Little Oldway

PAIGNTON

SX8861 TORQUAY ROAD 1947-1/4/100 (West side) 10/01/75 Little Oldway

GV II

Villa, in use as old people's home. c1850 with 1870s alterations for Isaac Merritt Singer (qv Oldway Mansion). MATERIALS: Stuccoed and blocked out; slate roof; stacks with grouped rendered shafts with cornices. 1870s tower of local red breccia rubble. PLAN: Approximately rectangular plan, facing N with tower, a copy of the C14 tower associated with the Bishop's Palace walls (qv) added at SW corner. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4-window front with shallow gabled projection to the front to right of centre. Deep eaves; platband at first floor level. Approximately central entrance in a slightly set-back bay with a shallow, pilastered pedimented porch with a panelled door, upper panels glazed. Service doorway to right with pilasters with sunk panels, a pediment and a C20 four-panel door with glazed upper panels and glazed side lights. 2 ground-floor windows with cornices on consoles, one with sill blocks, plus an inserted C20 window, all glazed with C20 timber casements. Shallow projecting stack in left-hand bay divides round left-hand bay windows. 4 first-floor windows, 3 with segmental heads and unusual stuccoed hoods, glazed with probably C20 2-light timber casements. The left return is in a similar style with matching window surrounds. Garden elevation has a wide 2-storey canted bay to the right with ground-floor French windows. 3-bay central section has similar windows and a 3-bay replacement Chinese Chippendale verandah with a glazed roof and segmental-headed arches. To the left, and slightly set forward a 4-stage embattled, tapering tower, designed as a copy of the tower associated with the ruins of the Bishop's Palace in Palace Place, Paignton. The tower has lancet and trefoil-headed windows, arranged in pairs. The left return of the tower has similar windows and, to its left, a 2-storey block is also red breccia with a segmental-headed arched door with a pair of half-glazed doors with glazed side lights. One ground-floor and 2 first-floor 12-pane sashes with segmental heads and chamfered stone surrounds. INTERIOR: Stair balustrade covered for fire regulations. C19 doors survive. HISTORY: Isaac Merritt Singer lived here while Oldway Mansion (qv), immediately to the E, was built for him.

Listing NGR: SX8869661518