Park Cottage, Seaton, Devon

As is often the way, it isn't until looking for something specific that you suddenly see it everywhere. When I began a project to find pebble-built and decorated buildings I thought the best examples would be found within the pebble bed heathland area...which would mean a bit of travelling further afield. However, pebbles have been used quite extensively in the construction of older buildings and walls around my home town of Seaton. Mind, there were gravel pits in the area in which pebbles were also found and extracted, as well as a pebble beach. So, it shouldn't really come as a surprise to find their usefulness as building materials here too.

What was a surprise however, was finding this amazing house. Taking my camera out for a walk around the town in order to look at walls (I might be a little strange but I'm not dangerous, honest!) I couldn't believe my luck when I came across it. What surprised me even more is that I must have walked by loads of times and never really noticed it before.
 

Originally called Parklands, Park Cottage is a delightful Cottage Orne style house, built sometime in the latter part of the 1800s or early 1900.

The photo above shows the wonderfully quirky gate and pebble-encrusted pillars of the front garden entrance. Below is the east elevation where a pebble facing has been used to create interesting shapes out of the plaster beneath. From the photo it looks a bit 'pebble-dash', but they really are quite large pebbles...or popples, which is the Devon colloquial name for them.

 

On my second tour past the house, after taking photos from all sides, the owner happened to be in the garden. I asked him if he knew anything about its history and he very kindly showed me a book with photos and information about the house, and also allowed me to take some photos inside the garden.

I borrowed the book from the local library, which was interesting with its 'before and after' pictures, but the info was of the family that originally lived there and not about the building itself.
 

Photos in the garden, above and below, showing pebble-topped curly walls and pebble diamond shapes in the path. I love the diamond patterned bricks on the steps. We had a brick path like that in the garden of the house where I grew up, and it's quite rare to see them these days.

The diamond shaped insets and a straight line of pebbles across the plain concrete path in the above photo.
 

The boundary wall consists of local chert, also topped with pebbles.

I was surprised to find that Park Cottage isn't in the listed buildings register. The frontage, above, consists of two pitched gables above the upper storey windows, decorated with scalloped hung tiles, and decorative ridge tiles on the roof. A Cottage Orne veranda comprises part of the front entrance.

 

Above can be seen a view of the northern rear and west side. Below, the western elevation, with its pebble design.

And finally, another view of the lovely gate and fairytale pillars.

Southern Cross Tea Rooms, Newton Poppleford, Devon

I took these photos in July 2009, and didn't really intend to do anything specific with them at the time. A few years later I did some research for a project involving pebble buildings in East Devon and this building came to my attention as having a pebble wall. So, I checked out my photos to see if I had the said wall. I didn't find anything conclusive, but decided to scan them anyway and have a look to see if the building has any interesting history.

Interestingly, it's been a tea room for more than 50 years. Founded in the 1950s by the Irish actress Eileen McKenna, she had a trademark of the 'clotted cream mountain', which was a super-sized version of the traditional Devon Cream Tea comprising scones lathered in clotted cream topped with jam and a pot of tea...and if you could eat one massive confection, you received another one free!  Apparently, some of the celebrities who dined there included Bruce Forsyth and Prince Edward. The challenge remained for four decades during her tenure.

A Grade II listed building, it was built in the early 18th century, modernised in C19 and extended during the 20th century. The building is plastered cob on stone rubble footings, topped with brick and a thatched roof.

Something I did discover, is that from the rear corners the high garden walls were made from local large river cobbles. Newton Poppleford is taken from the Saxon words for 'new town by a pebble stream'...popples being an old Devon name for pebbles.

I only visited here once, but it holds a special place in my heart. I was just coming out of an especially dark time in my life, and chilling out in the garden with coffee (I can't remember if I had a cream tea, but it would be nice to think that I did!) coincided with the start of much happier times.

The photo above shows a wall, which may be one of the pebble walls indicated - although it's difficult to ascertain, as there's not much of it visible and is also painted white. Below is a photo of the front. It was difficult to get a decent photo, as it's on the busy A3052 road to Exeter. Hopefully, I'll be visiting the village again in order to look for more pebble buildings, at which time I might get some more photos of the tea rooms too...and treat myself to a cream tea! :)
 

The Village Hall, Newton Poppleford, Devon

Tucked away between and behind the houses on Station Road is this delightful building, the Village Hall. I was unable to discover its history or anything about it at the time, as it doesn't appear to be a Listed Building.  Fortunately, a gentleman from the Newton Poppleford History Group kindly sent me some information; the rest is a little architectural detective work of my own.

 
The main body of the building was thought to have been constructed using bricks that came from the site of the old silk mill, which was demolished just before the turn of the 19th century, and the front of the building was added later and paid for by a wealthy local; the iron work came from the local blacksmith who was situated next door.

