Twenty-six years ago we walked through the front door here on a spring afternoon and fell in love with this house.
(I bought it that evening–my offer was accepted at 7pm)
The said front door is the original, made of oak–“un bois noble,” according to Gilbert Caminade, our friend and menusier [carpenter].
The solid old door has a NOBLE air–but it has seen some days (three centuries!) and was in need of care and attention.
The date 1715 is carved into the lintel above the door.
After roughly 300 Christmases, it was looking like William Congreve’s description of Lady Wishfort in his play, The Way of the World (1700): “an old peeled wall”.
300 years is taking its toll on the front door as dear Lily, now buried in the garden, might have agreed.
The date triggers my imagination.
In England, the first Jacobite revolt broke out that year.
The Old Pretender (sums me up perfectly), James Francis Edward Stuart, tried to unseat the new Hanoverian George–but was repelled with Germanic efficiency.
In 1745, Bonny Prince Charley, the Young Pretender (uhm!), tried his luck–but the second George was having none of it.
By then our door had weathered only 30 (just 10%!) of its lifetime of Christmases.
During the great upheaval of the French Revolution, the original chapel attached to the presbytère was largely destroyed, though the house itself–with its oaken doors–survived.
Gilbert said we should do something about this solid old survivor before another winter sets in.
He should know.
He was born in the tiny hamlet overlooking our house–the presbytère or rectory and as a boy walked barefoot across the fields to attend his catechism lessons in what is now our kitchen.
His father, also a master carpenter, worked on the house for the previous owner, often assisted by his talented son.
Gilbert (pronounced Jeelbare) has a way with old houses where nothing is at a right angle.
He pulls and pushes, knocks and scrapes, twists and nudges–cajoling stubborn old windows and doors to comply when they don’t want to–an osteopath for ancient structures.
He knows how far to go without doing damage–a rare skill.
We first met Gilbert waiting to enter the church for his father’s funeral.
He speaks in bursts, like a machine gun, in the rolling accent of the Midi.
(I barely understood a word he said for years….)
Things are a bit better a quarter of a century on–but I confess, I still rely on his habit of repeating himself.
The repair job on the old door is remarkable.
We’re still tinkering with the exact color but Gilbert has restored it in time for its 301st Christmas!
Knock, knock–says Beau…
Robin Ellis 
How wonderful to be able to restore a piece of history so it will continue to give pleasure for many years! I just returned from a trip on the Seine from Normandy to Paris and congratulate you on maintaining the charm that is France!!
Beautiful door, beautiful home!!!! Btw Sunday nights in the UK now are so boring!! What to do? Revisit my original Poldark DVDs!!! Xx
I don’t know what sort of key your door has but I have a feeling it might be the same as our door key when I grew up on our farm …. they were like the keys to the tower of London, HUGE on a huge rusty old ring, there was no way you could put those keys in you pocket, and the irony was ….. we never, ever locked our doors, not at night, not when we were in the fields, not when we were not home. When we got home we would just find a note on the big kitchen table to say who had called by. That’s just the way it was then … but the keys looked like they were for a giants house.
I so love this story, of resurrecting the priceless doors! They truly have seen a lot of history and are worthy of the repair. Wonderful that Gilbert knows how to finesse things back into working order.
When we were looking for a home, I wanted “character”, which to my husband meant “old”. They aren’t the same thing at all; you can have something that is simply old, but without character. Your home has the elusive IT that many of us crave. We’re glad you’re keeping it up for posterity – and yourselves!
Merry Christmas from Minnesota. Joyeux Noel to both of you.
Leslie J.
Thanks, Les and the same to you.
Bravo! It is wonderful for you and Meredith to be responsible custodians of this remarkable building. We enjoyed the history lesson as well. -Jane
Hi Jane! Stay warm!
Oh, it’s gorgeous!! Live that YOU live the history of your home. And respect its past! Well done!
How wonderful to restore that beautiful door. In the U.S. We tear down most of our history. We seem to have little respect for old things. My home town of Clinton, Illinois tore down our old court house ( leaving a “hole” in the center of town). Abe Lincoln won several law cases in that building–but down it fell. The door looks wonderful.
