Our House: Village life inspired Heidi Waring to unpack in Thurstonland

Jan 26 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Our House: Village life inspired Heidi Waring to unpack in Thurstonland

HAVING lived out of a suitcase for many years, Heidi Waring was looking for somewhere to unpack for good.

The mum-of-one had travelled all over the place, experiencing everything from life in an African village to London’s fast-paced life.

She explains: “I’ve been everywhere. I grew up in West Africa and was 14 when I moved back to England.

“I spent a period in France and more recently lived in Kent and London before settling in this lovely part of the country.”

Heidi started looking for a more permanent base three years ago.

For her the biggest draw was the rolling hills of the countryside and, after scouring several rural locations, she found a perfect spot in the small village of Thurstonland.

Says Heidi, a Lepton-based client relationship manager: “I was desperate to get into the countryside and be somewhere more rural.

“The village where I grew up in Sierra Leone was six miles out of the capital and wasn’t really that rural and I definitely wanted a different environment to central London.

“I spent a couple of years looking for the right location before finding this area which was so beautiful and peaceful.

“And then I saw this house and wanted to move in straight away.”

Heidi had fallen in love with a quaint two bedroom weaver’s cottage.

Built around the 18th century, the Grade II listed cottage is believed to be one of the oldest in the village.

Heidi added: “The cottages around here are very old and have some lovely histories attached to them.

“In my kitchen there’s a window where originally the door was and in there was a mangle.

“It was the only house in the village to have one and all the women would come up and bring their washing.