When we bought our house in Jimena de la Frontera, we knew it had a history. Quite how much of that history we would ever discover was another matter.

It’s an old house, on an old street, in a town where the past is never particularly far away. And while we’ve spent the last couple of years uncovering original features, restoring doors and making the house our own, we’ve often wondered about the people who lived here before us.

Who walked through those enormous front doors? What did the rooms look like? How many families have called this place home? And what was Calle Sevilla like when they did? Recently, a little curiosity has led us down a rather unexpected path.

We’ve discovered old photographs, accounts of buildings that have long since disappeared, and stories of people and events that were once part of everyday life in Jimena. Some are quaint and charming. Others are quite extraordinary. And a few are  tragic. What has surprised us most is how much history there is to discover about a street we’ve come to know so well – and how little we actually know about our own house.

So we’ve started asking questions. We’ve been looking through historical accounts, exploring old photographs and trying to find out whether any records might tell us who lived at number 13 before us. We haven’t found the answers yet.

But we’re beginning to realise that the story of our house isn’t just about the building. It’s about the street, the town and all the people whose lives have been woven into them. And we really like the idea of finding out a little more. Perhaps someone reading this remembers Calle Sevilla as it once was. Perhaps someone has an old photograph tucked away, or remembers a family who lived at number 13. We’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, we’ll keep looking. Because sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones that have been right on your doorstep all along.

Screenshot