Swanage of Olde

Photos from the book 'Swanage Past' by
David Lewer & Dennis Smale, 1994
Published by Phillimore & Co Ltd

and Cyndi Mark

An Engraving, c1800, of Swanage from Carrant's Court, Cowleaze, by H.Gastineau. Townsend and the church tower are on the right of the picture, with Priest's Way on the left, descending to the blacksmith's (Parkers Stores) at the junction with the High Street. In the distance is Northbrook Farm, but what is the building on the left? Could it be Carrant's Court Manor?

 

Swanage Bay from Peveril, c1830. On the left is Alpha Cottage.
The Grove was built in 1838 and the stone quay in 1823.

Swanage Bay from the Downs c1830. Belvidere and The Rookery,
on Seymer Road, are on the left of the picture and Marine Villa is
on the right The stone quay can just be seen in the middle distance.

 

Swanage from an etching by Phillip Brannon on 1 August,1856, showing the Rose steamboat at the quay.
The first pier was not built until 1859.
From left to right: The Grove, Marine Villa, Belvidere, Tontine Houses, Osborne House,
The Rookery, Royal Victoria Hotel and Victoria Terrace, seen opposite the stone bankers.

 

J.W.B.Gibbs' painting of the High Street, c1865, showing old Purbeck House,
and on the right the Drong, later replaced by the Town Hall.
The shops were replaced by King Alfred Terrace, built for J.C.Robinson.

 

Godlingston Manor before the fire of 1871.
Note the ground-floor door to the ivy-clad, semi-circular
tower, c1300, which was later walled up.

An idyllic scene showing Ulwell Mill in 1874, by Walter Field.
The mill house has gone, replaced with a busy road to
the Sandbanks ferry.

 

Whitecliff Farm, the home of the Cockrams.


The 18th century Herston House, seat of the landed Cockram family, and later of
Capt. Cole RN. John Mowlem purchased this property in 1849 and added the crenulations.
The house was demolished in 1967. The stone'battlements' were preserved, forming
a path to a house facing Swanage Shore.

 

High St, c1890, showing George Burt's new Purbeck House.
It was designed by the architect Crickmay in 1875, as was the Town Hall.

 

Bathing huts - early 1900's

 

Swanage Pier

 

The Sands - Early 1900's

A crowded beach scene in Swanage Bay,
typical of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

An Edwardian scene showing lower High Street: far left is Hixon's Agency.
Later this fine building became the famous Trocadero Restaurant.
In the centre of the picture is Victoria Terrace, with John Mowlem's Observatory
seen above the roof tops. Far right is the Ship Inn.

The town pump, above Church Hill, c1907.
The cottages near the church tower were
demolished after a bombing raid during the
Second World War. The house fronted by
the steps and railings bears the date 1793.

Upper High Street, 1906, with the Black Swan on the right
and in the distance the spire of the Methodist church.
Note Cleall's horse and cart from Corfe village.

Swanage Mill Pond

 

Swanage High Street

Brown's Fishmonger Shop.
The original 16th/17th century building was demolished in 1908.
The birth place of Robert Burt senior and William Masters Hardy.

The Parade during the floods of 1935, with the
water pouring over the public slipway.

Bomb damage in Cornwall Road, during the Second World War.
This raid on 20 April 1942 also badly damaged Station Road
and killed five people.