The Long House, Seaton, Devon

 

 

Although this building is called the Long House, and is certainly extremely long, it isn't actually a traditional longhouse. I haven't discovered when it was built but I did check out some old OS maps and found out that although it was on the 1958-59 map, it wasn't on the earlier one of 1938, therefore was built sometime between then.

When I first came to live in Seaton, nearly 44 yrs ago, I vaguely remember that it was a cafe. I didn't have occasion to go back up that road for a very long time after that, but by the time I did it had become a residential house. For some reason, I never got around to taking photos of it until a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks to the comment below, left by Chris Salter, I can now add his information that it was originally the Vee Cafe. The building was extended with wings added at each end in the early 1960s, when it was subsequently renamed the Long House. Having remained a cafe for some time afterwards, I'm pleased that I could remember it being that. Thanks again, Chris. :)

I decided to have a walk up here to take photos of a bungalow with a fabulous red corrugated roof, which I did, and whilst here I took photos of the nearby Harepath Farm and this building, at last! Which I was really excited about after not going on a photo mission for a long time.

 

The roof is tiled, rather than thatched. I really can't remember if it was ever thatched or not, which it may have been.

 

Taken just before the right hand turn off to Harepath Road into Seaton, below. The only way I could get all the building face on in one go! On the right hand corner there's a welcome sign to Seaton with a bench, a flower bed and some palms. Although not indigenous to Britain, there are a lot of palms and other tropical trees & plants on the South-West peninsular, due to the very mild climate and those intrepid Victorian (and earlier) explorers who brought back specimens from their travels.

I'll be putting up the other two articles from this walk - plus another one of a building I saw on the way - as soon as I obtain some more information and, in the case of Harepath Farm, some more photos. :)