Clifton Place is situated in a triangle of land between the cliff edge at the western end of the Esplanade and Peak Hill Road, which is just to the right of the buildings in the photo below.
This is one of several visits when I didn't take enough photos and intended to go back, but unable to. However, I took these during one of my walks along the cliff underwalk, when I also included some of the houses seen from below, as well as a couple from the road side on the walk back, so I somehow managed to get all or most of them anyway.
The first one, seen on the right above, is No: 1, oddly enough. ;) Unlike the other buildings it doesn't seem to have another name to it. A Grade II Listed Building, all the listed buildings in Clifton Place form a group and are all the same grade. It looks somewhat plain but does have a rather nice tent-shaped porch canopy and was built circa 18th century.
The next building along from that is No: 2, although this one also has the name of Clifton Lodge. Again, probably 18th century with later alterations, although it has retained its lovely thatched roof and also has a fabulous Georgian style porch with trellis work and tent-shaped canopy.
The third one along is Clifton House, which was formerly an hotel. Almost destroyed by fire, the original two storeys on the seaward side has partly been retained. The doorways contain modern Georgian style canopies and slightly bowed bays to the windows.
We can just about see the bowed windows in the bit of Clifton House seen on the far right of the above photo. I don't have any information on the house next door to it, as it isn't in the Listings. It does have a rather nice bargeboard running along the roof edge and a gable to the eastern end along with one on the front plus a deep bowed ground floor window bay.
The next one along is a detached building called Rock Cottage; an early 19th century Cottage Ornee and the first house to be built overlooking the beach on this triangle of land. Semi-circular dormer windows are situated in the thatched roof, which also has bracketed eaves and polygonal chimney pots.
Behind that is the delightful cottage called The Beacon, and the last one along is Clifton Cottage. Some of the garden walls to the cliff edge are also listed, parts of which I do have photos for.
This is the beach side of The Beacon, above, showing a small part of the swiss chalet style balcony and the walls beneath. I'll talk more about the building itself further on as I walked back the road way and have better photos of it from that side. The top wall is the terrace wall to the cottage, constructed in flint rubble with crenelations, and it is Grade II Listed along with the other structures.
Another photo of the top and bottom wall, with a view of Clifton Cottage beyond that.
The lower walls were probably added later to strengthen the cliff and emulate the terrace wall above with its fortified style. Between the two cottages is a culvert with an outflow of a stream, the name of which I've read somewhere but can't recall and can't find again!
The retaining garden
wall of Clifton Cottage on the sea side is also listed.
The style consists of bricks, flint and pebbles merging into the lovely curves and lines of the cliff face rock.
The view from the top shows, from the left, Clifton Cottage, The Beacon and Rock Cottage further on with the first five buildings beyond that.
Clifton Cottage is beautifully sprawling with additions and alterations at various times. An old photograph dated 1817 shows it to be a lot simpler consisting of one cottage with thatched roof and not the variety of rooftops and chimneys it now has.
Interestingly,
the accompanying written account of 1820 says that there were about
forty homes along the beach below, some of which can be seen in that
photo here.
Still with a thatched roof the gables above the windows are also thatched, as seen in the above photo.
The Beacon with Rock Cottage further along behind it, taken from the road on the way back, below.
Originally consisting of two cottages in one building with separate entrances each side, The Beacon was later converted to just one dwelling. Built in the style of Swiss Chalet and Sidmouth Gothic in 1840, it's set at an angle to the road, which helps to give it a wonderfully quirky look.
The windows are such a delight. They consist of diamond-paned transoms above casements and wonderfully pointed heads. Note that I didn't say 'pointy heads', although I might be forgiven for saying so as some of my readers may have noticed that I'm also a Sci-fi nut! ;)
The wall on the road side is also listed, part of which can be seen above. A flint and rubble wall with flint capping, it's a continuation of the garden wall belonging to Rock Cottage, also listed.
And finally another view of the very first photo along Peak Hill Road towards the two cottages. Just because it's nice and I've run out of photos, lol.
For more photos (a lot more) and information about the incredible rock formations along the cliff walkway you can see the article here.
I'm not sure what's next although I'm working on a few things at the moment, including the second part of Weather Lore. Cheers for now. :)
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