Workers Find "Magpie" House

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 18

Workers Find "Magpie" House

MANCHESTER. — Marple, a picturesque suburban .retreat for Manchester business men, has unwittingly de* molished its only "magpie" building. Workmen pulling down Peace Earm, at the entrance to a new housing estato Marple Council is erecting, encountered unexpected resistance, and demolishers found that the old stone fabric "disguised" an inner, - structure of much greater jage. Penetrating the stone walls, the workmen came across a sturdy oah framework, with various sections packed with clay;as hard as iron on a binding surface of wattle. Showing no signs of decay,*thp inner structure was in a state of excellont preservation, although experts now • sug* gest that it was probably' 500 years old and originally served as a moated manour. • Eortunately, the Mstoric - value of the building was xecogmzed before the ax had too thorongMy accbmplished its ordered task, ' and a small section, ' 12 feet long and "four feet wide, was transported to the local council offiees ■ i'or preservation.

"By jove, old man, your walls ". are tMn! You can hear the -next-dob. wire* less just as thought it -were in thij room." - *51*11 say, the- walls -are thin! Why when I get a headache the f ellow next door takes two aspirins! "