South Lodge, Sidmouth, Devon

South Lodge was the original gatehouse to Balfour Manor and is situated at the entrance to the drive. Built sometime in the late 19th century, possibly around the same time as the Victorian manor house built in 1876, it has been extended over the years but still retains the lovely mellow red-brick style of the late Victorian period.

Oddly enough, this does not appear amongst the Listed Buildings. However, I've found that many Sidmouth buildings aren't listed, including Balfour Manor itself, which is a totally gorgeous late Victorian Revival building in the Jacobean style. I didn't know about it at the time I saw South Lodge, which is a shame as I'm not sure I'll be able to get there again, but I might give it a try once I'm getting out and about further afield.

Also a Revival building, although not as flamboyant as some, South Lodge has a quiet charm as it nestles in the corner between the drive from the lane and the main road. Mostly hidden from view behind a large gate, the manor wall and hedging, most of the ground floor architectural details cannot be seen. However, we can still see the asymmetrical, steep pitched roofs with forward facing gables. There's a tantalising glimpse of a porch, an oriel window with a lovely curved support, and delightful Tudor style chimney stacks.

Oh, and those walls. What an absolute delight they are. Tall gateposts in colour-banded brick and stone topped with ball finials, the wall top pitched like a roof with brackets and ridge tiles, squares of brick interspersed with squares full of popples (an old Devon name for pebbles) and weathered to the softest, orange-red brick.

The gate must be a later addition, or replacement for an original one, as it's just a rather sad concoction of metal and wire netting now.

And finally, a view of the lodge from across the lane, a lovely acer tree and an original lamppost which was moved and re-erected here. 

Just a short article but one of a few I thought I'd already included, having discovered my mistake whilst concocting the Contents page. More coming up! :)