Photographs © Jan Marshall – Author.

Jan Marshall – Author of A Curious State of Affairs (UK & USA) invites you to take a stroll around her town. All of the following photographs were taken on: Saturday 14th July 2007 – a day captured in time in Sidmouth, Devon, England.

Sidmouth is a beautiful unspoilt regency town overlooking Lyme bay on the Jurassic coast. It is full of lovely period buildings with white facades and wrought iron railings – over 500 of the buildings are listed.

The local Manor Pavilion Theatre is just a couple of minutes stroll from my home:

We often go there to watch plays:

Next door is the Manor Pavilion Arts Centre:

A friend of mine was exhibiting here – so we called in to take a look:

If you cross the road from the Art’s Centre and go down Coburg Road there are a number of lovely cottages – all different:

Off to the left as you walk along Coburg Road is Coburg Terrace (I took this photo from the other side of the tennis court looking back at the buildings):

On the right hand side as you walk is the Church House – currently being restored:

In front of the Church House is a crazy golf lawn:

Coburg Road continues into Church Street - on the corner is the Museum (first referred to in writing in 1873):

Looking from the Museum down Church Street towards the Church of St Nicohlas and St Giles:

The entrance to the church is on your immediate left:

The church was granted in 1212 – and restored in 1860.

At the front of the church is the war memorial:

At the rear of the church is Church Cottage (I believe this was once the rectory):

Below: view of the front of the church.

Looking down from the church towards the Market Place:

Continuing on we approached the Old Market – the first market was held in 1200 at the time of Richard, the second vicar of Sidmouth:

The Old Market (1849) building:

Opposite the Old Market building is the department store, Fields:

And the  corner of Old Fore Street (the original High Street) where it meets Prospect Place:

We turned left into, Old Fore Street:

There was a violinist playing in Old Fore Street – there is usually at least one musician playing on a Saturday in the town.

We had lunch at a secret location in Old Fore Street:

The food is delicious there:

We sat outside on the upstairs terrace and could see the patio below:

After lunch we walked down Old Fore Street passing the The Old Ship pub (1350) :

A side street view:

We strolled along the High Street & Fore Steet doing some shopping, one of the lovely old buildings in the High Street below:

And a delightful old shop in Fore Street:

Below is the view from the end of Fore Street looking back (with the sea behind you):

We have reached The Esplanade – looking left here, this is the view:

Still looking left along The Esplanade:

Some of the building along The Esplanade:

The Marine is our favourite pub – we sometimes sit outside here overlooking the sea:

The view from The Marine pub:

Many of the post boxes in the town have flowers on top:

The Riveria Hotel:

The first ever Beach House (1790) in Sidmouth – at the far end of The Esplanade (near the life guard station):

Looking right along The Esplanade (towards Jacob’s ladder) – this is the way we walked:

We stopped for an ice cream before turning right up Station Road:

Continuing along Station Road we passsed:

And then turned left into Fort Field Terrace:

Below, Numbers 7 & 8 Fortfield Terrace  had the Rusian Eagle placed on the front in 1831 when relatives of the Tsar of russia were in residence (the Tsar of Russia’s daughter-in-law is said to have stayed her in 1820).

Notice the woman reading below:

If she were to look up from her book this would be her view:

Following the shortcut around the sport’s club we see:

And looking to the right:

As we continue along the path we can see across the sport’s field to the lovely view:

And we end up, overlooking the sea but high up:

Peering over the wall straight ahead we see:

Looking left, from our high up position:

Looking right – this is the way we walked:

The Victoria Hotel (built by Colonel Balfour in 1903) was on the right as we walked up the hill:

We continued up the hill passing the lovely cottages on the left hand side (they overlook the sea):

Notice the upstairs windows of this beautiful thatched cottage, they have a sail-boat  stained glass design:

and look at the downstairs window of another cottage:

beautiful isn’t it?

We pass:

We eventually arrive at Conaught Gardens (HRH The Duke of Connaught gave his name to the gardens):

Wandering through the gardens we reach The Clock Tower restaurant:

And through the arch we see:

We are now standing at the top of Jacob’s Ladder looking at the view:

This is the view of Jacob’s Ladder, from Peak Hill (owned by National Trust) the other side:

We then walked (two minutes stroll) back across the road to home – passing The Royal Glen Hotel (Grade 1 listed) as we went. (Princess Victoria was narrowly missed by a gunshot fired by a youth, hunting birds, whilst playing in her room here, during her stay in 1819). The Royal Glen was originally known as Woolbrook Cottage (when HRH The Duke of Kent resided here in 1819.)

Then home to Earl Grey tea, cake and a much earned rest!