Brightwells Cottage

In 1979 my then boyfriend and I viewed Brightwells Cottage in The Square at Sutton Scotney. It was, to put it bluntly, a hovel ... mud floors, lead covered wiring, an Elsan Toilet and holes in the thatch, but we loved it. The lady who was selling the place was at that time living in a care-assisted bungalow in South Wonston, we'd made an offer through the estate agents but had been rejected. On visiting her and convincing her that we wanted to restore the cottage to its former glory, she insisted that the agents sell it to us for the princely sum of £11,500.  

Six months later we had the home of our dreams, a beautiful cottage with all the mod cons but still retaining its character. The people in the village were so welcoming and I for one was very sad to leave in 1983 when we decided to move back to Andover.