Pilgrim Cottage

The reason I named this blog Pilgrim's Progress is down to the name of the house - Pilgrim Cottage, a blog by any other name would not be as sweet! 

I think parts of the dwelling are actually very old, 1800's would be a guess. It has a tiny tin church two houses down called Bilson Mission, this was originally built in 1880 as a place of worship for the travelling community. It makes me wonder if my house welcomed weary travellers in for some food and shelter. I will, at some point, go to the local council and look up any historic records I can find as I'd love to know more about its history. 

The house has fallen in to quite a state of disrepair as you will have gathered, and was advertised as needing 'complete modernisation' (although I don't like that word). So as you can imagine dear reader, it needs a hell of a lot of work doing to it on an extremely limited budget (luckily I have a very dedicated Dad and partner, and I'm a bit of grafter, so between us we make a really hard working team). I will recycle, upcycle, repurpose, make do and mend, teach myself new skills and all those other things us slight eccentrics do, with gusto until we get there...I actually derive a ridiculous amount of pleasure from this way of living, and ultimately it will give me more satisfaction as it does all come together.

I think this renovation will be a labour of love over many years (I'm really impatient so patience is a skill I'm learning), but it has heart and soul already. It has obviously been the subject of great affection, even if it hasn't been nurtured for innumerable years. Families have come and gone, some with sad stories from what I've heard, but I also feel sure there have been many happy times too. We've certainly filled it with love and laughter, along with drilling, plastering and paint fumes, over the last 12 months! We even managed a Christmas tree in the very dampest of rooms last December, it looked very festive and none of the fairy lights shorted out!

(ooops apologies for mentioning Christmas 17 weeks before I should do)!

I think these lines sum up how I feel about this long term, lifetime renovation project beautifully!

“This hill though high I covent ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend;
For I perceive the way of life lies here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let's neither faint nor fear. ” 
― John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress