Our love of stone houses began in 1995. That's when I became the caretaker of an 1850s stone farmhouse on a 100-acre farm. Steve and I met while I was living there and he joined me as caretaker. We've stayed on for the past twenty-five years, learning and loving the ins and outs of an old stone building.
The stone house and property we maintain on a hay farm
We'd been looking to buy a stone house for years. Steve had carved out a niche crafting traditional joinery and architectural woodwork for historical homes. The ultimate goal was to use those skills to restore a home of our own.
Finding Ennotville
We had seen the listing for this place many times but hadn't given it much thought. We liked the house, but it seemed too far from our work, family, and friends. After a fruitless search elsewhere, we took another look in early 2021. We liked that the property included a couple of outbuildings, so we enquired. Someone had just placed an offer; it was off the market. Having dismissed it for so long, we suddenly wondered if we'd passed up a great opportunity.
Our realtor, Christine, called us a few weeks later. The deal had fallen through! Our spirits soared, and we booked a viewing.
First visit
On the way to the viewing, I half-jokingly said to Steve, 'Wouldn't it be great if one of the outbuildings was a woodworking shop?' Lo and behold, it was. It was also the only functional building on the property.
The house had been vacant for 15 years. The roof was damaged, and the windows were broken or propped open. Snow blew in. The hydro had been disconnected, leaving the place unheated in the frigid winters.
Listed 'As Is,' we weren't allowed to enter the house. We should have been put off by the exterior alone. One wall had sunk, dragging the stone windowsills down and sending massive cracks through the stonework. We would need a knowledgeable stone mason and an architectural engineer to tell us if the wall could be saved, but we still felt a strong urge to take up the challenge.
Our why
Some would see this building as a tear-down, but Steve and I saw it as a place for meaningful work. Our focus is on craft and the process by which things are made. We have a deep respect for the skills and handwork that built these structures without power tools. It would be a privilege to preserve this building and an exciting opportunity for Steve to design and make its architectural woodwork and a Blue Skies Handmade Kitchen.
The realtor's date for this house was 'circa 1885,' but we were sure it was closer in age to the one we lived in. We know and love the proportions of these buildings, with their high main-floor ceilings, deep windowsills, and cozy sloped upstairs ceilings. The character and trim work are timeless. We hoped to find that this house had at least some original flooring and interior woodwork Steve could save.
The shop was a huge advantage and a space where Steve could set up tools and machines for the renovation. We thought out loud, and Christine called us 'Ambitious!'
Decision time
We left to think. Down the side road, we discovered the Ennotville Historical Library, a little gem just a stone's throw from the house. We talked and drove, admiring the well-kept farms and beautiful landscape.
Steve had studied the house's structure as well as he could from the outside. Despite the sagging wall, he noted the house had a straight roof ridge and stood perfectly plumb at the corners. Those were promising signs, but buying a home without inspecting the inside seemed crazy. We had no idea what we'd be in for. It would also mean moving from one hundred acres to less than one. It was going to be a tough decision.