A walk around Sidbury’s past

A bygone age captured on postcards

“WHAT a happy time I spent walking through Sidbury Village this week (February 1959) to make enquiries and recall old days,” writes Anna Sutton in her book A Story of Sidmouth.

“In the High Street the shops have been carefully modernised with detracting from the old structures, and well stocked to supply all needs.”

When she called at the butcher’s shop (Anstis & Pike) and remarked she remembered French as the butcher, the assistant remarked ‘Madam, you wear well’.

“What a compliment! The charming Cherry Tree cottage is there to offer refreshments.

“The Royal Oak and Red Lion; the gracious old building Court Hall. It was all unchanged.

“Turning into Church Street I found the same dignified old houses with grey stone Tudor windows, old brass knockers and bell-pulls; Rivulet Cottages with the same trellised porches, the thatched creeper-covered porched cottages in Queen Street, unchanged since my childhood days.”

This week Nostalgia brings Sidbury’s past to its pages, thanks to a selection of old postcards sent in by Malcolm Sanderson from France.

So what better than letting Ann Sutton continue with her reminiscences.

“Next to the imposing entrance to Alexandra College, the lovely white porched Rose Cottage stands as of old, also in contrast, the dignified old Chapel, built in 1820. On the left is other evidence of the care which has been taken to preserve the row of old cottages in Chapel Street; the constabulary has gone, but a ‘Baby Parlour’ and Drug Store have been developed with such ingeniousness, that the structure of the exteriors remain unaltered.”

Mr Sanderson’s postcards show an even early view of life in the village.