I agree with your approach … Black and White photographs should sometimes be BLACK and WHITE. I’d still have burned the sky in though to be “Black” in the image :-).
I wouldn’t judge the photo on the Forum title ;-)
I take your point on the clutter. I think however it’s the long grass that’s the cause. The House are Tree I considered the subject with the rocks framing the lower part of the picture.
That was exactly it. I liked the interest of the rocks in the foreground however what I feel I missed was bringing the entrance to the house into the photo.