I Nearly BLEW UP Duncombe House | Puppies, Gas Leaks and Abandoned Treasure Troves

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]There really is no easy way to say this.

[00:00:03]This week, ladies and gentlemen, I came staggeringly close to blowing myself and Duncan House to smitherines. And it is entirely your fault. Today, my friends, prepare to be flipped unceremoniously from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again. Brace yourselves to finally explore the forgotten secret room.

[00:00:28]>> Secret room. secret room >> and its rich bounty of priceless and it turns out highly lethal treasures.

[00:00:37]>> Oh, there's some good stuff back here, darling. I spy treasure.

[00:00:42]>> Prepare yourselves to meet the most adorable puppies you have ever seen.

[00:00:48]Gird yourselves for treasures hidden underneath the old dead tree. Ready yourselves for some respplendant renovation revelations. And lastly, but by no means least, steal yourselves, my friends, for the most dumbfoundingly dim-witted and devastatingly dangerous dunery that I have ever committed.

[00:01:12]>> I did tell you, I said before you cut into the grind, I said, "Be careful, there's not gas in it." And then you just did it anyway. V common bianu and welcome back to arguably the single most eventful episode ever of Duncan House Diaries. Now before I explain why we had two fire engines containing 10 fabulous firefighters pay us an emergency visit this week and explain just how close I came to destroying everything.

[00:01:42]>> Do you want to check before you do that, Jack?

[00:01:46]Let's travel back a few days before our carefully planned and meticulously scheduled week was blown to kingdom come.

[00:01:57]Good morning. We are back at the house.

[00:02:02]It feels like a long time since we've been here. It's been a very busy week.

[00:02:07]Since I last spoke to you all, we've had litter of puppies, which didn't quite go as smoothly as we had hoped. She's doing amazingly well, but it has meant that we are spending night and day with the puppies. However, we are back today.

[00:02:24]Quincy has a babysitter. All is well.

[00:02:28]So, with that being said, we are in the master bedroom and we are so close to the next stage of the renovation. the interiors, the painting, the joinery.

[00:02:41]But before we do any of that, we have to do the prep, which means I'm sanding.

[00:02:48]And I thought my sanding days were long behind me, but as Jack's just given me a quick overview of what we got to do in this room. I've realized I'm going to be sanding for a long, long time. We are starting to prep for painting. So we are sanding skirting boards, window frames, ceilings, coving, walls, door frames. And as you all know, Jack is a perfectionist when it comes to these things. Joy of joys.

[00:03:18]>> Now, of course, we could simply not bother meticulously preparing for decoration. We could simply slap some paint onto the walls, slap some paint onto these window frames, and slap some paint onto this coing. The chances are that 99.9% of people would say, "Oh, how lovely that looks." and wouldn't give it a second thought.

[00:03:42]However, although the chances of the king of England needing to stay over at Duncan House on his way to Scotland for the night are slim, they are not zero.

[00:03:54]And therefore, we will be methodically and painstakingly making this house as close to perfect as our fragile sanities will allow. The first step on that journey to greatness here in the main bedroom is, as my wife Jazzy was so delighted to hear, more sanding.

[00:04:18]Firstly, we need to sand the plaster coving to remove any plaster splashes.

[00:04:24]Key the surface for optimal paint adhesion and identify any areas which need a little more in-depth repair. Gray tail, darling. Is that warm fuzzy feeling that one gets when one knows one is doing a proper job? Changing your mind about sanding.

[00:04:49]Next, it's time to sand the walls. Now, lime plaster is a miraculous product, but it inherently has a slightly more rustic finish than modern gypson plaster. In the interests of achieving a final finish which looks exceptional, a light sand on all the walls is advisable.

[00:05:36]Next, we move on to this. Now, a lot of you will immediately assume that this is a window, but I'm afraid you would be mistaken. This is after all our bedroom.

[00:05:50]Which means that every single morning and every single night for the rest of our lives, we will peer through the antique glass of this aperture to view the world outside. And as such, it will become more than a window. It will become the frame through which we contemplate our very existences.

[00:06:12]In reality, will anyone really notice these tiny little holes left by the blind? These airline fissures where the frame meets and these tiny cork splashes hidden behind the staff beads. Yes, I will notice them. Step one, a jolly good sand.

