Taking a bus journey to Lyme Regis in July 2023, my mission was to take photos of all the buildings on Marine Parade. I already had some from previous visits, and articles of two of the buildings (three now, since the latest visit), but I still took more photos. It was more than I really needed, but I wasn't going to miss a rare opportunity. :)
Having said that, I did miss out on a few right at the start because they are now shops & cafes and difficult to see the buildings properly. It was also jam-packed with people and I couldn't wait to get past them. I really don't like crowds, lol.
However, after negotiating past them the first of interest are the fabulous 4 to 6 consecutive dwellings in the Moorish style building circa 1840.
The central part of the building was built first, replacing three cottages, and consisting of just two storeys with lovely hanging tiles on the front wall.
The two wings to either side were added later in the 19th century, as well as some of the embellishments, such as the trellised iron porch and veranda. Also a later modern third floor above the original two.
The full article with more photos and information about this utterly charming building can be seen here.
The next one along is a row of terraced cottages - Nos 6A to 9 - starting with Little Madeira.
Little Madeira was a much later build than the others, in 1934-35, and was specifically made to fit into the small space between the Moorish Style building and the erstwhile first of this row, hence numbered 6A.
Emulating the early 19th century style of the others in this row, the 2-floor bay on the right side of the door is identical to the one on the next building. You can also see the join between the two buildings in the above photo, the drip mould above the door cleverly overlapping the join. Pilasters either side of the door and fanlight above in the Regency style. There are also cute little dormer windows along the thatched roof, which continues along all these cottages.
Which brings us to Madeira Cottage at No 7, built circa 1815 - 1819.
Again, the 2-floor bay with windows and a sash window above the door, although this one is wider, having more room. Beautiful trellis iron porch surrounding the door and casement windows to the left beneath a lower frontage.
Followed by Harville Cottage, named after a character in Jane Austin's book Persuasion, set in Lyme Regis. Another early 19th century building, this was added after Madeira Cottage.
As well as another lovely trellised porch, this one also has a bow window, but only on the ground floor. Casement windows are above and a sash window to the right of the door. And a chair to sit on! :)
The next one is Benwick Cottage at No 8A, also built after Madeira Cottage in the early 19th century. It too was named after a character in Jane Austin's Persuasion. I didn't know why, but the description in the Listed Buildings is completely different to the last one I have, so I checked some images online and realised that I'd missed Benwick Cottage out completely! Doh!
Anyway, the very last one is called Dolphin Cottage. The photo below shows it on the left side (middle of the photo) whereas half of the window on the far right belongs to Benwick Cottage, which is quite plain and probably the reason why I didn't notice it properly.
Dolphin Cottage at No 9 is a delightful higgledy piggledy building with three different roof levels and slate-hung wall tiles on the gable matching those of the lower roofs. The taller right hand portion shares the same thatched roof as the listed buildings. Although Dolphin Cottage isn't listed on its own merits, it's part of the group as a curtilage building.
And some photos taken on an earlier visit, below. The splayed bay to the right of the door is really charming - with protruding window below - and encompassing the first floor storey along with sash window above and bracketed eaves.
The lovely slate hung tiles on the wall can be seen better on these earlier photos below, matching those on the lower roof. I'd wondered if the dark tiles on the later photos had been painted over but, having seen some on the earlier photos they were probably replacement tiles for any fallen and broken. The lighter grey ones having weathered to that pale hue over the centuries.
The boundary wall leads along to the next building, which is called Argyle. Originally a bath house, it was built in 1833.
A three storey building, the ground floor is to the fore with the top two storeys to the rear, creating a balcony on the ground floor roof. Both the balcony and the projection below have Roman lattice fences. In the Listed Buildings they are said to be made of wood, but as the listing is old they may have been refurbished since then. I love these, they're really attractive.
The entrance on the ground floor is wide with a segmental heading and rusticated dressings, although the doors are modern. The ground floor is clad in roughcast with quoins, unlike the second and third floor section, which is hung with octagonal slates.
The photo below was taken on a previous visit; a much sunnier day complete with a sun shade on the top balcony.
Next along are two fabulous buildings - Library Cottage and Sundial House - which can also be seen with more photos and information in these earlier articles here and here.
Library Cottage was built in the early to mid 19th century, commensurate with the other buildings we've seen so far. The architect was Arnold Mitchell, who turned the two original cottages into this delightful house.
