I was born at no.23 Wallingford Street, which belonged to my grandparents at that time.

I contacted Vanderbilt and asked for their permission to look round before their work started. I found the stairs, which originally rose from the hall opposite the front door, had been moved to my grandmother’s living room. Access to the cellar, which was underneath the hall, stairs was no longer visible. The pump over the scullery sink had gone. I can only assume the well underneath was still there. The upper floors were in a terrible state and daylight showed through the attic roof.

Surely these buildings should have been listed long ago.

ROSE BATEMAN, Alfred Street, Wantage