Jamie Wooden typically picks up bits of horseshoe whereas digging in his backyard – a reminder of his Canterbury residence’s wealthy historical past as the unique blacksmith’s residence.

After years of analysis, Wooden has put collectively a complete 11-page doc detailing the 1860’s residence’s historical past, which is accessible to potential consumers now that he and his spouse, Tess Cole, are promoting the Lincoln, Selwyn residence.

The part at 14 William Avenue, was first bought by blacksmith Keith Forbes Grey in 1865 for £15, and was bought on to blacksmiths William Keith Watson and George Johnston (Grey’s former enterprise companions) for £140 simply over a yr later.

The soar in worth is most definitely because of the residence and smithery having been constructed within the interim.

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A photograph from the Nineteen Forties exhibits the unique L-shaped blacksmith workshop nonetheless in situ, though it had been demolished by 1963.

The property was in use as a blacksmith’s at the least till 1926, when a newspaper article signifies that TJ Keast purchased the premises to arrange as a builder and contractor.

“He additionally intends to do wheelwrighting, portray, adorning and plumbing work, and is ready to put in sizzling water methods,” the article states.

Wooden and Cole have been residing within the residence since 2017, joined by their now one-year-old son final yr. They each work in science analysis and have a fascination for historical past: Wooden has labored in palaeoecology, and Cole finding out historical DNA.

Wooden believes it’s the oldest home in Lincoln, pre-dating the higher recognized Liffey Cottage, which was inbuilt 1875 and is proven for example of a “workingman’s cottage”.

He says guests to the home are “amazed”.

“It’s the type home you’d see in a fairytale, with its design – dormer home windows, slanted roof and really vibrant,” he says. “It’s the kind of home that folks will simply fall in love with.”

The 2-storey cottage has three bedrooms, grasp with walk-in wardrobe, an open plan kitchen and front room, and a longtime cottage backyard on 1 / 4 acre part (1012 sq. metres).

It has authentic timbers all through, together with Baltic pine, kauri and rimu, and pitched ceilings within the kitchen, rest room, and upstairs bedrooms.

Wooden has detailed the enhancements made prior to now 5 years, together with:

• Alternative of a number of home windows
• Set up of a skylight
• Electrical re-wiring
• Set up of an HRV system
• Alternative of about 45 linear metres of weatherboards
• Set up of a soakpit for storm water drainage
• New north-facing deck
• Re-lining laundry partitions
• Wool carpet laid all through
• EQC repairs to conservatory brickwork and sewage pipes.

Wooden stated though he was unhappy to promote the house, he and Cole had “had a few years to get pleasure from it in its present state”.

The couple is transferring to Adelaide, South Australia, to be close to Cole’s household whereas their son is younger.

Once they purchased the home, they’d needed a undertaking and “one thing that had historical past”.

“It’s been lots of enjoyable. We each sort of fell in love with it once we noticed it,” Wooden says. “Since we each actually just like the previous, having that historical past and the character of an outdated home has made it satisfying.

“Each time we plant a tree within the yard or dig a gap we discover lumps of steel left over from the furnace.”

They’ve a framed show of items of horseshoe discovered within the backyard.

Wooden says locals have proven curiosity within the constructing and each he and Cole are members of the Lincoln and Districts Historic Society. “We’ve written an article for his or her e-newsletter and had the society round for individuals to look by the property.”

The house covers 136sqm on the 1012sqm part. It has a 2021 RV of $730,000 and its present properties.co.nz worth estimate is $905,000.

Wooden says he has no worth expectation “as a result of it’s so distinctive”.

The property is being marketed by Jan Inexperienced, of Harcourts 4 Seasons Realty Lincoln, and might be auctioned on March 9, except bought prior.