I have recently had the good fortune to be inovlved with a new volunteering project at a country house not far from here. Unusually for this area, this particular house has not had any one aristocratic family owning the land or properties. From the Doomsday book it can be seen that one family did enclose several shares of land and make one estate, the records are then rather patchy until 1618 when the next landowners decided to put down roots and build a spectacular E shaped residence. It must have been built sturdily and with good workmanship as it stood resplendent in fantastic arable park land for 130 years before being demolished when the then owning family had a wish for Georgian Palladian conformity. We never think ahead for three or four hundred years. We are happy just to have very good design – making our homes comfortable, safe, warm and easy to work with.