Anyone driving through Manorbier this autumn will have noticed the building works at Lion House, just below the Castle Inn pub. What hasn't always been obvious from the road - but soon will be - is what a magnificent result is being achieved on this 150-year-old structure.

In an earlier era, the present-day Lion House was a pub called The Lion, which a subsequent owner converted into flats.

The present owner, builder David Mitchell, of Sheffield, whilst holidaying in the country of his birth, fell in love with Manorbier and felt it was blighted by what looked like a three-story plastic chalet right in its centre.

Seeing the potential of this hidden gem, he decided to buy and restore the property, hoping to release a handsome Georgian-style building from under a layer of plastic cladding and pebbledash. He received a partial grant from the National Park to help him rescue the property.

The project, combining the efforts of Mr. Mitchell's team with those of Pembroke Dock's own Complete Construction, began in late September. Both firms have worked extensively in the field of property restoration. None of them knew when they first tackled the job exactly what they would find under all that white plastic. They expected stone, and got it - but decided not to leave it exposed, because rather than field stone or Pembrokeshire walling stone the walls are made of random rubble.

"You'd have had to sandblast, and even then it wouldn't be proper face stone," explained Simon and Steve, of Complete Construction, to an onlooker, adding: "A lot of people try to restore something back to what it never was."

Instead, after cleaning up the surface, the builders are applying a bag finish, so-called because it is traditionally applied with a piece of hessian bag or rag wrapped around the hand.

In addition, Mr. Mitchell has opened up some old spaces where windows used to be, and all the existing UPVC window frames will be replaced with original pattern wooden ones.

Great pains have been taken to restore the structure's original appearance, gleaned from photographs from the early 1900s which have been gathered locally, and Mr. Mitchell would be greatly interested in seeing any other old photographs showing Lion House as it was.

Guidance has been provided on architectural and historical traditions by official expert, Rob Scourfield.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mitchell appreciates all the support he has received from the neighbours, who have put up with wind-blown debris, noise and skips on their grounds.

When asked about the challenges that faced him throughout the project, he said one of the hardest parts was breaking the news to his team from Sheffield that they hadn't really come to Pembrokeshire for a well-earned break from building!

Whether the job will be done before year's end as originally hoped remains to be seen, but meanwhile it's good value to the locals - definitely the building site to watch and a major beautification step for Manorbier.