Carpenter's mark and soot on timber

Why stay here?

Genuine, authentic 500-year old history to see and touch

This is your place if:

  • You are fascinated by old buildings and want to experience living in one
  • Touching and seeing original 500-year old buildings sets your pulse racing
  • You want to understand historic details and ask questions
  • You’d rather see the traces of the past than have them tidied away

Wisson Hill is unusual. Restoration has been directed by the needs of the house, rather than any particular ‘look’ in mind, so the current result is a rich collection of historic features, drawn together with authentic colours and materials. In some places, these features may look a little unfinished, but as they are valuable clues to the past use of the house, genuine history lovers will hopefully appreciate this approach. The gallery of photos shows the whole house, rooms and spotlights a few favourite features.

This house literally tells a story, from the landowners who built it, to the flourishing family who lived and farmed here from 1530 through the seventeenth century, leaving traces of their hopes in their enhancements to the building and their fears in the apotropaic marks in every room, from burn marks to daisy wheels.

Direct owner contact

You can ask as many questions as you like, directly to the owner, from the moment you find this website, through booking, throughout your stay and after. It is probably apparent that Wisson Hill is more of a passion than a property and I would be more than happy to chat about any aspect of the history or house restoration that interests you.

A private history library and museum

Over 20 years, I am have collected relevant books, ready to share them with fellow enthusiasts. They cover :

  • Domestic life through the centuries, from Tudor to nineteenth century
  • Construction and repair of old buildings, particularly timber frame
  • Context of the age
  • Local context

Have a peep at the display of small finds.

Questions people ask about staying in a very old house

Nothing is straight, from wonky walls to sloping floors. The main effect of that is getting tables, beds and chairs to sit level without wobbling: you will notice a lot of wood and slate blocks under table and bed legs! The house creaks a little but not much more than many modern houses.

A timber frame and stone house with old leaded windows certainly does not retain heat as well as a modern house. But a combination of modern central heating, an efficient woodburner, heavy, lined curtains and thick duvets makes it very cosy in winter.

I have never found it creepy in nearly 20 years. The burn marks around the house remind you how much previous inhabitants relied on and were frightened by fire, so it is easy to imagine them sitting around the fire, talking, singing or maybe reading by the low, flickering light. Even knowing so many names of the people who lived in the house over the centuries, nobody has ever reporting seeing or feeling anything creepy.

The original oak trusses (dendro-dated to 1530) can be seen in various places. Whilst elm cannot be dated in the same way as oak, the majority of the timber frame structure is Tudor, and several of the wattle and daub infill panels seem to be original from that time. Almost all of the timbers show some marks to witness their long history, from apotropaic and carpenters' markings to moved window or door openings. Most of the floor joists, rafters, braces and floorboards date from the sixteenth century, blackened in places, or showing old limewash. The flagstone floors in the sitting room study are very old, if not Tudor, and the stones have never been lifted, so you can see how accurately they were cut and fitted by the craftsmen of the age.