Stone Troughs & Staddle Stones

Stone troughs were originally built for watering stock animals and can be found in and alongside fields. Many were set at the boundaries between fields so that they could serve two fields at once and these sometimes have a stone divider across the middle. At MASCo Walcot we have a great example of this.

Troughs that are found alongside roads and tracks are often fed by a natural stream or spring, or are sometimes supplied by a pipe or culvert. These troughs would be used as a supply for moving stock or for horses. Around the Cotswolds there are various examples of these roadside troughs to be found.

 Most troughs these days that have been removed from fields and roadsides are reused as garden ornaments, filled with flowers or pond features! Come along to our garden yard and browse and purchase one of our troughs ready to enhance your garden this summer.

Staddle stones were originally used as supporting bases for buildings such as granaries, game larders or hayricks.  It is suggested that the first staddle stones were made of wood, as seen in evidence from surviving vernacular buildings with wooden ‘feet’. Stone staddles were introduced as they were longer lasting and a much more reliable means of supporting structures that often held considerable weight.

Below are examples of staddle stones in use, supporting a beehive and a shed.

Magnificent Portland Stone Rotunda

MASCo still has on site a magnificent rotunda constructed of Portland Stone dated 1907, in very good condition with wonderful patination. This piece was originally a Vcitorian folly to disguise Gosport Water Company’s pumping station in Soberton, Hampshire, England.

Constructed in Portland Stone, the rusticated and boasted face stonework and planted colonnade support the doomed roof. Carved text around the Rotunda reeds ‘Gosport Waterworks Company Reservoir, Shedfield, 1907′.

It would be ideal for a grand garden vista, simple folly, a wedding chapel or a viewing point, and would be a beautiful building to own.

It has been reconstructed for viewing at MASCo’s Minchinhampton yard. Why not come along and have a look and you might even find something smaller and more practical to help with the renovation and restoration of your home.

Happy New Year to everyone! We’re back,

Happy New Year to everyone! We’re back, so come along and order your oak and pine wood flooring its going fast! http://www.mascowalcot.com

Original cast iron fireplaces look magnificent

Who doesn’t like a cosy warm real fire in the winter. Not only are they beautiful to look at they also create an atmosphere in the room when the flames flicker and jump around to catch the air. Fireplaces differ dependant on the era and usage from heating to cooking and illumination. MASco has a fantastic range of old cast iron fireplaces, with art nouveau tiles and wonderful detailing. Art Nouveau style was popular in the early 1880’s until circa 1914. There were two very distinct looks; curvy lines with stylised flowers, leaves, roots, buds and seedpods and the vertical lines and linear look of Mackintosh.

 

 

 The Coalbrookdale, as seen below, originates from the forge at Coalbrookdale, whose main business was producing cast iron goods. In the 19th century, Coalbrookdale was noted for its decorative ironwork, and it is also responsible for the gates of London’s Hyde Park.

 

 

 

Why have a reclaimed fireplace in your house?  Reusing an existing product which has great casting definition and also has a history attached to it. It enhances any room and you can source the fireplace for the period of your house.

Trying to age your fireplace can sometimes be difficult. You’ll need to find a marking that is either stamped, painted or impressed on the underside of your fireplace, such as the one below, which is an antique Kitemark.

 

It’s not just the name of the company that will show on an antique mark, but also a number of other things used by the manufacturer, designer or artists, such as the day, month and year it was made. The image above demonstrates a design registration mark for 22nd October 1875 (B for October and S for 1875).

 However the date only refers to the date the design was first registered and only gives you an indication of the earliest possible date a piece may have been manufactured. Design Registration Marks or Kite marks with ‘Rd’ in the center were used between 1842 and 1883 and the use of serial numbers began in 1884. In 1862, the Trade Mark Act became law so any piece bearing the words ’Trade Mark’ would have been made after that year. From the 19th Century onward ‘Royal Arms’ were often granted by the Monarch and added to the manufacturers name or trade name. Pieces bearing ‘Royal’ can usually be dated after 1850.

