Lyme Bay Cider Co, Seaton, Devon

The Lyme Bay Cider Company began in 1993, producing and selling its first ciders from a small shop at Manor Farm in 1994, and their flagship cider Jack Ratt was named in homage to the famous 18th century smuggler, Jack Rattenbury. 

The company eventually outgrew the buildings and moved to larger premises at Shute, trading under the name of Lyme Bay Winery. These are the remains of the buildings on the original site.
 

 
Some of the production sheds, above. And below, having seen some photos of the original working site in one of their trade brochures, I think the building on the right was the Vat Room.

Another view of the Vat Room from the side, below.

The Lyme Bay Cider shop was accommodated in the former stables. These older buildings are beautifully constructed with stone rubble and mellowed red brick architraves on the doors and windows.

Interestingly, the Georgian farmhouse and 19th century stable blocks began life as a stud farm and coaching house. The main A3052 road was once a turnpike road, administered by the Lyme Regis Turnpike Trust in the late 18th and early to mid 19th centuries. The post coach, as well as other conveyances, used places such as this to change their horses and where travellers could find refreshment or overnight accommodation.

Old mill stone outside one of the stable doors and the metal hoops from a cider keg. The colours and textures are really lovely.

The photo below taken from the road showing the old buildings hugging the hillside with part of the glorious view towards Lyme Bay.

And below, old signs of two other former businesses that were once on the site; Lyme Bay Crafts and Lyme Bay Forge.

I first came across this when out for a walk to look at some other places, ending up on a ten-mile hike along the A3052 to the derelict Three Horseshoes Inn, taking in several other places as well as a diversion through the village of Beer on the way back. I had no idea I would get that far but, as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings once said..."It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to." :)