheap)! If you wanna remove the rust from that basin (and it holds water!), you could try making a whole bunch of that solution and fill it with that. It should dissolve the rust in a couple of hours and leave whatever remains of the base metal as intact as possible. If the basin is removable you can take it out and soak it in another container, that way you'd get the outside, too!
Hey there. Thanks for that suggestion. You’re the second person to suggest evaporust now. I think it could work quite well, if the metal work is in tact. I need to put some water in it, to see if it actually does still hold water.
From what little research I can find. The cast iron wash coppers are built into the fireplace during construction. Whilst I could remove it, I’d have to take down the fireplace to do so. I’m not keen on that idea, even if it’s rebuilt, as it just seems a shame to destroy the authentic originality of it. I’m keen to try to treat it, simply to stop further rust penetration from damaging the metal.
Wow it’s such a find well worth renovating
I agree with you! Really need to do it justice ❤️
OMG what a great space to work in its amazing well done xx
Thank you Penny.
I’m so excited and cannot wait to do a final reveal when it’s all finished ❤️❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden Me too I would love a place like that to do my potting upxx
I’ll be spoilt for choice soon, as I do have the greenhouse for that too 😂
Great building. Those windows look like Crittall windows. They were in my Gran’s old house and outbuildings. The company is still around and could make you a replacement if you decide to go that way and your window is too far gone. It looks like there used to be more windows in the building, judging by the bricked-up sections you can see from outside, especially. 👍🏻
Yes, I think that’s why my head pictures them black as modern day crittalls all seem to be black at the moment. I’ll look into a replacement if we can’t salvage it 😀
Weirdly one of the bricked up sections inside does not show bricked up on the outside. It must have had so many different uses over the years.
Looks great love that old building. Great space.
Thank you, Sheila. I love it too! Can’t believe what was hidden in there all this time ❤️
I’m am in awe of your energy. You know how to get things done!
I’ll let you in to a secret…. I’m also a master of the afternoon nap 😂😝
Such a cool transformation and a beautiful little building!loved it
Thank you. I’m so excited to be able to adapt the space for modern day use 🥰
@TheFarmyardGarden all I could think about was clearing my shed lol It's only 2004 so has not quite as much history behind it.
It’s amazing what a shed can amass in that time. I still can’t quite get over someone shutting the door on that shed one day and just never going in it again. (Probably when they had other farm sheds built and moved in to storing things elsewhere).
New subscriber here! I just came across your channel. This is the kind of work I love to do (cleaning and renovating) I’m looking forward to the continued progress of your project.
Hi Rosie, thank you for subbing. ☺️
Whilst this channel is mostly about my vegetable gardening, this building will heavily feature as a very central hub to the garden space. I’m looking forward to giving it centre stage, main character appreciation ❤️❤️
Wow what a clear out! Great job Clare!
Thanks Jenny. I’m excited to get to work in there ❤️
Wow, you did a great job, you’re a hard worker!
Thank you. It didn’t take as look as I thought it would ❤️
@ I can’t wait to see the finished product, it will be your little Girl Cave 😀
My house was built in 1805 and it still has the original summer kitchen. The fireplace is huge and it still has the original pot hooks, although they are no longer functional. I recently had the foundation rebuilt, a floor poured, wiring and insulation installed, and now it is being drywalled. Next comes paint and then flooring. I will build bookshelves all along two walls, and I will use the room as a library. I am going to subscribe to see how you fix up yours!
Oh wow! Yours sounds amazing and so much bigger than this. I believe mine is actually only. Victorian Wash House now but still very exciting to find, nonetheless.
I would love to know when or why the floor was poured in this one too, as it’s had quite a bit of work done at times, so they must have cared to keep the building before finally letting it fall neglected.
I’d love to see photos of yours! I can be emailed, my email address is in my channel info
Thank you so much for subbing ❤️
I love that old copper sink!