[00:06:51]Step two, cork the fine lines.

[00:07:01]Step three, use the Miracle Repair Care Filler to address the larger holes.

[00:07:06]Heat. Heat.

[00:07:27]Heat. Heat.

[00:08:11]Now all we have to do is wait for that to dry, sand it again, and we can prime it. Now, on the note of priming paints, when I was in the local decorator shop, I was chatting to the chap about our gloss work. He said that gone are the days of meticulously sanding and the subsequent inevitable release of highly toxic lead paint dust. Because some clever Carl has invented a paint so ingenious it can simply be applied on top of high gloss lead paints and not only encapsulates them but entirely removes the need for sanding.

[00:08:49]Naturally I was skeptical but if true I said this would literally save us months of hard work. So off I went with a pod.

[00:09:00]We picked out one of the shiniest, most lethal looking painted parts of the bedroom door. Gave it a good clean.

[00:09:23]painfully resisted the temptation to undertake my customary prep work of sanding and slapped it on.

[00:09:32]Now, once it dries, we will come back and see if miracles really are possible.

[00:09:41]>> That's good.

[00:09:47]We had an entirely different plan for today. However, yesterday there was a horrendous storm and it got worse last night and kind of barely slept, worried about Clive coming down on our house or any other trees. And in the night, Jack heard a massive crash. Luckily, it wasn't Clive. Um, and we went to check it out in the morning and it looks like a huge tree has fallen down in our kind of wood area into the paddock. Um, but it's also blocking a public footpath which is a nightmare. So luckily we've been able to call Sam and Freddy today who are tree surgeons and friends of ours and they've come out and they're going to help us clear it and make it safe. So even though it wasn't on our to-do list, I feel like you just have to keep rolling with the punches and we had a whole day planned doing other jobs in the house, but instead we are shifting a huge tree. Having highly capable and more importantly, highly willing friends is truly a blessing. For those of you new here, Frederick and Samuel are our dearest of chums, and both of them have helped us in myriad ways over the past 2 years here at Dunham House. Now, Jazzy was not exaggerating. This tree is an absolute whopper. And despite the fact that Sam and Fred are both qualified and experienced argiculturalists, I still thought it prudent to put someone in overall charge of proceedings, a strategic manager, if you will.

[00:12:04]Whilst the chaps are doing a frankly sterling job of clearing the tree in spite of Rob's help. I am going to finally fill you all in with the tumultuous tale of Quincy and her puppies. Last Tuesday, not long after our video went live, Quincy's waters broke and we were ready to rock. Now, to cut a long and arduous story short, after that, her labor simply didn't progress. We waited a reasonable amount of time, but then before we knew it, after consulting with our magnificent vet, we were checking in to the emergency veterinary unit preparing for a cesarian section. It turns out that Quincy is simply too posh to push. Now, modern veterinary science is magnificent, and the risks of this procedure were minuscule. But that did not stop us neurotic Nellies having several emotionally torturous hours whilst we waited.

[00:13:11]>> I've aged in a few hours. Aged.

[00:13:16]>> Before we knew it, we were back home with a gang of glorious puppies.

[00:13:21]Although the first sonogram showed four embryos, one had been reabsorbed at some point, leaving us with three preposterously wonderful golden retriever puppies.

[00:13:52]Now, fear not, my friends. We will be introducing you all formally and individually to our new bundles of joy in good time, and we'll be getting your opinions on their names. However, before we do that, we have an extra special treat for you all. Let us quickly extend the warmest of welcomes to all of our new subscribers. It is fudging wonderful to have so many new people here on the channel. To celebrate our new subscribers and to reward our long-suffering day one dunkers for their patience, this week we decided to finally film the big one. Ladies and gentlemen, after decades of abandonment, it is finally time to properly explore the hidden secret room and reveal its longforgotten treasures.

[00:14:55]Today, with your help, we are going to meticulously unpack every innocuous box of miscellane's depths.

[00:15:08]Or at least that was the plan.