The frontage is in the Arts & Craft style of the Edwardian era, although if it was added much later it may be the Revived style of the 1930s. However, the features appear to fit the former style more accurately, with its prominent front gables, mock timber, long row of mullion windows with diamond panes and protruding window frame. The door is wide and recessed beneath a porch. The upper storey is jettisoned on brackets to emulate a Tudor building.

Looking at the side reveals the difference between the front and the rest of the building. It's interesting to see the contrast between the varying materials of the stone rubble steps, white painted pebble dash and bright red bricks.
 

As shown in the photos above and below; the rear section, with its lovely red brick. Not only the fabric of the building, but the style itself is altogether different. Although the silk mill was situated elsewhere, the only remains being the field where it stood, it looks as if it may have been rebuilt in a similar fashion to the mill. The frontage possibly added later. I really like the rounded windows, especially the long one.

Although a story is beginning to reveal itself, it's still a bit of a conundrum, but that's what I love about buildings that have developed and changed over time. :)

May Terrace & Blackmore House, Sidmouth, Devon

Wandering around Sidmouth whilst waiting for films to be processed a few years ago, I chanced upon these delightful buildings. I haven't been able to ascertain any particular history attached to them, other than that they were built in 1904. Edwardian brick-built buildings with lovely Dutch gables - and the odd modern dormer - with wrought iron balcony railings at the front. However, I rather like Dutch gables, so it wasn't one to be missed!

At the end of the terrace is another building, called Blackmore House. I love the quirky look of it when viewed from the south side. Interestingly, the buildings back onto Blackmore Gardens, the only part left of a large house and grounds. This little house may have replaced a lodge to the main big house...although it may have just been called Blackmore House because of its proximity to the gardens and have nothing to do with the house at all, being built much later.
 

However, it wasn't until walking around to the rear that I saw how quirky May Terrace is too, with the end of the building finishing in an unusually sharp point.

Below, the rear of the pointy building. It's so thin that it looks just like a rear wall but there are windows on the front elevation. I'd be really interested to see how it looks inside and what possible use it has room-wise.

 More photos from the rear, below. Some lovely slate hung tiles on the left portion.

Although the front elevation is joined, the buildings are separated with courtyards in between. 

And finally, two more views of the lovely Dutch gabled frontage. Interestingly, there are several Dutch gabled buildings in Topsham, at the furthest reach of East Devon. During Mediaeval times there was much trading between Exeter (Topsham being the ancient port of the city) and the Netherlands. Bricks were used as ballast in the Dutch ships, which were then off loaded in Exeter and used for buildings.

Not only did the Dutch influence some of the buildings, but some retiring captains from Holland settled in Topsham and built Dutch style houses for themselves. Although, a Dutch acquaintance of mine did tell me that they aren't really authentically Dutch, therefore they're probably a hybrid between Mediaeval Holland and England.

May Cottage, Sidmouth, Devon

This lovely Grade II listed house, with its iconic Devon thatched roof, comprises two storeys and a projecting bay on the north east end. Stuccoed with a roughcast finish, the main front elevation contains four windows, two each side of the porched entrance, with a further window above the door. That central window plus the two on the right side are blind, presumable having been blocked up at some point. The projecting bay holds a slightly bowed sash window on the first floor.

Apart from the blue plaque information, I had difficulty discovering anything else about this lovely thatched house. However, the book "Life and Times in Sidmouth: A Guide to the Blue Plaques" by Julia Creeke has been very useful, and most of the following historical information has been derived from it. I'd also like to thank the member of staff at Sidmouth Museum who suggested the book.

At one time the home of John and Ann Potbury, (whose son began the well-known local furniture business Potbury & Sons, which is still trading today), it became the first Sidmouth cottage hospital. Benefacted by a Miss Annie Leigh Browne, who offered to pay the rent for the first three years, it opened in 1885. Miss Leigh Browne bought May Cottage after its use as a hospital, to let as a private residence. It later on became a guest house.

During its phase as a guesthouse, it was famous for a beautiful passion flower that covered the front of the building. Unfortunately, it died after two very cold winters during the early 1960s. However, there are now two lovely clematis climbing in its place.

Although Devon thatched houses are fairly timeless, and difficult to pinpoint a specific era, this one does have a few clues. It can be seen in a print dated 1826, which fits with some Regency features such as the windows and cast iron porch. However, it is thought to have been built some time in the 17th century, and according to the house listing was rehandled in the 19th century, which accounts for the addition of the Regency features at that time.
 

Above, the lovely bow window and the enclosed cast iron porch with peaked canopy and fleur de lis finial to the wall.

May Cottage now houses the Sidmouth International School, teaching English to foreign students, which is a lovely use for such an historic and iconic Devon building. 

And a few more photos to finish off. :)