Tea Room & Antiques/Vintage
Centre in the heart of
the Kent countryside.

Open Tue to Sat 9.30am - 5pm
& Sundays 10.30am - 4.30pm

Open

Find us
located at the
Wateringbury
Crossroads

Where Memories Meet
188 Tonbridge Rd
Wateringbury
ME18 5NS

The Search For The Well

When we first took over the building, the basement was a very damp and dreary place!  Our very kind neighbours at the post office told us that at some stage we had a well.  This is how the search for the well began. We researched old planning documents at the council that indicated approximately where the well used to be.

 

Further investigation with friends & a sledge hammer made a remarkeable discovery under 12 inches of damp concrete!

 A remarkable Find  The Spring Fed Well Today

Building Works

BEFORE

We received the keys to the shop in June 2010

DURING

It took a total of 14 months of investigative works, planning & consultation before we received listed building consent and we began the refurbishment in earnest.

Uncapping the wellCleaning the wellRemoving paint layers from the original wallsRemoving the damp top floor layerBuilding the well up with reclaimed bricks & lime mortarRemoving the old failed sand/cement mortarGoing back to the original brick baysOne down one to go!Special hi-tech membrane system allowing water to move freely underneath the floor/wallsResearching our LED lighting systemOur 'new' c1900 wash hand basin for the customer toilet (complete with c1950s taps!)Making our kitchen counter from reclaimed victorian floorboards & Italian inlaid panelsScaffolding to repair gutters & repaint windowsWorking out how to hang our 'new' (200 year old) oak plank & ledge doorFitting the heating systemTraditional sign writerTraditional sign writer close upAlmost there!Dinner break after another late night for the builders!Talented neighbourhood friend adding 'quirkiness' to the windows

AFTER

We finally reached the completion of the refurbishment works ready for an opening to the public on Thursday 24th November 2011.


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