[00:15:12]Now, when you have as many priceless artifacts as we do here at Duncan House, it is essential to have a robust and perpetual security camera system. Having been burgled ourselves last year, we are acutely aware of the need for home surveillance, which is why we genuinely adore our Rio Link cameras to the point that we now have two guarding our home.

[00:15:41]Covering the back door, we have the Track Flex Flood Light Wi-Fi, or as I like to call it, the allseeing owl, which with 360° detection technology can catch anyone or anything approaching the back of the house.

[00:16:00]For the driveway, however, we have the Elite Flood Light Wi-Fi. With its ridiculously wide lens and sensitive detection system, it is perfect for seeing when Postman Pat has been to visit.

[00:16:18]Seeing how the lords of the lawn are getting on, and for making sure that Rob isn't setting fire to anything.

[00:16:30]Using the Rio Link app, we can not only control the camera itself, but we can activate and deactivate the light and alarm, a feature we find rather useful when people decide to wander aimlessly into our home.

[00:16:49]To celebrate Rio Link's 17th birthday of all things, they are offering up to 40% off their most excellent range of home security solutions. So, if you're interested in having total peace of mind, and let's be honest, who the devil wouldn't? Follow the link in the description and the pinned comment and check out the magnificent Rio Link range.

[00:17:15]First things first, however, it was of course time to give Dean a little TLC and show him my new golden retriever socks.

[00:17:44]Okay, so this morning we decided we're going to do something more interesting than standing and we're actually going to clear out this little secret room.

[00:17:54]Now, when we bought the house, this was completely locked, bolted up. Even though we had all of those keys, we couldn't find one that fit. So, Jack had to break into it to work out what was in here. And we have never been through it.

[00:18:07]We kind of opened it and then we're like, "Oh, we haven't got time to sort this out. We need to move on to the next task." So today we're going to finally go through the little secret room.

[00:18:16]Secret room. Secret room. Secret room.

[00:18:21]This is the good stuff.

[00:18:25]First impressions were terribly fortifying. This tiny space had all the hallmarks of a certified time capsule treasure trove. ancient light bulbs, reassuringly questionable electrics, a midcentury rusty meat hook, some magnificent glazed tiles, and my personal favorite, the classic antiquated light switch.

[00:18:56]Splendid.

[00:18:59]So, after 2 years of waiting, it was finally time to see what was hiding in our secret room. And there's definitely some mice in here.

[00:19:13]Oh, with all these leaves, it's like a lucky dip.

[00:19:18]But I don't know if I'm going to find a body.

[00:19:28]I think there's some pretty serious poisons in here.

[00:19:40]Pebbles.

[00:19:42]Oh, look at this. First aid. That's so cool.

[00:19:50]Is this like a baby gate?

[00:19:55]Oh.

[00:20:06]roller.

[00:20:12]I don't know how to carry this down.

[00:20:14]I'll pull it out.

[00:20:21]Some kind of engine.

[00:20:27]What is that? It's got a propeller.

[00:20:30]>> The inescapable irony here, of course, is that if we had known in this moment what we would rudely come to discover about an hour later, we would not have been casually lumping this badger about.

[00:20:44]We would have in fact been running for our lives.

[00:20:50]>> Oh, it's a bag of posts and letters.

[00:20:53]Now, of course, the temptation to explore each piece of treasure as it emerged was immense. However, we decided that the best thing to do would be to remove all of the items and then go through them in one go.

[00:21:06]>> A tiny mop.

[00:21:12]Why is that so funny?

[00:21:16]Oh, there's some good stuff back here, darling.

[00:21:21]I spy treasure.

[00:21:24]I can see pictures.

[00:21:28]A crutch.

[00:21:32]So many tiny mops.

[00:21:36]Table tops.

[00:21:38]Not sure what's in this miscellaneous box.

[00:21:42]I love a miscellaneous box. Some potent disinfectants from the ' 70s.

[00:21:49]Are you going to take it or move out my way?

[00:21:59]Mincer.

[00:22:01]Mints. Mincer. Trays. Trays. Trays. How is there so much stuff in such a small room? Box. Miscellaneous. Box. Number four. Bucket.

[00:22:20]There's nothing potent coming out. I love that bucket. You'd spend a fortune on that in an antique shop.

[00:22:28]That's cool.

[00:22:31]Cakes.

