Sebastian Hindley just bought Crow Crag, the “horrible shack” owned by Uncle Monty in the 1986 cult British film “Withnail and I.” He plans to revitalize the cottage and is making the case to the local community that the farm’s restoration would be a boon to the community. “I believe we can do something positive in a time when there isn’t much positive news,” Hindley said in The Guardian.
UK Cottage Fixer-Upper
The Guardian 3.3.09
This is one huge project. The cottage is basically a shell, and seems to have served as an occasional party site. Although we certainly wouldn't have the guts to take something like this on, it makes us happy that Hindley is diving into this massive undertaking — and we can't wait to see the result. (Although, this project will probably be measured in terms of years, not months.) Hindley hopes to turn the cottage into tourist accommodations with a tea room.
What a project! The Guardian’s audio slideshow is definitely worth a look for more photos and the backstory.
Via: Hollister Hovey
(Images: Christopher Thomond)
Comments (8)
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Best of luck to him. Its not a task I would want to take on, that's for sure...
view Cashew's profile
I ****LOVE**** that movie. I admit I haven't seen it since it was part of New Directors New Films and I don't know if it will play well these days, but oh! what a lovely few hours it was.
I really do hope he fares well.
view kushkush's profile
now THAT'S a fixer-upper.
yikes.
i think it would be gorgeous in the end, but it makes me tired just thinking about all the work that would entail.
view abigailbelle's profile
i think it is awesome. i would live there for sure.
view antimatt's profile
"Tourist accommodations and a tea room". Now that will be great for the community.
What's funny to me when I see something like this is that structures of this kind were where the rural poor lived, and people were very happy to escape that life. Now these ruins are quaint. I've traveled around Scotland and some of the more rural parts of England and Ireland, and have met elderly people who remember living in dark, cold, dank, airless places like this (and even smaller ones). I look at this place and I'm afraid I see misery.
view Forestdweller's profile
I'm so glad someone's taking this over! I was tempted to tell Richard Griffiths (who played Uncle Monty) who was in NY doing EQUUS on Broadway about the cottage just in case!
view Elizabeth II's profile
Growing up in North Yorkshire, there are so many of these little abandoned cottages. This post makes me nostalgic and homesick.
view fade on violet's profile
LOL Forestdweller! Eee its grim oop North alright.
Would that all rural poor had been able to call their homes "Sleddale Hall".
It is the remains of a (sizeable) farmhouse, of a landowning family, one of whom was first mayor of Kendal - and lots of people lived happy and fulfilled lives in Cumbria (finest place on earth). Wordsworth quite liked it.
So you can cheer up now!
view Lesley - London's profile