Description

BIDEFORD

SS4526 NEW ROAD 842-1/6/203 (West side) 08/11/49 Tanton's Hotel

GV II

Hotel. Early C19. Solid rendered walls. Slate roofs. Centre of front range hipped with flat top; wings and a rear range running behind the whole building have pitched roofs paralled to road, the rear range now heightened at left-hand end. 2 red-brick chimneys on rear range. 3 storeys, the centre of front range rising to 4 storeys. 3-window centre with slightly projecting wings, 3 windows to left and 2 to right. 6-panelled door slightly off-centre to right. Almost above it a round-headed semi-circular niche; it now contains a classical figure in armour, brandishing a sword, and is possibly a former ship's figurehead. Flanking it are flattened bow windows rising though 3 storeys to the bracketed eaves. Flat roof-top has patterned iron guard-rail. Wings have similar bows in second storey, except that left wing has a blind window in centre. Sashes throughout; 3-paned in ground storey; 6-paned upper sashes in the bow windows, with 4 panes in the side-lights; 3 over 6 panes in third-storey windows of the wings; 6-paned upper sashes in middle third and fourth-storey windows of the centre. INTERIOR inspected only on ground storey, which appears to have been wholly altered in late C20. The building is shown on Wood's 1842 plan of Bideford as 'Commercial Inn'. Kelly's directory for 1856 and Billings's directory for 1857 refer to a similar establishment, probably this one, described variously as being in New Road and at 'Bridge end'. A photograph of 1863 shows it labelled Chester's Commercial and Family Hotel; the whole building was then 3-storeyed. Morris's directory for 1870 lists it under its present name and calls it a family and commercial hotel and posting house. The building occupies a prominent waterside position adjoining the Public Library, Town Hall and Bridge. (Goaman M: Old Bideford and District: Bristol: 1968-: P.37).

Listing NGR: SS4542826429

External Links

• Wikidata Q26580488

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014