West Country Modernism
A journey around mid century modernist buildings in the West Country. By @magslhalliday.bsky.social
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- There's a water tower being converted in East Devon. (be on Grand Designs, be on Grand Designs...) Also, more seriously, I've been thinking about Molly Taylor, Marlow Moss and the problem with Great Man framings of history. News letter out now.
- For the rain it raineth every day. Not metaphorically, thanks Shakespeare, but literally. I've not done a field trip or archive visit yet. Working on a newsletter but no chonky stories right now. I will try not to write about rain.
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- Interior shot or two of Plymouth's Civic Centre. Planning application for new designs due "soon".
- Reposted by West Country Modernism🚨 New on Substack: Council Housing in Plymouth before 1914: ‘the merry homes of England’ municipaldreams.substack.com/p/council-ho...
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- I pulled this together fairly quickly so all errors and omissions are my own. How it’s coped with Storm Ingrid is unknown.
- The newsletter is out, with a look at the 1970 Catholic church of St Peter's. A crown-shaped church in Crown Hill, Plymouth, that has had a demolition request put in. buttondown.com/WestCountryM...
- One for @seasidenetwork.bsky.social and @seasideferry.bsky.social: the end of the Victorian Teignmouth Pier has gone. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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- The newsletter is out, with a look at the 1970 Catholic church of St Peter's. A crown-shaped church in Crown Hill, Plymouth, that has had a demolition request put in. buttondown.com/WestCountryM...
- Finally sorting emails after a fortnight of other priorities.
- This is a fairly useful summary of what is happening (or not) with several key midcentury buildings in Plymouth. No new news, but I'd missed that the Moneycentre (MWT, 1975) has been bought to be turned into student flats for the uni across from it.
- Update this morning. The Millbay bomb is a mere 50kg. The one found on the same day in Exmouth is apparently much bigger. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ce...
- This is in the Millbay Road area of Plymouth. the "bomb book" held at The Box showed many UXBs in the area back in 1944. web.plymouth.gov.uk/archivescata... www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/live-bo...
- This doesn't really count as news, as rumours of Babcock taking on Dingles have been around for months. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- This is in the Millbay Road area of Plymouth. the "bomb book" held at The Box showed many UXBs in the area back in 1944. web.plymouth.gov.uk/archivescata... www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/live-bo...
- It's already quite a fun news week for C20 modernism in the west country, huh.
- There goes my day.
- This #MapMonday we're taking you back in time ⌛ We've just added over 9,000 out of copyright Ordnance Survey maps published in 1975 to our Map Images website. What did your neighbourhood look like fifty years ago? 🗺️ 🔗: maps.nls.uk/additions/#191 #MoreMaps
- Reposted by West Country ModernismThis #MapMonday we're taking you back in time ⌛ We've just added over 9,000 out of copyright Ordnance Survey maps published in 1975 to our Map Images website. What did your neighbourhood look like fifty years ago? 🗺️ 🔗: maps.nls.uk/additions/#191 #MoreMaps
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- In last week's newsletter I mentioned an exhibition in Bristol. The lovely people @themodernist.bsky.social are offering a guided tour in Feb. Extremely limited places. More details here: the-modernist.org/products/bau...
- The first newsletter of the year is out! Would anyone like to buy a brutalist church in Somerset? Plus news of a 1930s cinema reopening and some exhibitions and events. Huge thanks to @eberlin.co.uk for permission to use his photographs of the Good Shepherd.
- Was it because the architect was a knight? (Sir Edwin Lutyens)
- This is in Gloucestershire. 1972 monastery building to be retained.
- Benedictine monastery set for £20m revamp - BBC News share.google/ZWDjvjE8kkyH...
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- Reposted by West Country ModernismClay Cross is famous for its 1972 Rents Rebellion. My new post examines the prehistory of this struggle; part II next week covers the rebellion itself. The photo features the Skinner family whose political activism lay at the heart of the event: municipaldreams.substack.com/p/clay-cross...
- What was your #ChildhoodCinema? I used to see films at the local civic centre in the Midlands. After we moved as a teen, it was the Savoy in Exmouth.
- The Chapter House at Truro Cathedral is by John Taylor of MWT, built in 1967. www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1...
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- Got the emergency radio on charge as it’s getting a bit lively across the peninsula tonight. Luckily we’re not in the red warning zone. Good luck, Cornwall.
- The first newsletter of the year is out! Would anyone like to buy a brutalist church in Somerset? Plus news of a 1930s cinema reopening and some exhibitions and events. Huge thanks to @eberlin.co.uk for permission to use his photographs of the Good Shepherd.
- This house looks like it could be moderne but is actually a 2010 RIBA SW winner by David Sheppard. www.architectsjournal.co.uk/archive/sout... For sale in Exeter. themodernhouse.com/sales-list/w...
- Around 500 words written for the main story in this week's newsletter. You can subscribe to get it in your inbox tomorrow. Free subs get some of the newsletters for, er, free. A paying sub also gets you early access to the deep dives, and I'm holding it at £3 a month until the end of January.
- Actual footage of me working on the newsletter with my editorial assistant. bsky.app/profile/mags...
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- Oh, these are great! @buytheamulet.bsky.social
- Not for the news round up, but the way this story about a 1935 K6 phone box has been written almost implies it was the phone box Austen made famous, not the Bath street it's on. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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- Working on the first news round up of 2026. Took 40 minutes just to scan back through the various west country reach plc websites but I think I have my main story.
- I have three remaining deep dive slots to schedule for this year: all suggestions welcome!
- Ooh! I’ll be interested to see the GWR section: so much of the pre-nationalisation network was Victorian/Edwardian that I can’t immediately think of an interwar one. Maybe Exeter Central?
- I'm excited to announce I've collaborated with photographer Philip Butler (@artdecomagpie.bsky.social) on a book of mainline stations from the Big Four era 1923-47. A treat for lovers of railway Modernism (and Neo-classicism). Full details in article. thebeautyoftransport.com/2026/01/04/i...
- Last reading day before the treadmill resumes. I enjoyed Catherine Croft’s visit to Parkham Wood House (Seal, 1960) in Torbay in the @c20society.bsky.social magazine. Also, the news Ian Nairn’s soft top moggie is now pootling around Cornwall as a family car.
- Starting 2026 with the news that Plymouth’s House of Fraser aka Dingles is closing down. 1/2 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- A reminder that I’m holding the 2025 sub prices until the end of January 2026. Go on, treat yourself to early access and bonus content. ;)
- Reposted by West Country ModernismYeah it's obviously all wisteria clad cottages, rococo whimsy and rustic thatch down this way...
- I’ve now read the introduction essays and the West Country section. Unsurprisingly, I don’t entirely agree with his assessment that modernism never really came to the west country.
