"In one of these wings the windows were broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly caved in, a picture of ruin...."See in text(The Adventure of the Speckled Band)
Doyle’s description of the ruined manor serves two potential purposes. On the level of plot, it offers Roylott a reason to undergo construction, thus forcing Helen into the adjacent bedroom. On a symbolic level, a house often serves as a metaphor and metonym for family. A house in ruins tells us that the family residing there is in a state of dysfunction and disarray, as is the case with Ms. Stoner and Dr. Roylott. Thus the description of the manor carries a deep emotional resonance.
