Tuesday 4 October 2011

The Kitchen







This is the kitchen of my Georgian house. It's too big to fit into one photo, as it has a servants hall and pantry to one side, I will post some pictures of those a little later. I'm not entirely sure that a large house like this one would have had a lead cistern above the slate sink, but by the mid 18th century houses in London were being served with a limited supply of Thames water (ergh!). The water was pumped, untreated, straight from the river, and fed through elm wood pipes to homes that could afford to pay for it! from what I understand it was used more for washing than anything else, certainly not something you would want to be drinking! The curious object on the left hand side of the picture is a stone stove, a forerunner to the range cookers that were to follow. Hot embers from the fire were placed on griddles at the top, and food was cooked over them, a bit like a barbecue. and the ashes would be raked out of the holes below. logs would be stored in the lower arches ready for burning on the fire.Most food was still being cooked on open fires, with cranes to hang cauldrons and trivets from, and a spit for roasting the meat. The spit may have been turned by a boy, or a dog in a turnspit (wheel), or with time with a clockwork jack.

14 comments:

  1. You've managed to create a beautiful vintage kitchen! It's really stunning work!!! Congratulations!!

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  2. This is amazing! --and so is the scope of your knowledge, Andy. Did they drink the water stored in the lead cistern? Can't wait to see the other half of the kitchen!

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  3. Love this kitchen Andy, what a great job you have done.I notice all the treatments in the room are very simple. It was defiantly not a place your guests would visit, unlike today where so much focus is put on the decoration of the kitchen.

    I can see some elements in my plan so far in your design.
    I am absolutely fascinated by your understanding of it all. I am amazed by the use of dogs for the turn spit.

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  4. The kitchen areas are my favourite bit so I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of yours. Love the lead cistern and the stove.

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  5. Gracias de nuevo por sus amables palabras Pedrete, esperamos ver más de su hermoso trabajo también!

    Thanks again for your kind words Pedrete, look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work too!

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  6. Hi John, thanks, with your huge talent I really appriciate your comments and encouragement! I don't think the water was very drinkable! they were all booze hounds and ale heads back then, light ales and beers were drunk instead of water by many people, but drinking water came from wells or rain water was collected.

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  7. Hello Fi, yes, the working areas of the house were kept simple. A marked difference between the grand reception rooms above. As for colour, mine's a dirty grey/white, smoked really! Blue was popular too as it was believed to deter flies for some reason!

    Yes they even bred special dogs to go in the turn spits. and would often put some hot coals in the wheel to keep the poor dog running too! animal welfare was not something they seemed to worry about much back then!

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  8. Thanks Irene,

    I'll post some more pics a little later, I enjoyed buying all the little kitchen utensils. including a cabbage press. apparently cabbage was boiled until it was soggy and then the water was pushed out with this, YUK!

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  9. Hi Andy,
    Your house is absolutely enchanting! I love the details you've thought aboput and incorporated. I'm more impressed with each post.
    Have a great day,
    Giac

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  10. Hi Giac, Thank you, I'm really pleased that you are enjoying my posts. How is your house coming along?

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  11. Hi Andy,
    It's coming along well. I will add a post soon..hopefully by this weekend...making oversized windows from scratch wasent as fast as it sounded...but nothing ever is!

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  12. Pleased to hear it's going well! look forward to your new posts.

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  13. Hi Andy,

    I just had another look at your kitchen......it really is fabulous!

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  14. Thnaks Fi, how's yours coming along?

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