Abandoned in Muskoka © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
On Sunday, I went for a drive. My sinuses were beginning to clear (finally!!) and the day had been beautiful. I figured it was the last time I would be able to see the old Uffington Church standing, so I visited. I ended up with a great deal of insight into how this old building was constructed when the lath and plaster were removed. It is no wonder the building was so soundproof!
The structure was post and beam supporting a frame that was fully planked before it was sided on the outside and plastered on the inside. The space between the walls was nearly 8″ wide! I didn’t feel right taking pictures – it would have been too much like an autopsy for me.
When Jake from the Muskokan was here and we were discussing the painting, we both noted the ‘tea-stained’ colour of the walls in the painting and in photos shot by myself and Bev McMullen last year. When the amber windows were removed from the building, it became clear that the walls were pure white. Amazing!
Small Church in Muskoka © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
After leaving Uffington, I decided to go a little further afield and see what else I could find. The derelict house at the top of this post is not a new one to me, but it’s the first time I could see so much of it because there was no overgrowth to cover it! In spite of obviously having been abandoned many years ago, this old place remarkably solid. This particular community is very protective of its buildings and has one of the most adorable little churches I have ever seen. It is so small, it is almost like a doll house. This little church was rallied around and protected by residents and now has summer services. Wonderful!
Small Church in Muskoka (shot through a window) © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
This last one was a bit of a mystery to me. It could have been a school, a community hall or any number of things. I am going to have to go and find out….
Building in Muskoka © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
glad you sinuses are clearing 😀
8″ 0.o pretty thick wall!
looks like a school of sorts, but its pretty tall for one…
Glad you feel better. I so look forward to your travels around and these wonderful treasures.
Love,
Linda
Thanks! More to come on the weekend… 🙂
I am fascinated by the wooden buildings. Your shot through the church window is very atmospheric…but then they’re all great 🙂
xhenry
The first house is amazing…if only the walls could speak!!!
It is nice to see buildings like the “Small Church” kept alive by people in the area!
I look forward to hearing what the last building was…stately for sure!
Happy to hear your sinusitis is clearing up…it can seem to go on forever!!!
Cheers
the story of the little church reminds me of one of my favorite little chapels that is on highway 2o ‘the north cascades highway in Washington State. A truly spectacular drive
thru the ‘American Alps.’
a little chapel was moved to a spot outside ‘Marblemount’.
It’s very very tiny and has services and an occasional wedding. It sits under some ancient mapletrees and the ground is a riot of color in the fall. there are hundreds of rabbits that are the result of crossbreeding between domestic and wild and they hang around the chapel in great numbers in the summer months.
thanks for jarring my memory
Michelle and good luck with your reasearch.
heres a link:
http://really-rose.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html
e