We continue with our journey around the more important houses of Dawlish.

Shell Cove House

Previously called Cleveland House, and located on the Old Teignmouth Road, it was built by the Reverend Charles Phillott who married Francis Dorothy. They had 10 children.

Being curate at St Michael's during a rebuild, he used some of the Saxon stone in a lintel at his new house. 

His land at Shell Cove totalled 20 acres, and when the railway was built in 1846, one of the tunnels was named Phillott.

In 1923, the house was purchased by R T Otton for £5,500 but he sold most of the surrounding land. Otton owned a large street furniture foundry in Exeter.

Later, it became a family-run holiday complex but was closed in 2013. It was later demolished.

Sidford House

Situated in the middle of the High Street and dating back to the 18th century, the house was divided into two in 1829 at an auction.

Sidford Cottage was also located close to the house.

An infirmary was opened at the house by 1901, with six beds increasing to sixteen soon afterwards.

In 1903, the infirmary, dispensary and cottage hospital combined, which meant the infirmary closed.

In the 1920s, George Avant and Sons offered auctioneering, valuing, furniture removing and house agency from the property.

Finally, in 1967, the property was demolished and replaced by the flats called Belvedere Court.

This is the end of the great houses feature but next month we will continue the theme with small buildings with history.

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Ed: This article is part of local historian Ray Bickel's series on Dawlish history. Use the links below to read previous articles:

Part One: What were the origins of Dawlish?

Part Two: The origins of St Gregory's Church

Part Three: The history of Dawlish's churches

Part Four: The origins of the Lawn and Tuck's Plot

Part Five: Tuck's Plot, the Lawn and the swans at the turn of the century

Part Six: The origins of Brunel's railway

Part Seven: Blowing up cliffs and Brunel's Atmospheric Railway

Part Eight: The early days of the railway

Part Nine: The 2014 storm and plans for a Dawlish avoiding line

Part 10: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present

Part 11: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part II

Part 12: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part III

Part 13: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part IV

Part 14: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part V

Part 15: Historic houses of Dawlish

Part 16: Historic houses of Dawlish part II

Part 17: Historic houses of Dawlish part III

Part 18: Historic houses of Dawlish part IV