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Meredith writing: Oh, Judy, as an Illinois native myself (6 generations of Wheelers in Illinois!), I am heartsick to hear about your old court house! What a shame it was not preserved! I fought hard to have the original two room school house in Northfield, my home town, be preserved–as the oldest building in the village built by a famous architect–but they are knocking it all down too. I’m sickened. I did learn about the agency that helps people try to conserve historic Illinois buildings.You might already know about them:
Lisa DiChiera
Director of Advocacy
Landmarks Illinois
30 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60602
O: 312-922-1742 Landmarks.org Facebook Twitter
People saving places. Join us today. Memberships begin at $35.
Hope they will help you if ever anything like that arises again….
Lovely rejuvenation of such a lovely door. Great story!
I loved reading about the history of your door. It has to be wonderful to have such a
history of your home. I found it fascinating.
This past Sunday ended Season 2 of Poldark. I’ll have to watch the original series and the new series I own until Fall 2017. What a long time but at least there are books, calendars and dvds which will keep me involved with the Poldarks. 🙂
Wonderful Robin, thanks for sharing your lovely story. I remember the first time I visited your house, as I carried my bags across the transom into your courtyard, you said (in your best Shakespearean actor’s lilt), “Of course, you realize this house is older than your country.” It was humbling, rightfully so. And also enchanting, as was the rest of your rectory-home, and my short visit there on the Tarn, with you and Meredith and your warm hospitality and friendship. And cats! (“Cat Hotel”?). And omelettes so light they floated off the plate. Savored on the back patio with a sunny view of the neighboring farms’ fields, also centuries old I imagine. Time was good to us that day!
May that sense of peace prevail during the trials ahead in France and the US. Merci!
I remember it well, Steven and the omelettes on the terrace.
Amen to your end sentiment.
Watching cats helps us to keep calm.
If you are interested, a first edition of the first volume of the Poldark books is on the list of a bookdealer I know for £750. Rich for a book of course, but you might have a special interest. Or get Meredith to shell out for Christmas …..
Chris
Thanks for the tip, Chris–wow!
Meredith writing Chris: Robin has a beautiful edition of Poldark in scribed to him by Winston Graham saying that for him as author, Robin never put a foot wrong in his portrayal of Ross Poldark! That’s the most valuable edition of POLDARK to us in the world!
What a heart-warming (and I guess a ‘house-warming’) story of the rejuvenated door of your awesome house. I fondly remember ‘meeting’ your delightful, 300-year-old home and spending a glorious evening having dinner with friends and family. What’s the next project for yourselves and Gilbert? 🍷
Hi Martin–good to hear from you.
There is always something for Gilbert to work right!
Thank you so much for sharing . I found it fascinating. I say this in all seriousness ,have you ever considered teaching or lecturing. I’m sure you have many fascinating stories to tell. I am sure many people, myself included would be excited to hear them. Once again thanks All the best John Henle
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Thanks, John.
Fabulous work Robin, well done Gilbert. So good to have a master craftsman at hand….we liked the pale green colour !!!
Hi Grahame and Wendy.
We need it to a bit darker green to match the shutters.
Quite a transformation ! Did you use traditional linseed oil paint ? & how many times did a cat rub past whilst the paint was wet ….
Have to ask Gilbert.
Delicious! We love historic houses, ours is 1856 the year G B Shaw was born, but how wonderful to live with the ghosts of 1715. Poldark would love it! When I lived at Shaw’s home his bedroom window still in one piece after “On my birthday Mr Hitler delivered a present which shook my house cracking the glass in my bedroom window”, needed attention. That crack is still there but sadly a part of the window had rotted which I had to have removed and made do, (only 5 inches) but it still left me feeling a little sad, one less piece. I think you have done very well to have a 300 year old home with an original door, those little pieces of wood make it home and has all the responsibility of keeping that home ‘secure’. I hope it lasts another 300 years before it ends up in the grave yard for old doors. 🙂
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Shawdian >
What a wonderful story! The door looks fantastic. Imagine all the people who have walked through that door! Enjoy it while it is yours. Best wishes, Joan from Sydney, Australia
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WONDERFUL WONDERFUL PHOTOS AND TEXT
C EST DOMMAGE QUE NOUS N AVONS PAS CETTE HISTOIRE DANS AMERICA
PS LOVE CATS TOO
Hmmm, the old door did have a tired, but tender, look to it. Perhaps I just have a fondness for old objects that look old, wearing their history with grace. Another nice story from your pen and camera, I especially like the cat royalty. Thanks!
