Claremont: The House and Garden.

The House

Despite diligent and reasonable research, It is not exactly clear when Claremont was founded. Best estimates suggest the house was built by a William Barrett in 1826-7. It was constructed as a 'large stucco villa', in the Regency style and appears to have been initially used as a vacant property, a property for temporary let and for visiting gentry. Not that long after it's construction, (c.1840's) the property suffered a fire, the extent to this remains a mystery. However it is apparent that post fire, the thatch roof was replaced by slate. I have included a pen and ink sketch of the property, with thatch. This is the earliest image of the property indicating a thatch roof. It also shows the main entrance to the property, which currently exists as a footpath. As the property is orientated, the original prime perspective would have been south-south east (a clear view over the sea) so the wrap around entrance came up from 'Station Road', wrapped around the property and ended at the ENTRANCE to the property on the east side. For properties 1 and 2, this is not at all obvious but property 3 does contain a rather glamorous hidden spiral staircase that would have been, in the day quite something. 

Following the fire, 1851 (census) the property can be  more accurately calibrated in terms of residency. For most of its life it has been a private residence, occupied by numerous families (with servants/staff). A number of prominent Sidmothians lived here, including Major Brine (who fought in the Peninsula War, resident 1853-68), Col. Cafe (who won the Victoria Cross in India, resident 1879-1886) and two daughters of an Earl (the Ladies Charlotte and Louisa Hobart-Hampden, resident 1886-1920).
For a short period it was a convalescent home and then in 1965 was divided into three flats. No. 3, in the attic, was formerly the servants quarters, No. 2 on the second floor was formerly the Family bedrooms, No. 1 on the first floor had been Reception rooms & Butler's Pantry. The basement kitchen, scullery, laundry, fuel and wine stores are now garages.

The Garden

The garden was originally laid out in three parts: The upper third was Stables, Coach House and Kitchen Garden. This part was sold off in 1965 and now forms Claremont Cottage. Only a small brick building (stable & tack room?) remains of this third. The lower third was a "Pleasure Ground" with walks. It is now a wilderness of Rhododendrons with a fine Eucryphia & an Embothrium to hint at a former glory. The terracing can still be seen among the Rhododendron trunks. This, too, was sold off in 1965.
The middle third was the flower garden and lawn. At the division of the house into flats this third was allocated to Flat no. I-and it is this part which is open as part of the Secluded Gardens scheme.
This part of the original garden retains the layout of the Regency garden as is shown by a print of c.1830 and a photo of c.1860 in Sidmouth Museum. We are attempting to put the garden back close to what it was. The volume of shrub growth since 1964 has made the garden a haven for wildlife-fox, badger, even muntjac as well as many species of bird, & butterfly.
Claremont also has a breeding colony of Lesser Horseshoe Bats and the garden is one of the few sites in Devon colonised by a terrestrial shrimp from the southern hemisphere.
An advertisement for an auction at the York Hotel, Sidmouth in the Exeter Flying Post for:

 j41'_ Aug 1847"Lot. 1-"An elegant Freehold Villa Residence called CLAREMONT with its coach house, stable, garden and pleasure grounds, beautifully situated on an eminence, commanding a delightful view, with the ocean in the distance, and within a few minutes walk of the shore. "

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kindly note: the summary of the property was written some time ago, perhaps 2005: (author unknown.)

Listing Ref:  https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1228173?section=official-listing 

Owner's Perspective:

"From the image above, It is also worth noting that the villa has not changed that much including the gardens associated with 1 Claremont, in a  Century and a half. Note also the slate roof, the three or four ladies and the gardener/groundsman. I'd suggest that the ladies are a mother and one/two daughters or guests in classic Victorian dress, (they are 'believed' to be the Brine Family) . Personally I love the image and am hugely grateful to have an original print. Quite how it survived over the years is remarkable. It is truly a snapshot of times gone by."