I love that it’s all intact. Seems time abandoning the building has served me well now. I’m sure it would have been removed otherwise 😄
Clare you have grafted there, such a transformation already - I bet the roof is a lot happier! You're going to have so many wonderful bulbs 🌼🌷
Aw that mini fire! 🔥 Ps congratulations on 4,000 subscribers!!! 🎉👏x
Aww thank you Dora. 4000 subscrivers seems so surreal I’ve not mentioned it yet! 😱🤗🤗
It was a big job to clear it. Was devastated to realise it was all just junk. Was hoping to find something cool, although I guess it doesn’t come much cooler than the fireplace and wash copper ❤️☺️
Hello, I enjoyed your video, with cleaning out and planting your bulbs. Thank you for sharing….
Thank you for watching 😍😊
Such an interesting and entertaining watch; including watching you fill & empty barrows. Looking forward to see the project develop 👍🏾
Thanks Mikey.
I have so many ideas swarming around my head but I need to keep a lid on them a bit as I’m still mainly using it as a glorified shed. It’s a shame there isn’t a cooling stove in there too, as a lot of summer kitchens would also have had a mini type of aga.
There were so many barrows to the skip, I lost count.
Thanks for watching ☺️
The summer house/kitchen is so cool, loved it in the first video when you were showing it. Interesting history.
Thanks Joe. I really, really need to source a wash mangle for a decorative planter outside 😱😍
@TheFarmyardGarden used to see loads in front gardens round here 😄, guess most have rotted over time and been got rid of. Now I'm getting towards the end of the video I think I need one of those elf hats 😂. Yea don't you go up there, just send Duncan 😮😂
He even wore long trousers for this mission! 😂
I’ve seen a few on marketplace, sadly way too far away though 😭
Oops, commented too early. Now I see your greenhouse.
Like you, I look forward to seeing bulbs bloom.
If you’re in the UK, I popped to a Blue Diamond Garden Centre yesterday and the purple sensation allium packets were reduced to £1 a pack (15 bulbs). Cannot wait for spring bulbs
New subscriber here. Love gardening, but must say I thoroughly enjoyed what you're doing with this little wash house. Looking forward to your continued adventures! 😊
Hi Allison 👋🏼
Nice to have you joining the community in the comment sections. New faces always welcome ❤️
I am so excited to show you more of the little wash house. (Now I know what it’s actually called!) it will be the centre piece for the garden.
I do share a few bits from around the farm too, maybe I’ll include more of those buildings in the future too 😊
You are very lucky to have such a beautiful house to work on. I have just discovered your channel and I am looking forward to seeing your next projects.
Hello Deirdre, welcome to the channel.
My channel is mostly gardening really, but there’s lots of plans for improvements there too 😊
Love what you’re creating😂
I’m still not sure what I’m creating yet.. but it’ll be “something” 😂😂😂😂
Actually it’s not a very old Hoover..the older ones were canisters …my grandfather would hang one in the barn to clean the horses off when my grandmother got a new one for the house!
What a great idea your grandfather had. I am pretty sure this one is fair bit older than me and my children think I’m old now 🙈😭
Wow lovely project you have there. I'm hooked and just subscribed 😊.
Hello and thank you. 👋🏼
My channel is mainly about my vegetable garden, but this building and the farm, do make appearances. ☺️
@TheFarmyardGarden I love growing flowers in my little Devon garden. I am so rubbish with vegetables though so would enjoy your videos.
@ This is my first full season, as it’s a new plot to me. Sunday’s video is going to be all about the Christmas vegetable harvest.
Glad to have you along. You live in the most beautiful area of the country too and I’m sure your garden is lovely. If you have a Blue Diamond Garden Centre close by, they are selling off bulbs ridiculously cheaply. 15 purple allium sensations £1 a pack! ❤️
I am kinda sad to see the plant gone from the roof. But good on you to get this done! Looks like a promising little space to have some projects in.
I know what you mean. I’m surprised the roof didn’t collapse under the weight of those vines. We’d already removed so much before this video too, as the inside was full of vines too. They get everywhere.
I am really looking forward to both restoring it and utilising it for my current gardening needs
Hi Clare 👋 This was so enjoyable to watch 😊 fantastic work the both of you 👏 Merry Christmas 🎄
Thanks Gemma. Absolutely in love with this little building. Cannot wait to really get cracking on it in the new year.
Merry Christmas to you, Vince and the children. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2025 for us all 🎄❤️
@TheFarmyardGarden it's stunning, I know you will make it as fabulous as it can be 👏
Yes, wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2025 too 🥰 xx
@TheFarmyardGarden PS Congratulations on the success of this video and your amazing subscriber count 👏👏👏 fantastic, what a way to end 2024 🥳
I will do my best xx
@ thanks Gemma. It’s all a bit mind blowing and overwhelming, I suspect many people who have subbed will soon be very disappointed that this is just a gardening channel really 😭😬
What a lovely old farm. ❤
Thank you. We do feel quite lucky to live here, even though it’s obviously hard work being in agriculture ☺️
Are you sure this was a summer house? Looks like a classic wash house.
I say summer house in the video as my father in law always referred to it as that, but I believe the correct term is a summer kitchen, although there’s no cooking stove. Doesn’t a wash house refer to bathing?
@TheFarmyardGarden We had a wash house which was actually in part of the farmhouse. But it predated yours by probably 200 - 300 years. The whole property was built on rock, no foundations, and there were springs running underneath. So in hot weather rather than run the cold tap we would take a jug into the cellar for ice cold drinks. The washing part was an open spring enclosed in 3" high slate slabs. I'm guessing they would step over this straight into the spring with the laundry.
Wow! That’s absolutely fascinating! Never heard of that type of set up. Amazing.
There’s precious little footings to our house, which is why you can see the new brick work around the back of the house. We had footings dug and the new “skin” built around the house, tied in to the original single brick wall, to take the weight of the roof. Big job. Looks like a huge extension, but it’s not at all.
This is so lovely to watch a building coming back to life. Look forward to seeing it finished
Thank you Cheryl. It’s discovery has certainly changed plans for the space to some degree 😂❤️❤️
You can use any cheap cola to dissolve rust. Pour it in the copper and leave it for weeks. You can use vinegar too but the cola is easier on the nose.
Yes, funnily enough I just said to someone else that my eyes and nose are stinging just thinking of the volume of vinegar it’d need 😂😬😬😬
Good idea!
Looks like the Hoover my mum got for Christmas in 1977. She used it until she gave it to when I got married in 1994. All that she had done with it was fix the zipper on the bag keeper. I gave it to another sister in 2000. It was a work horse.
I'd be just like you planting spring bulbs! ❤
Addictive! 😆❤️❤️
Love your video a to night well done in cleaning the shed
Hope you have a lot of fun in the shed
Merry Christmas love
John from Scotland
Thank you John. I’m so excited to see how it develops.
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Are you likely to get a white Christmas in your area of Scotland?
You should sell those tiles for other people renovating 😊😊😊. It is a wash house,Monday morning chore😊😊
The bathroom tiles? Would people still want them? I guess trends come around again.
The floor ones I’ve saved. They’re lovely when polished up.
I’ll correct the name in a later video. My late father in law always called it the summer house, so when I saw the term summer kitchen (google search of wash coppers), I assumed that was the name. Wash house makes sense though, given there’s no cooling facility in there.
❤️
@ you would be surprised at what people will buy when renovating. 😙
just watched yr video for the first time will be watching for more
Thank you so much. ❤️
I watched this with the spider fear running through my veins and an envy that you seemed so unbothered by the 8 legged ones that could have been hiding out 😂
Oh Sall, I’ll let you in to a little secret.. I need strong reading glasses close up. There were probably spiders, I just couldn’t see them. 🙈😂