Ivydene: Big, beautiful and very well established

“THEY just don’t build them like they used to,” is a familiar enough complaint, close to a truism.

But, even if they did, any new-build won’t have the charm and character that comes with 100 years and more of graceful ageing.

With new-builds, you get energy-efficiency, slick finishes and low maintenance, but you don’t get the patina of age, the sheen of a century of polished brasses, the lived-in feel of a nurturing family home.