Our house was built in around 1890. It's made with stone walls two feet thick. It has a slate roof that we had to renew at huge expense about ten years ago. It stands on its own in a big garden surrounded by farmland. We're a hundred feet above sea level (by my reckoning, safely above tsunami reach) and less than half a mile from the Atlantic and we're fully exposed to the westerlies. In thirty years we've had to make five insurance claims, three for roof damage (but none since the new roof - the slates are individually clipped down now) and two for demolished greenhouses! Via lots of shrubs and trees I've gradually managed to create quite a sheltered garden, in contrast to the open field we had when we moved in. The climate is mild but lots of shrubs and trees wouldn't be able to take the salt winds we get in winter. A good overnight blow often means we can't see through the salt on our windows next morning!