In the age of everyday technological wonders, God bless a craftsman!
“An old peeled wall/door” but full of charm and many stories to tell!
And now, after the restoration, it is ready to enchant your guests for many more Christmases yet and to preserve its owners from the colds! 😉
Hoping you both are full recovered from the colds, we send you a bit of italian warm!
Simonetta & Marcello
Thanks Simonetta.
Love the look of the old door as it was, but understand the need to save it from the weather. What colour would it have been originally ?
Not sure.
Hello Robin & Meredith,
I’m on bed rest at the moment with a rotten virus. Feeling a bit stronger, I turned on my laptop and found your article which I enjoyed reading. It brought back happy memories of the lovely evening we spent at your beautiful home earlier this year. What a wonderful place it is. You are so lucky to live there and the house is so lucky to have such caring owners to maintain it. Hope you are both well . Love and peace, Heth xxx
Hi Heth–sorry to hear you are not well. Viruses are tricky–don’t try to get back too soon. Say Hi! to Bill.
Thank you both so very much for this. It made my day!
Linda Ann Wheeler Hilton, also originally from Illinois
Always a delight to hear about & see pictures of events chez vous. You are very fortunate to have found and bought a dream house and to have the right craftsman to bring the door back to its glory.
Bonne Noel from Santa Fe, NM
Nancy
Hello Robin and Meredith – Ive been busy with the holidays and I haven’t had a minute to really follow and “drink in ” your blog posts the way I like to – how wonderful that you have such a door and Gilbert who can bring it back to life .
That door must have seen many people coming and going! And how good your local carpenter has been! Now it needs just a nice painting of that light local blue pastel…or light green..and it is perfect to welcome you and your guests again!!!
That door also reminds me of two pictures Meredith made of our cooking group in May 2014 in front of it! A blue pastel group we were!!!
And when you mentioned, Robin, the Restoration Play by Congreve “The Way of The World”, I tried to remember the plot (I just remember the ladies’ fans, the wit of some, the heavy make up and dresses and some fainting – must be in it!); it was part of my first or second English literature examination at University! Almost 30 years have gone by!
Did you have the chance to play on stage a Restoration Play by Congreve or other author?
I am glad that you both got over the cold!!!! 🙂 Ciao Paola
Hi Paola,
Yes, in fact in The Way of the World–in 1973.
I played Fainall, the villain.
It is small wonder you don’t remember the plot–we had difficulty following it at the time!
I missed a trick in the post by not linking the fact it is a late restoration piece with the restoration of the door.
Caio Robin
I love to see old buildings looked after. Any news about the church?
I have been fortunate to visit the manor house my 21x great uncle lived in in 1380s. It was in our family for 400 years. Still looking magnificent, as does yours.
We are waiting for the process to conclude–an age!
That door must have seen many people coming and going, Robin! And how good your local carpenter has been! Now it needs just a nice painting of that light local pastel blue or light green and…it is perfect to welcome you and your guests again!
That door also reminds me of the two pictures taken by Meredith of our cooking group in May 2014 in front of it! A pastel blue group we were!!! 🙂
When you mentioned the Restoration Play by Congreve “The Way of the World” you also reminded me my second English literature examination as it was part of it. I do not remember the plot, but I still can imagine all that ladies’ fans agitation, the wit of some characters, the humour and fainting – as it must have been some!! –
Have you had any chance Robin, to play on stage a Restoration Play?
If so, a wig must have been a MUST!
I am glad you and Meredith got over the cold!! 🙂 Ciao
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