This man (who wishes to remain unnamed) is a builder and his grandfather lived in this stone cottage. It’s typical Irish construction, a dry stone wall whitewashed on the outside is protection from the weather. He guessed that it was built in the 1800s. we had a great conversation about building, the Internet, and living on the sea for about 10 minutes. Wonderful to run across a kindred spirit.

“An Elizabethan barn with a rare hammerbeam roof usually found in palaces has been restored to its former glory…The barn was built in the grounds of Westenhanger Castle near Hythe in Kent in around 1580, and features one of only two such roofs to be found in barns in the country. The two-and-a-half-year project to restore it was funded largely by a £500,000 grant from English Heritage, which has given almost £2 million to the castle’s owners over the past 12 years. The castle originated as a Saxon manor house, before its later incarnations of a 14th century moated castle and the grand country house which stands today.”

From the Telegraph, 14 Sept, 2009