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Summary

House, circa 1830, library extension of 1882, pavilion added later in 19th century and front of the original house altered in circa early 20th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1103794: THE CLIFF

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 87596

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VILLA (XIX - 1830 AD to 1830 AD (Between))

Full description

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: Budleigh Salterton, 9, 15 (Report - non-specific). SDV346418.

The Cliff, a mixture of styles, was once occupied by the local historian Dr. T. N. Brushfield and has a former library with elaborate Gothick fenestration and extensive late 19th century colour-patterned glass. Photograph shows the detail of the colour-patterned glazing which is typical of larger villas of this period. Other details: Maps, photograph.

English Heritage, 2011, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV346128.

House. Circa 1830, library extension of 1882, pavilion added later in 19th century and front of the original house altered in circa early 20th century. Stuccoed. Gable-ended, probably slate, roof concealed by parapets. Brick stacks at gable ends.
Plan: The original circa 1830 house is double depth with 2 principal front rooms, a central entrance hall and probably service rooms at the back. In 1882 a single storey Gothic style library wing was built on the right hand side of the house; this was a large single room. Probably a little later in the 19th century a Swiss-chalet style pavilion was built on the left hand side of the house; it has a square small one-room plan with external stairs at the front to the first floor room. In circa early 20th century 2-storey bay windows were added to the front of the original circa 1830 house.
Exterior: The original house is 2 storeys and attic, with a 3-window front. To the left and right of the front there are circa early 20th century 2-storey square bay windows either side of a central doorway with a glazed door with a rectangular fanlight and a circa early 20th century 2-light mullion-transom window above. The high parapet with a moulded cornice conceals 2 flat-roof dormer windows with casements complete with glazing bars. The parapet at the gable ends is stepped and there is a small round-headed attic window in the left hand gable end. Set back on the left hand end of the house there is the late 19th century 2-storey pavilion in a sort of Swiss chalet style which appears to be stuccoed with applied timber framing and it has a sprocketed gableted roof, the gables tile hung and the left hand side with a similarly tile-hung projecting gable to an oriel window which has lattice glazing. On the front of the pavilion an external flight of wooden stairs up to the first floor doorway with a canopy above. On the right hand side of the house Dr Brushfield's single storey library: stuccoed and with a parapet and a moulded cornice which breaks forward at the front over a slightly advanced centrepiece with a tripartite Gothic window with a bracketed cill and hood-mould. The rounded right hand corner of the library is recessed and contains a round-headed niche and a small blind quatrefoil above. The moulded cornice continues around the corner into the right hand elevation and around a rectangular bay projecting across the rear corner; the bay has a bowed window on its front and a 2-centred arch doorway in its left side. There is a roof lantern lighting the library. The rear elevation was not inspected.
Interior: Only the interior of the library is described. It is top-lit from a large square lantern. The ornamental wooden panelled ceiling has pendants, bosses and small arch braces supported on panelled piers. There is a fine tiled cast-iron chimneypiece, the tiles decorated with classical motifs, and a cast-iron grate. The windows retain their attractive stained glass in geometric patterns and armorial bearings. The bookcases have been removed, in spite of which this is a most complete interior. The interior of the pavilion and the mail house were not inspected and may well contain features of interest.
Historical note: The Cliff was the house (from 1882 to 1910) of Dr T N Brushfield, an antiquarian, a notable local historian, an authority on Sir Walter Raleigh and third largest contributor to the Oxford Dictionary. This library was built to accommodate his collection of over 10,000 books and manuscripts. The construction was carried out by Jacob Cowd, builder and William Keslake, carpenter. The Cliff is also said to have been a private school in the 19th century (presumably before 1882) called 'Academy for the Sons of Civil Servants in India'.
Source: Information provided by P Norman and E Spurway of Budleigh Salterton from a text by the late J Gooding.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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