Comments on: Fantasy fiction and fact: research is fun.

By: Jo Spurrier

Jo Spurrier — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:37:16 +0000

I've read that the pink colour used to be made by mixing pig or ox blood into the whitewash. Apparently this added useful qualities to the paint, but I'm not sure exactly what. It could definitely be considered a sign of wealth, though, as a poor family might rather use the blood for black pudding or something else they could eat instead of wasting it on the walls.

By: Helen V.

Helen V. — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:20:32 +0000

Fascinating stuff.

By: Gillian

Gillian — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:56:56 +0000

Lovely pictures :).

The coloured outside walls is often a regional thing and not necessarily a sign of wealth. It depends when and where and what colouring agent is used.

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:16:55 +0000

That would be absolutely fascinating I should think.

By: Tropical Dragon

Tropical Dragon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:23:30 +0000

If you want to do some really good research on how a tinworks worked, go to Aberdulais Falls – not far from Cardiff at all, just above Swansea in fact.

The National Trust is slowly rejuvenating it and the buildings are slowly being rebuilt and recovered from the bush, but the one thing they got going first was the waterwheel and they are now fully self-sufficient with electricity.

I was there in July last year and it was magic.

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 10:03:42 +0000

Once again, nice pix. They somewhat remind me of the plantations in the Charleston area, especially with the sheep grazing in the fields. Never knew about the pink whitewash, I will look out for that in your future books LOL