CDMS Partners Ltd restore a Listed coastguard cottage in Lyme Regis

Coast to coast


Lyme Cottage in Lyme Regis is a Grade II Listed, pretty terraced house facing the famous Cobb and looking out to sea. On a stormy day you can almost believe that you can see the French Lieutenant’s woman stood at the end of the Cobb defying the waves that beat down against it.

For over 30 years the house has been owned by a Brighton family who have passed the house down through the generations, at one point it was owned by the composer Robin Milford, and may have inspired some of his music.
For CDMS Partners – the Brighton based Architectural Practice specialising in building conservation and Listed Building projects – the restoration of this coastguard cottage was quite a challenge mainly because like many Listed properties it had lost some of its original features and been modernised without much thought for its heritage and history.

Cobb Terrace was built in 1865 as coastguard’s cottages for the families that looked after the boats that patrolled the Jurassic coastline, they are compact two up, two down cottages with a small out house at the rear and an ‘outshut’ or porch at the front.

The house was suffering from damp, woodworm, asbestos, leaky roof, lack of any kitchen and neglect – in the early ‘70s walls had been removed on the ground floor and in the ‘90s a shower room added to the upper floor carving up one of the bedrooms – the rear of the house had a partly constructed ramshackle extension.

After much research and discussion with the conservation officer a design was agreed whereby the house could be restored without slavishly reinstating the layout to its original form. A panelled screen has been installed between the lounge and dining room giving the effect of the old stair that once stood there, and a glass link building formed between the rear out house and main house providing scope for a full bathroom and kitchen seating area – the glazed ‘outshut’ was also reinstated at the front of the house.

The clever kitchen design; parts of which tuck in under the stair and incorporate areas of traditional panelling sits in the centre of the house. The stair which was added in the 1930s has been upgraded with modern wall lights and ‘piano key’ balusters.

“The shuttered casement windows look out across old Lyme Regis and over the Cobb to the sea”

Upstairs the shower room has been reduced in size allowing reinstatement of the two double bedrooms. The shuttered casement windows that are cut out of the thick stone walls look out across old Lyme Regis and over the Cobb to the sea.

The refurbishment has just completed, and its Brighton based owner intends to use it for holiday rentals during the spring and summer months. CDMS Partners have relished working on the project for the trips to Lyme Regis and crab sandwiches. The total cost of the refurbishment has been in the region of £50-60,000 and taken just over a year to complete, which all goes to prove that it is possible to undertake works to Listed buildings which have a positive, cost effective impact to the historic fabric. The cottage can be rented by visiting www.lymecottage.com

CDMS Partners Ltd are an award winning Brighton based Architectural Practice you can find them at www.cdmspartners.com, hello@cdmspartners.com,
and on 01273 220407.
Twitter: @cdmspartnersltd


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