Layers of Time
Megan and Adam Tidbury have preserved and restored the rich past of their period home
Their hearts were set on finding a characterful period property in southwest London, so Adam and Megan Tidbury were very lucky to discover one of the oldest buildings in the area was on the market during their search – and in just the location they wanted, too. Parts of the Grade II listed house dated back hundreds of years. ‘It’s rumoured that Oliver Cromwell once stayed here,’ says Megan.
Although the property was habitable, it was in a sad state, with 1980s decor and any traces of its heritage almost entirely obscured. ‘It was as if some of the previous owners wanted to hide the property’s quirks, rather than celebrate them,’ remarks Megan. So the couple, who have three children – Oliver, lla and Arthur, now 12, 10 and 7 – bravely began a series of renovation works that spanned six years.
The first stage involved replacing the electrics, boiler, pipework and radiators, alongside installing an ex-display Miele kitchen, which Adam fitted himself. Next, the pair embarked on a second-floor extension above the entrance hall. ‘ What is so interesting about the house is that it is made up of building work from different eras,’ explains Megan. ‘There’s a Georgian dining room, a Victorian bay window, the 1920s hallway and stairwell, and now our new extension.’
This pot pourri of architectural styles provided the cue for Megan and Adam’s eclectic approach to their decor. Antiques from Megan’s parents’ home are mixed with striking contemporary pieces scouted out on ebay. The couple have also added their own family story to the interiors: a lithograph of Archbishop of Canterbury Jon Potter, one of Adam’s ancestors, hangs in the dining room, and a portrait of Megan’s father, Peter Tudball, former director of the Baltic Exchange, in the hall.
During the long process of unearthing the building’s past, unexpected assistance arrived in the form of a letter from a gentleman in Australia. ‘He was the grandson of one of the former owners and wrote to us stating he’d love to visit during an upcoming UK holiday,’ recalls Megan. Enclosed in the letter was a photocopy of a 1925
Homes & Gardens article illustrating the work that had been done to the house then – a porch had been added, and two storeys in the entrance were opened up to form a large area.
The second phase of the renovation had been fairly gruelling, so the couple took a break before embarking on the final leg of the work. Committed to protecting the historic fabric of the interior, they employed craftsmen to replace the sagging dining room ceiling with traditional lathe and plaster. Welsh slates were sourced for a new roof, the exterior was re-rendered, and reclaimed granite setts from the Derbyshire Dales were laid in the driveway. ‘We did sometimes wonder why we were making all this effort with authentic materials, when much of the work would go unnoticed,’ says Megan. ‘But a neighbour stopping to ask where our roof tiles were from, as they wanted similar for their home, was a welcome boost.’
With the project now complete, the couple’s attention to detail has been justified. Their home both honours its heritage, yet reflects a contemporary family aesthetic.
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