Entrance To Tunnels,Pool And Beaches,Including Flanking Walls And Gate Pier

ILFRACOMBE

SS5147 RUNNACLEAVE ROAD 853-1/6/118 Entrance to tunnels, pool and 12/03/90 beaches, including flanking walls and gate piers

GV II

Entrance to tunnel cut through rocks to give access to beach. About 1836. Painted stone rubble with details in dressed stone. Consists of a pointed arch with keystone, set in retaining wall against the cliff face. The approach to it is flanked by stone walls with stepped and ramped copings, these terminating in square stone gate piers with flattened, pyramidical caps. Access is now by an iron gate with remains of turnstiles (by Ellisons of Salford); this retains some late C19 decorative ironwork, but has been considerably remodelled in C20. The tunnels themselves, and the entrances on the beach side, have no architectural features, consisting of bare rock with occasional reinforcements in brick. The tunnels were cut by Welsh miners in 1823. The entrance-architecture is probably contemporary with the adjacent Baths House (qv) of 1836. Both are shown in an engraving of 1838. Of interest for its association with the development of the late Georgian resort. (Ilfracombe, A Pictorial Record: Horridge GK: 1986-: PLATE 50).

Listing NGR: SS5152147711