 

Why not come along to our showroom between Minchinhampton and Cirencester to browse and buy one of our original cast iron fireplaces to suit your home.

http://www.mascosalvage.com

Rustic Farmhouse Feel

There’s nothing like coming in out of the snow and cold into a farmhouse kitchen which has a huge rustic table laden with food for dinner, a real fire blazing in the corner and plenty of seats for all those visitors. We currently have a huge beautiful rustic farmhouse kitchen table, with enough room to seat 12 people, in our showroom. It has been stripped back and has a wonderful farmhouse feel to it, and would be the perfect table for a big family gathering, especially room for a Christmas dinner and all those Christmas decorations  gracing the table to lift it into the spirit of the occassion.

 

If you are looking for more kitchen storage space we have 2 very special large freestanding reclaimed pine cupboard units. These would make fantastic central work spaces in a kitchen, with enough room to store all those pots, pans, bowls, crockery and modern utensils which we all seem to have so many of these days! Alternatively they could be used as a storage space somewhere else in your house, in the kids room for all their toys, new bedroom furniture for that refurb in the new year, or filing cabinets which would look stunning instead of using a modern metal high rise cabinet. They have pine tops and the sliding doors are an unusual blue/teal colour.

 

Another great way of adding colour into your property is to use coloured glass. We have  a great selection of stained glass panels, which could be used in all sorts of ways. Why not come up to our showroom and chose your own glass panel to be fitted into one of our reclaimed pine parlour doors. A fabulous way to make your door special and unique. Add in a smart brass handle and you will be the envy of your neighbours! We look forward to seeing you at our showroom, and discussing your door requirements with you. Remember a home can be unique and with a personal stamp on it, thats what makes it a home.

 

Need a traditional period fire place?

Whether you need a traditional period fireback, a duck’s nest, fire irons, spits, griddles, trivets, cast iron dogs, you will find a wide range of options available to you at our Cotswold showroom http://www.mascosalvage.com

OakieDoakie character and rustic boards,

OakieDoakie character and rustic boards, reclaimed pine board,http://www.oakiedoakie.com

What kind of radiator will you be looking for?

Many of us will be trying to finish our renovations before christmas and move into our houses ready for the festive season. If you’re looking to be warm and cosy this winter you may be looking for an original cast iron radiator or an old fireplace to enhance and finish your house.  One beautiful radiator that anyone would be proud to have in their house is a Beeston decorated radiator.

The Beeston radiator was made by The Beeston Boiler company Ltd, formally known as Foster & Pearson. Foster & Pearson began in 1841 and were the makers and suppliers of horticultural buildings. They had a list of famous clientele amongst whom was Queen Victoria. Over time, as the company evolved, they began producing boilers initially for use in their own buildings. The Beeston Boiler Company Ltd. was established in 1893 and the company soon started supplying a range of radiators cast at their foundry in Nottingham for the domestic market.

‘The Beeston Decorated’ radiator is shown in a 1921 catalogue, but we are unsure as to when this beautiful ornate radiator made its first appearance.  Bet it caused a stir when it did! This ornate cast iron radiator carries the inscription ‘The Beeston’ followed by what appears to be a Patent number or Rd number ’280475′.   ‘The Beeston’ radiator was withdrawn from manufacture in the late 1920′s.

We currently have in stock a number of ornate Beeston radiators which have been sourced from a large house in Kensington.  They are truly beautiful radiators and are available in various sizes. We have both the three column and two column styles available.   The Beeston can be supplied in either the polished or a painted finish.   If you would like view one or need any further help or information please call 01285 760886 or email us at info@mascowalcot.com

Relocating architectural items? Ask Masc

Relocating architectural items? Ask Masco Walcot to help http://www.mascowalcot.com/relocation

“Architecture is a visual art, and the b

“Architecture is a visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves.”