A couple of months back the skateboarding denizens of the internet collectively raised themselves from pixel-induced torpor to drool at the sight of a converted village hall, for sale on a property website, with the biggest room converted into a large wooden bowl. In fact it wasn’t just four wheeled fanciers taking notice – the story went viral enough to be picked up by news sources ranging from local Midlands papers to the BBC. After that, a period of quiet leading to an assumption that the house had been sold was broken by the appearance of Instagram and Facebook accounts for the Terrington Skate House, alongside numerous lo-fi web clips.
Curiosity well and truly piqued, and with some familiar faces amongst those appearing on said clips, I got hold of contact details through friends and messaged owner Rob Marsden about the possibility of visiting the house. He was fully down so we sorted out a date, rallied the troops and descended on rural Norfolk from various points around the country to chat to Rob about the house and, obviously, take advantage of its skateable confines.
Getting there late afternoon, our planned warm up at some street transitions in Kings Lynn was washed out by winter dampness so we headed over and got stuck into a session while the kettle boiled. Joxa showed the ‘local knowledge’ lines and correct tailblock techniques both frontside and backside, Wapo flowed around the hard-to-skate layout like water and Raemers had managed to throw himself at the brickwork above the transitions a number of times before an hour had passed. As more people trickled through the doors and the session got heated, my beaten legs started to cry out for a beer break; like any DIY build the bowl has some unusual features to figure out, with the nearest comparison we could get too being a smoother, more open version of Wonderland. It seemed like the perfect time to crack a can, leave the latecomers to fuel the session and catch up with Rob for a few words about how the whole thing came about…