A symmetrical frontage of pink-washed walls with hexagonal slate-hung tiles, it consists of two storeys and two window bays encompassing both top and bottom floors. Now once again two separate, semi-detached homes; at least one of which is a holiday cottage.
The water traps and drainpipes to either side of the frontage, along with the spigot and metal trough in the centre, were taken from another building. They were popular in the Georgian era and were decorated and dated to emphasize status. These are dated 1768.
Called Library Cottage because it was here that the Marine Circulating Library was established in 1839. Our nation's much loved novelist, Jane Austen, had died some 22 years before in 1817; otherwise, we might imagine her visiting the circulating library as part of her social life when she stayed in Lyme.
A later photo, now painted an orangey salmon pink*, with Sundial House next door.
*Travesty! lol
Also designed by Arnold Mitchell, this charming Grade II Listed Building was constructed in 1903. The eponymous sundial can be seen in the above photo underneath the bottom set of bay windows. headed by a delightfully fat grinning sun and edged with ebullient foliage curlicues - or twiddly bits, as I like to call them ;) - the motto beneath is HORAS NON NUMERO NISI SERENAS, which roughly translates as "I do not count the hours except the bright ones". Such a beautifully appropriate epithet.
And again in a later photo below, seen just bove the retaining wall.
The grilled doorways lead to stone stairs going up to the ground floor. Ammonites are set into the wall, Lyme being well known for its abundance of fossils in this area.
One or two buildings are next. Nothing very interesting, including a shelter and games arcade somewhere along here, so I didn't take any photos.
Then a bit further along is this interesting building called Jubilee pavillion.
After doing the research I found that it used to be one of three shelters that had a £1 million development on Marine Parade in 2012. The other two are situated either side, the left side one seen above.
Some lovely details, such as the composite capitals on the columns, pebble blasted facades between the stone quoins, heraldic badges and a classical balustrade parapet above.
The pavillion is run by local volunteers for various community events. In the photo below can be seen the other shelter on the right side.
Those are the buildings on the north side, the south side overlooking the beach. However. towards the end the parade becomes a short lane with buildings on both sides.
I think I lost the plot a bit as I only took photos of the top floors of most, unless it was because there were too many people about by then. Anyway, on the north side to the right are a series of flats with shops on the ground floor of some.
On the left south side is a building complex containing Jane's Cafe, the Royal Standard Public House and Bay Cottage. They belong to a group of Grade II listed buildings, but unfortunately I only took this one quick photo whilst walking past.
Photos of the flats and shops on the north side below, of which some are also Grade II listed buildings.
It's taken me ages to sort out which is which, as at least one building in the Listed Buildings Register has the wrong information on it. Anyway these buildings are numbered 14 to 20 plus three at the end with the names Cobb House flats, the Old Bonded Store flats and shops, and the Old Watch House.
I missed out the first few, which is a shame as they all form a group on this side, although only four are actual listed buildings. The one above is No 18 and next to that is a building which projects forward slightly containing No 19 and No 20, which is called Portland View.
Built in the late 18th century to mid 1800s, the top two floors are clad in slate hung tiles in diamond shapes. A lovely splayed window bay on the first floor and sash windows including original glazing bars along each of the three window bays.
And next to this is Cobb House Flats, a four storey building with sash windows throughout, which is also dated in the late 18th to mid 19th centuries.
The photo below shows the lovely iron window guards on the ground and top two floors.
And the final building that I have photos for is this fabulous former Bonded Warehouse, seen below. Bonded warehouses are places to store goods imported into the country before either exporting again, withdrawn as supplies to a vessel or aircraft in international traffic, destroyed under customs supervision or withdrawn for domestic sale or consumption after payment of duty.
Dated 1830, this three storey building was constructed in blue lias, consisting of four window bays and large iron studded double doors on the ground floor...essential for protection of goods once stored there and equally protective of the modern shop full of goodies. The other floors consist of flats.
Then
right at the end of the road is another building tucked around the
corner, which is The Old Watch House. However, I didn't notice it enough
to take a photo of that one. In the photo below, the building on the
far left hand corner is opposite Marine Parade on Cobb Road, and is the
erstwhile Customs House. Somewhere else to take photos of, along with
the south side buildings, if I ever manage to get to Lyme Regis again!
So that's about it. I've been working on this for several months off and on, and I thought I'd never get it finished. Phew! If I've missed out anything important I'll be sure to edit it in later.
Next up is Part Two of Weather Lore. At least that's the plan. Another longish one, but hopefully I'll also be able to take more photos soon for several shorter articles.
Cheers! :)
