Our modern houses are so much simpler to plan and construct than the huge family homes of the 1700s.  I take that period as an example here because I’ve recently revisited a well established heritage house where I’ve volunteered as room steward for several seasons.  for that task there is obviously a certain amount of history to be learned by heart – in the hope that we may engage the interest of visitors.   The Hall I’m referring to replaced a tudor family estate house – shame they were so rich, the owners just replaced it and pulled the old one down!  The palladian hall is perfectly proportioned with exactly the right number of windows either side of the front door.  The entrance hall is painted in Lancaster Pink, sounds strange, suggesting at first theshade of ladies’ corsets, but it is deliciously warm and very inviting to the visitor.   The amount of work needed to keep the Hall from deteriorating is a full time job in planning, funding and  orchestrating for the Trust’s team – calling on experts at every step of the way.