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> The place needs constant heating and airing to dry out I think.
The place is a sweat box. The old man blocked off the chimney and all ventilation and just sat by a small gas fire.
The old plaster is actually lime and is completely rotten and it stinks, I'm just smashing it all off for good measure. The rain has gotten in from outside and completely soaked the wall for what must have been years.
> It was customary here to tar below the wooden tiles.
yes, these were wooden tiles. I suspect they were put in at least 30 years ago but they had become rotten in parts. I don't know why but it seemed not to stick properly to certain areas of the slate floor. I don't know if it needs to be hot when applied like with a roof so maybe not applied properly. Fascinating though, I'd never seen anything like it before, I just assumed it was done by some road worker with extra tar.