44379
A line of Rock Houses built into steep cliffs of Kinver Edge, just outside the town of Kinver in Staffordshire.
Kinver Edge is home to the last troglodyte dwellings occupied in England, with a set of complete cave-houses excavated into the local sandstone.
The earliest record of people living here is from 1777 when Joseph Heely took refuge from a storm and was given shelter by a “clean & decent family”. He describes how the rock houses made good homes: “warm in winter, cool in summer”, and generally dry. Kinver Edge provided fresh air and open space which was considered better than the village with its smoke and risk of river flooding. The rock houses had water from the well and later, gas, but no electricity. Sanitation was by earth closets.
Inside space was determined by how much sandstone could be dug out. So rooms could be larger and ceilings higher than in the cottages or back-to-backs of towns. Rooms might then be divided as families grew, and often lodgers were taken in.
Some rock houses were owner-occupied, but most were rented. People worked on farms, others were self-employed or worked in local industry at the Hyde Iron Works, the Black Country or Kidderminster.
Fame of Kinver rock houses spread afar. In 1903 Alfred Rushton RA visited Holy Austin to paint Mr and Mrs Fletcher in their home at Holy Austin Rock, and Sir Benjamin Stone photographed scenes there at about the same time. A café continued until 1967, long after the last occupiers had moved out. After the café closed the Holy Austin rock houses then quickly fell into dereliction.
In 1993 the upper houses were restored by National Trust as a family home once more. It was accurately based on the many photographs from times past and the many memories buzzing to be told.
Information Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinver_Edge
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kinver-edge-and-the-rock-houses/...
44379
A line of Rock Houses built into steep cliffs of Kinver Edge, just outside the town of Kinver in Staffordshire.
Kinver Edge is home to the last troglodyte dwellings occupied in England, with a set of complete cave-houses excavated into the local sandstone.
The earliest record of people living here is from 1777 when Joseph Heely took refuge from a storm and was given shelter by a “clean & decent family”. He describes how the rock houses made good homes: “warm in winter, cool in summer”, and generally dry. Kinver Edge provided fresh air and open space which was considered better than the village with its smoke and risk of river flooding. The rock houses had water from the well and later, gas, but no electricity. Sanitation was by earth closets.
Inside space was determined by how much sandstone could be dug out. So rooms could be larger and ceilings higher than in the cottages or back-to-backs of towns. Rooms might then be divided as families grew, and often lodgers were taken in.
Some rock houses were owner-occupied, but most were rented. People worked on farms, others were self-employed or worked in local industry at the Hyde Iron Works, the Black Country or Kidderminster.
Fame of Kinver rock houses spread afar. In 1903 Alfred Rushton RA visited Holy Austin to paint Mr and Mrs Fletcher in their home at Holy Austin Rock, and Sir Benjamin Stone photographed scenes there at about the same time. A café continued until 1967, long after the last occupiers had moved out. After the café closed the Holy Austin rock houses then quickly fell into dereliction.
In 1993 the upper houses were restored by National Trust as a family home once more. It was accurately based on the many photographs from times past and the many memories buzzing to be told.
Information Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinver_Edge
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kinver-edge-and-the-rock-houses/...