Wednesday 30 September 2020

Villa Terrace, Seaton, Devon



Comprising five houses, this terrace is just along the road from Manor Cottages (seen in the previous post), with another terrace inbetween. Sadly, unlike Manor Cottages, there are no name or date plaques on these other terraces, and I haven't been able to find out much at all. However, there are architectural clues as to when they were built, plus looking at old OS Maps I've been able to pinpoint which era they appeared. 

Although Manor Cottages were on the 1906 map, having been built in 1901, the other houses along this stretch don't appear until the next available map dated 1933, so therefore built sometime between the two dates.  Interestingly, this particular terrace has both the architectural features of the Edwardian style together with the later application of affordable homes; a period of great social change culminating in the end of the first World War in 1918, when schemes such as 'Homes Fit For Heroes' for the returning troops were the start of a national programme to clear the slums and provide better housing. 

 

Some of the Edwardian features include the use of square bay windows and hipped roofs. Architects still continued to draw on earlier styles with tall chimneys, gables (notably with mock timber), pebbledash, stained glass, hanging red tiles and terracotta decoration, but applying them to standard terraced housing and not just large expensive houses as previously. Although no Mock Tudor on these...thank goodness, did I hear someone say?*...the gables and window porches comprise a delightful mixture of terracotta hanging tiles forming a decorative pattern of rectangles and circles.

*Actually, it was me. ;)

 

Similar to Manor Cottages, the door architraves emulate the late Victorian Gothic style; white stone beautifully contrasting against the red brickwork. As can be seen on the photograph above, the moulding between the ground floor brick and the first storey pebbledash is deliberately picked out to enhance the different elevation of each house due to incline. It almost looks like a Mediaeval drip mould.


I love this old wrought iron garden gate with it's asymetrical design. It's slightly reminiscent of the Art Deco sunburst design of the 1920s; Art Deco being an art movement which took some of it's inspiration from Ancient Egypt, especially after the discovery of King Tutenkhamun's tomb in 1922. 



Above and below; lovely tall chimney stacks straddling across the pitch of the roof add another revival touch along with a pretty terracotta ridge tile. Altogether a very charming building. 


Ah, and about the name. Although I don't know of any name attached to it (a friend owns one of the houses and isn't aware of a specific name; there isn't one on the deeds), a couple of the homes have Villa in their house names, so I've made up a name for now to reflect that. I will, of course, update that and add other information if and when I discover more.

And, to finish off, a snowy photo taken a few winters beforehand. 


 

 

 

 

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