[00:22:33]Is there any cake?

[00:22:40]Oh, no.

[00:22:43]More cakes. Ha! Bread and cakes.

[00:22:48]>> So, as you can well imagine, we were fizzing secret room >> to go through our mountain of mysterious miscellane. But before we indulged ourselves, we decided to do the grownup thing and finish clearing out the secret room first, which meant removing this old oddlooking piece of machinery.

[00:23:12]Unlike the first unit, this second one was attached to the wall by a series of convoluted pipes and wires. Handily, there was a little postcard tucked behind the pipes telling us the original installer. Now, be honest with me. If you looked at this 100-year-old rusted hunk of junk, would you for one single moment consider that it might be full of highly toxic explosive gas >> grind up?

[00:23:48]>> Do you want to check before you do that, Jack?

[00:23:50]>> No. Neither did I.

[00:24:08]Meanwhile, down in the woods, the chaps were almost done.

[00:24:13]This is the tree behind me. I don't know if you can hear me over the chainsaws, but it's a massive beach tree. Oh, sorry, bit loud. A massive beach tree.

[00:24:23]So, exactly the same as Clive. Luckily, it came down like in the middle of the night, so no one was under it and it's not hurt anyone. It has taken down a lot of fencing, but it's future Jack and Jazzy's problem. We will figure that out another day. At the moment, we just need to kind of clear it and get it safe.

[00:24:42]Upside is we're going to have plenty of logs for winter. Um, but we have got hell of a job now to get this shifted, tidied away, and logged up.

[00:24:54]Now, I joke all the time about there being treasure at every turn here at Duncan House, but we truly do unexpectedly find the oddest things sometimes.

[00:25:10]>> Fred's found some treasure.

[00:25:12]What have we got?

[00:25:16]>> Maybe.

[00:25:18]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:25:20]Where was that? Under the tree. just just in the bush there.

[00:25:24]>> Does this belong to Captain Chaos?

[00:25:27]Potentially.

[00:25:29]Okay. So, we've also noticed that after the storm, this tree, which is actually dead and is covered in ivy, has shifted quite significantly, which we're quite concerned about because we don't want to take out anything around it. And also below this is the kind of stone gargoyles and the really beautiful intricate stonework. So, while we have our wonderful tree surgeons here, we're going to see if they can whip this one out before it comes down and makes any damage to any part of the house or our lovely lawn.

[00:26:00]This old tree, bless it, has certainly seen better days. And although we are quite evidently obsessed with trees and nature, the safest and kindest thing to do in this situation was to carefully remove it before it met a more chaotic and unplanned demise. Now, Sam explained to me that the best course of action would be to pull the trunk and fell the tree back into the orchard away from the house, thus protecting the stonework beneath and protecting our gorgeous green thumb lawn.

[00:26:37]This all sounded lovely jubbly until he informed me that in order to do this he would need to fling a lead weight on the end of a piece of string full clip towards the house and therefore towards the newly restored bay windows to allow him to set up a rigged rope. It is a good job. I trust him.

[00:27:30]So with young Sam Brown in the bush with his trusty chainsaw and Frederick and Robert in the orchard. It was time to call timber and pray to the gods of renovation that everything went to plan.

[00:28:20]With the tree safely down, all that was left to do was to tidy up and explore.

[00:28:27]First job, clear the brash and chip the tree into mulch so that it could immediately benefit our laurel hedge.

[00:28:36]The circle of life.

[00:28:49]Once the admin had been completed, it was time to enter the jungle and reveal its secrets. Before Jazzy does her best Indiana Jones impression, however, I think it's high time we introduced you to the newest members of the family.

[00:29:08]>> Good morning, everyone. Here are the puppies. We haven't really formally introduced you all to them. It's been quite the 10 days. As you can see, they are fat and healthy and very happy.

[00:29:25]Quincy is doing a sterling job. She's been brilliant. She's much more calmer now than she was when she first gave birth. And she's doing a great job at cleaning them. And cuz there's only three of them, I feel like they are enormous. I feel like they're just getting so much milk. So, they're very, very strong and growing really fast. So, I'm going to point out who's who. Well, which one's which. So, this was the tiny one from the photographs. Who was the kind of I don't like to use the word run to the litter, but definitely the tiny one. This is the girl. This is the other girl. So, we've got two girls and a boy. So, there's a big girl, a small girl, and then a middlesized boy. So, obviously, initially, we were just going to keep one girl, but now they're here. I think I really want to keep all three.

