were I as rich as gates, I wouldn’t think 2wice but would spend the money to save this place.

 

1. Damned shame.

   Posted by cbullitt       08/05/2009  at  08:50 AM  



2. Verily. Tis a pity they didn’t save some of their fortune for home upkeep.

   So now you’ve got another grand edifice rotting from within, that’s barely functional and will require huge amounts of taxpayer money to fix up, so that it can be used only once in a great while for a few people.

   Golly, that’s the whole UK in miniature right there, isn’t it?

   Posted by Drew458       08/05/2009  at  10:18 AM  



3. I was going to go on a long and extremely purple rant about how this symbolizes the decay of the West and of the British Empire that formed one of the bedrocks of modern civilization, while contrasting the newly-planned “Super Mosque” planned by Islamist fanatics in London to show how decadent we have become while the enemy grows in strength and number, while we ourselves rot away…

   But than I noticed that Drew did so first and more efficiently, so I can only say “seconded.”

   Posted by Turtler       08/06/2009  at  03:50 AM  



4. If taxpayer money is used to fix places like this, it generally becomes part of The National Trust and is then opened to the public.  The family lives in and uses a part of the house (or castle/mansion) and other parts and grounds are open to the public. And it isn’t open every day I don’t think.  We have places around here that are open maybe 3 or 4 days a week.

   Some homes also charge.

   A place on the grand scale as this is could perhaps (?) open some refurbished rooms for business people who are in the country for that purpose.  Like the Arabs. Don’t laff. They do have the cash.  Just an idea.

   It’s also true that an awful lot of ppl do not feel very sorry for the wealthy which is a shame because it was the left wing in this country that set out to destroy financially the aristocracy.  Like the French revolution minus the shave. Everyone with money was an exploiter of the ppl. Oh hell, you know the rant.

   I’m certain Lyndon can give us chapter and verse on the subject.

   Posted by peiper       08/06/2009  at  07:52 AM  



5. Not much to add but it should be pointed out that UK inheritence tax is paid on estates valued at over £325,000 (say $525,000) and is currently at the rate of 40% so it is perhaps not surprising that many of the aristocracy have seen their assets rot away over generations. Money after all does not grow on trees contrary to socialist thinking.

   Posted by LyndonB       08/06/2009  at  11:56 AM  

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