Victorian/Edwardian Shop, Seaton, Devon

Like many in Seaton, this plain but lovely building was built sometime between Mid Victorian and the Edwardian area inclusively. At least that's what I'm surmising from the style, as I haven't been able to discover anything about it at all, apart from its current value from various estate agent websites! 

However, I've managed to glean something about the architecture and a little of its history as I've experienced it over the last 45 years.

Although fairly plain, it does look quite imposing on the corner of Cross Street and Queen Street, making a landmark when walking down through town. And there are a few delightful details still to be noticed.

Pretty bargeboards adorn the gable side of the pitched roof, decorative ridge tiles on the roof apex and small shuttered windows on the rear side help to mitigate the plain side wall.

With two bays to either side, the frontage is typical of a Mid Victorian house, along with the sash windows. The door is narrow and there are brackets beneath the cornice under the roof, which is also commensurate with that time frame.

A small portico above the entrance, supported by decorative brackets.

I don't know whether it was originally a house or intended as shop premises from the start. Some friends of mine lived in one of the flats above, which was quite spacious, and the shop on the left was a fishmongers and greengrocers for many years where I often shopped. At the time of taking the photos it was inhabited by Daniel & Alexander, which sold interior design items, since when there have been several different shops.

And that's about it! Just a short article but one that I wanted to include as it's a building I really like. Back to a much longer post next time; one that I've been working on for a while now...unless I decide to put another short one in by way of procrastination! :)

 

 

St Nicholas's Church, Combe Raleigh, Devon

I saw this lovely building just before Christmas 2016. There was a Christmas Festival inside the church, which some friends were visiting, so I took the opportunity to go along with them and have a wander around the outside to take some photos. I only took a few interior ones but I did manage to scoff a mince pie and partake of some mulled wine instead! 

A Grade II* Listed Building that's largely early 15th century with a 14th century tower, it's constructed in flint rubble and dressings of both Bathstone and Beerstone (the latter from Beer Quarry just above the village of Beer). Like many old churches there was a fair amount of restoration during the 19th century but there are also signs that there was some substantial rebuilding in the 15th century too. It was possibly Saxon in origin and rebuilt around it.

Not only had I completely lost the plot since then, I never even had one to begin with, and knew absolutely nothing about this church and its layout. However, gleaning information from the British Listing, these photos below appear to show the south-west porch. According to the description the one on the left (first photo) is the main entrance and although the one on the right has a simple door - seen in the photo above - it might be kept locked and not used as an entrance. 

 

The gorgeous two-light window on the west side of the right-hand porch above and close-up below.

It's interesting to see the different styles of windows throughout. The one above is a Gothic Perpendicular style with a flat head and drip mould; a style which began in the second half of the 14th century. The windows each side of the porch are also perpendicular in style but with a round arch on the left and another flat headed window to the right, albeit with a different kind of decoration at the top of each light.

There are several doors. As well as these two on the porch side, there's also one on the north-east side.

 

And one on the tower, along with another perpendicular window.

Opposite the porch is this table tombstone. I haven't been able to discover anything about it but it does look extremely old and is probably commensurate with the early building.

And looking across the churchyard is a lovely view of nearby thatched cottages with the hills beyond.

And to finish off with, just the few photos I took inside. There were a lot of Christmas trees and several people so I didn't get much in the way of interior details. 

There were some nice windows, though...

...including this gorgeous tiny window with a simple candle decoration.

And there we have it. It's funny because I wasn't going to add this but I recently reviewed my photos and decided it might be worthwhile after all. I also really enjoyed composing the article and gleaning what information I could make of the little I'd found too, so it was well worth having a go at it. Cheers. :)

 

 

 

Westcliffe Terrace, Seaton, Devon

Situated upon the top of the Chine, which cuts down to the beach at the western end of West Walk, this delightful terrace was built in the late Georgian and early Victorian style during the mid 19th century.

A Grade II Listed Building, it comprises eight houses consisting of three storeys plus attic and basement - now split up into flats - with bay windows on the ground and first floors.

I love the Georgian style bay windows; shallower than more modern ones, they also have the most delightful curved glass panes.

The basement flats have access to lovely small courtyards, which some have made into pretty gardens with potted plants and seating areas. I knew someone who lived in one of the basement flats and they are quite roomy and with the addition of the outdoor space are somewhere I'd quite like to live.

Overlooking the Chine and the sea, you can't see much of the sea from the top, and the photo below shows the view from just partway up. The view from some of the higher windows might be more extensive and dramatic, although there are some very tall trees obscuring the view.

There is a nice little nook with a picnic table though, with sight of the sea through the trees.

Whilst visiting some friends who lived on the top, attic floor - I knew several people who lived here over the years, lol - I was suddenly startled by movement outside the windows. In a split second I thought that it was someone peeping in yet realising at the same time that we were too high up. The others laughed and said they'd been caught out like that when they first moved in, and that in fact it was seagulls and pigeons roosting and walking about on the parapet just outside the window.

Like many buildings of this era, the terrace looks quite different at the rear. There are still bay windows but, although the sides are plastered and painted to match the front, the rest shows the exposed red brick faded to a lovely orange.

One of the things I really like is the wall to the rear courtyards as it bends around the swerve in the road.   

The additional buildings to the rear also contrast nicely with their white painted walls. I don't know if they were part of the original design, or if they were built during conversion to flats.

And here's just two more photos taken from across the opposite side of the Chine, in Cliff Field.

And another one from the path to finish off with. :)