One day in late January 2009 I had to go into Axminster, and walking past this building I noticed the signs saying it was earmarked for demolition. Previously used as an indoor market for greengroceries, kitchen hardware and gardening products, the pavement outside used to be stacked with flowers and plants for sale. I was hoping to buy some flowers as I had an errand nearby, but was disappointed...so I took some photos instead. :)
It wasn't until later that I discovered it was originally Webster's Garage before its market days - from a local newspaper article decrying it as an eyesore. Someone also told me that it had been shut down due to an arson attack about a year before. A local artist put forward the idea of producing a mural depicting Axminster and its history in order to disguise it a bit, which he subsequently produced. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to return to Axminster since then, so I don't have any photos.
Small shops were situated either side of the main building. These too had been closed ready for demolition. I was told that a taxi company, Males Taxis, used one of the shops until about ten years before the market was closed, and I also get the vague feeling that one of them was once a watchmender's as I recall seeing watches in the window.
The photos below were taken from the car park which abuts the side of the building. The glass roof had mostly gone at this time, leaving only the skeletal metal beams.
The building was eventually completely removed. The idea was to use the land as a temporary car park, during which time the yearly carnival funfair was also to be held on the site. I'm not sure if anything else has been done with it; plans to use it to create a possible shopping centre backfired, as government funding for high street regeneration was denied. This was as late as last year. However, having seen photos of it since being cleared it really is a lot bigger than I realised, so there may yet be possibilities for something interesting to be built there.
Starting life in the mid 1930s, the butchers shop was originally called Eastmans. It later became a part of the Dewhurst chain. Latterly, it was GK Meats for many years then in December 2015 it was taken over by Lloyd Maunder, when some very interesting original features came to light during renovations.
I took the two photos above and the one below whilst having a walk around Seaton looking for interesting details. This was when it still belonged to GK Meats. Being a Sunday the shop was closed but I loved the original mosaic pattern on the doorstep and the glazed wall tiles in the entranceway. The owner, Glen, told me later on that the chains are original and were used for displaying carcasses, such as rabbits, pheasants or even a pig. This was well before 'Health & Safety' rules and regulations, of course! ;)
I took the rest of the photos sometime in October 2016, after reading about the interior decor discovery in the local newspaper.
Apart from
the glazed tiles and door mosaic, the exterior features
include the lovely details above the windows and doors. The door, below, leads to the accommodation upstairs, and it too has the original decor on the door panels and window above it.
During the renovations the wall cladding and a false ceiling were taken down, revealing the original glazed tiles underneath. Matching the colour of the tiles in the entrance, the interior ones comprise of lovely foliate swathes beneath the ceiling and other decorative patterns lower down beneath a dado.
Sadly, Lloyd Maunder stayed for less than three years, as the Seaton branch wasn't as financially viable as their other shops. However, one thing we can be very grateful for is the renovation work they did to reveal the original shop decor.
Now a Micro Pub, the shop still retains those features. I haven't been inside myself, as I don't go out in the evenings these days...or hardly drink at all either, come to that, lol. The newspaper photos I've seen look good, though.
Here's some blurb about the pub taken from Whatpub.com.
"This
Micro Pub is situated in an old butchers shop. There are four real ales
and four real ciders served straight from the casks which are stored in
the old cold room. There is no fizzy beer or lager and no music. The
emphasis is on conversation but NOT on mobile phones. The landlord
always wears a hat, which is reflected in the pubs unusual name. Snacks
such as crisps and biltong are available."
Called All Hat and No Cattle, shortened to The Hat, I came across the saying 'All hat and no cattle' in the Urban Dictionary, which means...
"A slang phrase from the Southwestern United States, indicating a person is more image or projection than actual substance.
It is probably derived from the regions
contempt for people who are not cowboys or ranchers but who try to
mimic the frontiersman image through superficial adoption of the
regions folkways."
I had no idea what Biltong is, so I had to look it up. For others who haven't heard of it before either, here's what Wikipedia says about it.
"Biltong is a form of dried, cured meat that originated in Southern African countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia). Various types of meat are used to produce it, ranging from beef to game meats such as ostrich or kudu."
So there we have it! A fabulous resurrection from the past, showing the lovely kinds of detail that were often used in shops some 80 to 90 years ago. :)
Talking to a friend several years ago, she told me that there's some stunning stained glass inside this church. As it happened, there didn't seem to be a time when it was open apart from services, so it was a long time before I actually got to see it. Meanwhile, one day whilst wandering around town with my camera, I decided to take photos of the exterior anyway, and although there wasn't a lot to see I really enjoyed spending some time here. Eventually I was able to find a time when it was open to see the interior for myself...and it was well worth the wait!
This church was built specifically for the Congregationalists in 1894, as a more suitable venue for worship than the Independent Chapel on Fore Street that had been previously used. The name change occured when the Congregationalists and the Presbyterians merged to become the United Reformed Church in 1972.
Constructed with local flint, it's fairly typical of a Victorian Gothic church and has a few nice features such as the head stops at the ends of the hood moulds, which are of a foliate design. The quoins and window dressings are made from Bath and Beer limestone, the latter from the local Quarry above the village of Beer.
The panelled door with its light wood has a more modern look, and although the ironwork strap hinges are meant to emulate the Gothic style they too have the feel of a modern interpretation. I love the design of them...ornate, yet also simply and beautifully made, with the attention to detail that is sometimes lacking today.
Inside is a fairly large vestibule, which I discovered was used for a regular Wednesday coffee morning. Coffee & biccies and the chance to get inside and take photos! :)
The vestibule and main body of the church are divided by means of this wood-panelled and stained glass screen. Even though my friend had told me about the lovely stained glass, I had no idea just how gorgeous it is until I actually saw it.
The vestibule was enlarged in 1992, at which time the last two rows of pews were removed and the screen moved forward. I love the various geometrical designs in the windows and the Arts & Crafts flora in the door panels.
The rest of the church windows are quite simple with cathedral tinted glass windows, like the one situated in the vestibule. As opposed to plain glass, they have a very subtle blue tint, which is more evident with the smaller pieces of glass. Because the glass isn't clear the outside is seen as just a blurry colour - possibly to keep the congregation's attention from wandering - but it does also have a very pleasing effect, below.
Other exterior features include four gate pillars, two each side of a low wall in the centre topped with wrought iron railings.
The floral
carvings are an absolute delight and I love the way that weathering has
given the quatrefoils such an endearing quality.
And the original date stone, below.
Sandwiched between two buildings, the church looks deceptively small because only the front can be seen from the street. One side can be accessed by an entryway to the church hall at the rear. Some lovely y-tracery windows adorn the length, set within the striking contrast of mellow red brick.
The photos below are of the original chapel windows and roof in Fore Street, where the Congregationalists began.
It still amazes me that you can walk past a building regularly for years, yet when taking a longer and considered look it can have the power to surprise and delight you with its details. It's almost like a gift from the building itself, that taking the time to know and understand it gives the means to discover its secret uniqueness and character. :)
And a few more photos to finish off with.
