ROWS of radiators... piles of bricks... stacks of slates...dozens of doors... White House Farm Antiques is a bit like a building set for grown-ups.

Baths, basins, bidets and a tower of taps...

But the difference is that everything on display has been used before and rescued from houses, schools and hospitals. Sometimes, as in the bricks and slates, it's the actual building itself.

And as some people are in a hurry to get rid of the old fittings from their house, then there are just as many equally anxious to install them in theirs. Which is where people like Graham Hood and his sister Candy come to the rescue.

They grew up with the antiques business. Their father, who started White House Farm Antiques, particularly liked old garden ornaments and the chimney pots that he displayed outside the business and became a landmark on the edge of Easingwold.

When Graham took over, the emphasis changed gradually to architectural salvage, houses demolished and neatly parcelled up into their component parts to be used again.

"Radiators are a classic case," says Graham, pointing out the many enormous radiators in the yard, just the types that many of us remember from our schooldays.

"But that's it. When people have made a bit of money and got their house just as they want it, they want old radiators like they remember from school, but they must be exactly the same as they had in their school. No others will do."

Radiators in the yard vary in shape and size, and include some beautifully ornate decorated ones, as well as some small square radiators, originally designed to go under windows but now, says Candy, ideal for bathrooms, where you can pile a heap of towels on top to warm nicely.

"And a lot of our stock goes to barn conversions because anything modern often just looks all wrong and completely out of proportion."

You'd need something like a converted barn to give a good home to some of the doors - there's one that's over ten foot high, a lot taller than most modern ceilings, and another studded door that is clearly going to look absolutely wonderful in the right setting.

There are masses of fireplaces - as fast as people tear them out, others are desperate to re-install them. There's even a large sort of free-standing alcove. "A niche," says Candy

Graham is on the point of moving the business from the crowded building it's in now, into a bigger, purpose-built building where they will have room for much more stock. Another building in the business was, naturally, built entirely from reclaimed bricks and looks wonderful, as though it's always been there.

Their stock comes from all over the country - sometimes directly, often via dealers. Some of those radiators have come from schools in Wakefield and Manchester. Old vicarages are another good source.

"In Victorian times, the Church of England certainly looked after their vicars and bought the best for them. Their bathrooms, especially, were very good quality and have lasted well," says Graham.

There are Victorian basins, Edwardian, Art Deco, even some from France.

"Until recently no one wanted French sanitary ware, but now it's very popular," says Candy.

Items go all over the world. The Japanese, bafflingly, are particularly taken with anything ecclesiastical. "Pews, stained glass, they love it. We even had a font that went out to Japan, but I don't know what they use it for," says Candy.

There are banisters, newel posts, floor boards, tiles, light fittings, door knockers, "very popular as wedding presents".

There are stone troughs, a pump, drain covers, a garden roller, grates, gates and interesting bits of carved stone that are probably either utterly useless or just what you want.

But there's no accounting for the items that people want or need.

"Our father used to pay half a crown for those cast iron tractor seats, which seemed a bit mad at the time, but now Americans love them and collect them. There's a society for them and they go for a lot more than half a crown, so maybe he was just ahead of his time," says Graham.

Of course, if no one ever threw things away, then there would be no antique or salvage shops. Although Victorian and Edwardian items are usually the most popular, time is catching up.

"Somebody who lives in an old airfield tower has done it up entirely with utility items from the war, because they're in keeping with the period of the building and it looks absolutely right. Now we've had people asking for those tiled fireplaces from the 1950s. If they're moving into a 1950s house, they want everything to be the same era," says Candy.

Maybe it will be a while before most of us, who grew up with them, can learn to love those fireplaces again, but there are many items which are easier to love.

Candy's favourite is a door. It's a plain, unassuming sort of a door, but it was made in the 1780s with wide timber and with big beautiful practical hinges, probably made by the village blacksmith.

"And after all that time it hasn't warped at all, but is still as straight and true as when it was made," she says.

It's simple and beautiful. And now it's been rescued, no doubt somebody soon will give it the home it deserves.

* White House Farm Antiques, Thirsk Road, Easingwold. Tel: 01347 821479. Open Saturday 9-5pm, other times by appointment.