We removed a 1970s fireplace as part of a careful restoration and uncovered what had been hidden for centuries. Behind the tiles were 18th-century Delft tiles and an original Carrara marble surround, part of a fireplace dating to c. 1690. The house itself began life as a 16th-century farmhouse, later remodelled around 1690 - and like many old buildings, its history has been shaped by change over the last 300 years. Sometimes, history survives by accident. #HistoricRestoration #HeritageRestoratio