Minehead, The Plume Of Feathers Hotel 1892

Photo ref: 31224

More about this scene

Today, all that remains of the Plume of Feathers is the stableyard, now used as garages, which can be seen from Tythings Court. In the early 1900s the road was widened and the market house and several buildings in the same row were built to the designs of W J Tamlyn. The new market house was built in a 'neo-Baroque' style. It is dated 1902 on the façade in front of the clock tower. Most buildings in the Parade and Avenue are built of local Triassic sandstone. This reddish stone is soft compared with most local stones and can be most easily cut. Much came from Staunton quarry at Alcombe. However, it weathers easily and has become honeycombed in some of the older buildings in town. Harder red Devonian sandstones make up the hills around Minehead. This is difficult to cut and forms rough 'rubble' building stone, often used in outbuildings and garden walls. Some has been used in houses; along North Road and the Quay, large beach cobbles of the same stone have been split and used for building.