Arch rivals
The previous owners at number four had, as you know, done very little to the house for many years. What little they had done had been bizarre. As an example, they had removed an original fireplace and made it into a crazy paving path.
Another improvement was by way of smashing out theoriginal plaster work in the hall”just in case it fell down by itself”.This had left the hall sad and characterless. Upon meeting Freda, our next door neighbour, I became consumed with arch envy as the house in which she lives has all of the hall plasterwork intact and it is quite beautiful. Note it had not fallen on Freda's head and she has lived there for thirty years.
I contacted some fibrous plaster specialists to get a quote for reinstatement - horrendously expensive. Then our lovely plasterer, Antonio, said that he could make one. A few sheets of ply, a bit of batten and a lot of skill and it is well on the way to being something lovely. I managed to get two large corbels for 24 quid on eBay and I am certain that by the time they are in situ, my arch will be the envy of arch fanciers everywhere.