Priorities

My mother, a widowed octagenarian, still lives in the house in which I and my brother were brought up. It is a typical nineteenth century Cambridgeshire cottage built in flint [or clunch as it is known locally]. It is charming, picturesque and about as thermally insulated as a colander.

Despite an admittedly early version of central heating, an open hearth and a wood burning stove, in weather such as we have at present it is arctic once you venture outside a six foot radius from the fireplace.

During my childhood it was not an issue because that’s just how things were. After years of soft living here in the north in a well-insulated, thermally efficient modern house [and office, for that matter], it sure as heck is.

Now I know perfectly well that my mother’s cottage is by no means unusual and tens of thousands of people in Britain live in energy inefficient houses, many far less able to afford fuel than she is. But what brought home the bizarre state of things in this country whilst I was staying with my mother last week was sitting in this fridge of a building watching two items on the television news: the first was a report on the Copenhagen summit on global warming, and the second on the parlous state of Castle Drogo in Devon.

The Copenhagen summit fiasco requires no repetition from me. The need for energy efficient buildings is obvious, on the grounds of economy alone, whether or not you believe in global warming. I can’t possibly estimate what it will/would cost to bring all Britain’s housing stock up to current Building Regulations standards of thermal insulation, but it won’t be cheap.

And then we had the piece on Castle Drogo. Designed by Lutyens for businessman Julius Drewe, it is now owned by the nation in the shape of the National Trust. Drogo, like every other home in the country, deteriorates unless regularly maintained. Drogo has deteriorated to the point where the Trust tells us it needs £10 million to sort it out.

If money were no object, who would begrudge £10 mill to an ailing old building? A grandiose castle built to satisfy the ego of someone whose family could no longer afford to maintain it. Come on Britain, put your hand in your pocket for a good cause.

But if you have a modest dwelling that you have maintained with diligence and care, yet you are in need of an injection of funds just to stop it leaking heat like a cheese grater, try asking the National Trust for the money.

Can’t quite put my finger on it but something seems a little awry to me.