[00:30:12]>> I'm sorry. What did you just say?

[00:30:14]>> I think I really want to keep all three.

[00:30:17]>> That is absolutely ridiculous.

[00:30:20]>> Which I realize might not be the best idea. If anyone has any experience, by the way, of keeping sibling puppies, please let me know. Did it go well? Did it not go well?

[00:30:30]>> It has never gone well.

[00:30:33]>> And I just think they're just so I just I just can't even imagine not having them in my life now. I'm just completely obsessed with them. And they're getting cuter by the day. I mean, look at their little paws and their little bottoms.

[00:30:44]And it's just I just think to be surrounded by golden retrievers, there's just no joy like it.

[00:30:54]>> So, there we have it, ladies and gents.

[00:30:56]No joy like it. These little baked potatoes have already stolen our hearts.

[00:31:03]What we need from you is one, name suggestions now that you've met them properly, and two, your votes. Do we a keep them all and let our already ridiculous lives descend into total anarchic eccentric chaos, or do we do the sensible thing and just keep one?

[00:31:28]Gosh, we still have so much to get through today, my friends. Before we return to the secret room, rapidly filling with an unidentified but antique nonetheless noxious gas, let's have a wee peek into that newly opened hedge line.

[00:31:45]>> So, we've managed to take out the dead tree that was at the front. We basically got the holly to fill in this gap. Sam's just been taking off some of the front ones and hopefully encouraging the holly to move along.

[00:31:57]That was Rob. That's quite concerning that noise. So, I might go quickly check on him. If you look closely, you can just see the red of Rob's tractor, but hopefully he's all right. I might actually just go and have a look inside this hedge cuz I've never been in. Might find something.

[00:32:19]Ooh, there's more pieces of stone under my feet.

[00:32:25]Wow.

[00:32:27]So I think this is just a sea kind of roadendrums here. Hopefully now we let some more light in by removing the old tree they might start to flower. Oh, it's a nice view of the house from here, isn't it?

[00:32:48]Cool. On closer inspection, we discovered a plethora of architectural stonework hidden underneath where the tree had been. These stone pieces are undeniably magnificent. However, unlike a painting or a lamp, they are rather more challenging to display. If anyone has any bright ideas as to how we might enjoy them once we've rescued them from this dense thicket, please do let us know in the comments.

[00:33:23]So, after a long and tiring day of arduous aroculture, it was time to treat the chaps to a brown beer and a pie at the local pub. Not before, of course. I drove over a nail which Captain Chaos had kindly left secreted in the grass for me, and popped the tire on the truck. What is one too cheaply is esteemed too lightly.

[00:33:55]>> After cutting through the pipe in the secret room, >> do you want to check before you do that, Jack? Being met with the sickening hiss of high pressure gas and running away like a certified chicken, we were at rather a loss as to what our next step should be. So I popped the kettle on, made a cup of tea, and together we did some top tier thinking on the matter.

[00:34:22]So we wrongly assumed that after what 50 70 years 100 years there would be no more gas in that very old system and there is we are currently standing back while we can hear it hissing out.

[00:34:45]I did tell you I said before you cut into with the grinder I said be careful there's not gas in it and then you just did it anyway. He's got a t-shirt around his face, though, so that's fine. Yeah, I can't I I can't believe that. That was a scary moment. Running off as the gas is hissing out. Sorry. Um yeah, it's literally just happened. So, we're standing back. It might be an old gas mask around. That's the one silver lining. Maybe there's a gas mask in one of these old buildings cuz right now we're just kind of hoping the wind takes it. Of course, we couldn't simply stand around all day. We had treasure to sort out. So, I decided to head back in and do the only thing that seemed sensible.

[00:35:23]Kick it and see what happened.

[00:35:25]>> Be careful.

[00:35:27]What's happening, >> Jack? If it's making a noise, don't go any closer.

[00:35:32]Is it still hissing?

