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A COMPANY is selling old garden huts for tens of thousands of pounds.

The huts - many of which are thatched and were built in the late 19th Century - were manufactured by Knutsford carpenter Henry Caesar and his son Julius.

Originally, the most expensive cost £130 but today Gloucestershire-based Architectural Heritage, which renovates them, sells them for up to £25,000.

"There will be lots of them hidden in people's gardens, especially in Knutsford," said director Alex Puddy, 38.

"But they tend to be rotting away now."

He said he usually found only a couple of huts a year - and sold about as many.

Mr Puddy said that a metal plaque, which identifies an award-winning Caesar hut, was mounted on the inside of its door. The Brook Street-based carpenters were chosen above all others to build them for King Edward VII's gardens.

The former family home in Brook Street is still called Caesar's Place.

The huts are made from many different types of wood, come in all shapes and sizes and are distinctively decorated.

Most are topped by the trademark heather thatch, but they were also built with wooden roofs.

When he first saw one, about five years ago, Mr Puddy loved it so much he wanted to find out how it was built. He commissioned a draughtsman to draw up an exact replica, which he then made using the same traditional materials and techniques as his predecessor.

He has been building them ever since.

"A lot of what we do involves picking up traditional craftsmanship and techniques from the past 200 years," he said.

"I take a great deal of pride in what we make here. You wouldn't find them anywhere else."

The company also manufactures garden furniture, ornaments and fireplaces.

"We wouldn't survive if we just sold the huts," said Mr Puddy.

11:51am Sunday 5th August 2007

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