[00:35:34]>> Kicked it.

[00:35:34]>> You kicked it.

[00:35:36]Cuz that's what you do.

[00:35:38]>> And then, of course, the wee penny dropped, as they say.

[00:35:42]>> Oh god, the one we've already dragged out.

[00:35:46]I don't I don't think we should just wing it. There's also a pile of just very very old like industrial cleaning solutions next to a potentially full 100-year-old gas tank. Jack, this is this is too much. Actually, I would say this is probably one of the more worrying days. We're used to be we're quite laidback, but when it comes to gas, understandably, I'm a bit nervous about this right now. What are we going to do?

[00:36:18]>> Well, we could always try and call up the company that installed it.

[00:36:22]>> This was this was the card.

[00:36:25]Should we call them? They've got an they've got a after hours contact the following Derby 48260.

[00:36:34]Should we Should we call it? Might still be operational. get your phone.

[00:36:38]>> Unhelpfully, but perhaps unsurprisingly, HDI services stopped installing commercial refrigeration units in the 1970s. And considering the fact that the gas was showing no signs of stopping, you'll all be pleased to know that we did the mature and responsible thing. We consulted a qualified health and safety professional to get their expert opinion.

[00:37:04]>> Hi, Rob.

[00:37:06]I wanted to make sure you hadn't got a cigarette in. We've got a potential gas leak.

[00:37:11]>> Yeah, Jack's Jack Jack cut it with a grinder, not thinking that would possibly still have gas in cuz it's got to be 100 years old.

[00:37:18]>> Yeah.

[00:37:19]>> And yeah, it started hissing out gas.

[00:37:20]So, we've made a run for it.

[00:37:23]>> Any sage wisdom you're able to impart, Robert?

[00:37:26]>> There shouldn't be live gas up here.

[00:37:30]>> I will take that as a no. Then >> naturally, the last thing we wanted to do was get egg on our faces by making a fuss. But in the interests of not killing anyone and or replacing our lovely house with a meteorsized crater, I regretfully called the respective emergency gas services just for some advice. They said that vintage refrigeration systems contained a variety of gases. It could be the highly explosive methyl chloride, the intensely toxic sulfur dioxide, the devastatingly corrosive ammonia, or if we were really lucky, the savagely fixiating dchloro dluo methane.

[00:38:19]So with that in mind, it was decided by the powers that be that we were in no way whatsoever capable of dealing with this issue ourselves. And despite me informing them that we had a highly trained health and safety expert on site, they insisted on sending some professionals. The team from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue were nothing less than exceptional. After very politely and diplomatically informing me that I was a flaming idiot, they safely and effectively vented the remaining gas, undertook thorough air toxicity testing, remarked on how lucky we were, but we knew that already, of course, and made the area safe so that we could continue clearing out our secret room.

[00:39:09]Having been a paramedic myself in the days before Duncan House, I have an intimate appreciation for the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of all of our frontline workers. If you're watching again, I am terribly sorry for being such a plonker, and thank you all for your service.

[00:39:31]So, with that little drama over, and I'll be honest, with a not insignificant amount of residual trepidation, I headed back into the secret room with my trusty grinder, removed the old refrigeration unit.

[00:40:04]Hello.

[00:40:21]Scraped off the cracking paint on the ceiling.

[00:40:38]Brushed down all of the walls.

[00:41:01]Swept out the remaining dritus and voila, one perfectly ly clear secret room. Now, has anyone got any suggestions as to what we should put in here? And don't say a fridge.

[00:41:24]What with the toxic gas leak and all, sadly, we completely ran out of time to go through our secret room booty. On first inspection, however, it is evident that it contains some absolute belter treasures. But I'm afraid if you want to see exactly what we found, you're simply going to have to come back next week.

[00:41:47]Those of you eagleeyed will also have no doubt noticed that this week, in addition to the secret room, we cracked open the safe. But again, regrettably, we have simply run out of time today. We will of course be sharing its secrets with you all in our next video when we will also be updating you on the highly suspicious primer and giving you an obligatory weekly pupdate. As always, my friends, please do like, hype, subscribe, and nourish us with your comments. We adore every single one of you for joining us here on our adventure. We will see you all in a week's time.