However, the house was converted from the original into Regency splendour with delightful castellated pediments, tent-roofed verandah and Gothic casements complete with painted drip moulds. The inside was as charming, with the elegant and graceful drawing room. It has a regal presence and today the Royal Coat of Arms is proudly shown with the commemorated plaque above the Gothicised porch.

1775

In 1775 the house was part of the Manor estates and when in 1817, it was purchased by Major General Edward Baynes, he added considerably to the grounds, made several general improvements and changed the name to "Woolbrook Cottage" or sometimes known as "Woolbrook Glen.

When in 1926, Mrs Annie Webber and daughter purchased the Glen and carried on the boarding house, daughter Dora by marrying into the Culverwell family enables us to advertise the fact that the Glen has been managed by a member of the family for just over one hundred years.

Royal Glen in the 1930's

After many years of successful boarding house keeping then Mrs Webber retired and Dora became a house-wife. Daughter Jane (a Mrs Martin) progressively took over its management. Now the Glen had become the "Royal Glen" and in 1938 despite the threat of a second world war, Mrs Martin added five rooms to each floor. When the war came the hotel was a convalescence home for the RAF.

1954

Mrs Martin remarried and the hotel was jointly managed with her husband Mr Harold Crane until 1958, they then retired, and Mr Orson Crane with his wife Jean came into the business. The following year rooms were converted and the first private bathrooms installed. More building and modern facilities followed, always to be in harmony with the distinguished old house and a determination to preserve the Royal Glen's traditions and atmosphere so beautifully maintained earlier on by Mrs Jane Crane. Even to some of the floorboards still creaking, possibly the Princess Victoria's Nanny complained about the same boards one hundred and sixty two years ago.

It was apparent that more dining room space was needed. After many years of thought as to where this space could be found, it seemed that excavation was the only answer. Thankfully Mr Orson Crane had the eye and mind of an architect. Only during the previous years the cellars had been dug out to make his apartments bigger (although opinions differed as to the possibility). Eventually, the plans were passed for the much needed dining room and Autumn 1967 arrived with the diggers. After 18 feet had been excavated the so called 'Cranes Crater' took shape. Weather hampered the work and water had to be pumped out constantly before work could be resumed. Spring 1968 the new dining-room was completed and opened for Easter. The oval design was unusual and much admired also a Bar was incorporated. Disaster did come in July with heavy rains and the Glen road culverts were blocked and the dining-room flooded.

In December 1886, planning permission was at last obtained for a Swimming Pool to be built and a dream realised by the hotel's owner Mr Orson Crane. This unique heated pool 30ft by 20ft built under the existing car park was another interesting engineering feat, involving digging deep and putting back on top again! This modern facility is much appreciated by guests of all ages. We were very honoured to have Olympic Medalist Sarah Hardcastle to open the pool formally.

1992

During 1992 Sidmouth was featured on TSW Television. This production was based on David Young's book 'Cobblestones, Cottages and Castles'. David has much enthusiasm for the South West countryside, unusual buildings and older houses. Sidmouth was on the first of a series of six programmes and much of the Royal glen Hotel was shown, including the beautiful drawing room and many of the bedrooms.

More accommodation was in demand and plans again kept being put forward but opposition was bitter. The Royal Glen being Sidmouth's only grade 1 listed building, one could understand the concern but the proposed extension showed crenellations like the original building but the Department of the Environment held the view that such extensions should not match but contrast. February 1976... the battle was over. Another major excavation but again a challenge. June 1977 the adjoining new wing looked exactly as if it had been there all the time.

1976

By 1976 the adjoining new wing looked as if it had been there always. The completion having coincided with H.M. Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee, it seemed fitting for it to be named the Jubilee Wing. The rooms of the 'Royal Glen' all have names, Princess's room, Edward, Andrew, Charles, Anne, Woolbrook 1 and 2 etc. 1974. Kitchens had to be enlarged with space taken from the garden, and the Bar moved upstairs to the original dining-room making a really spacious lounge Bar, the beautifully designed screen having pride of place.
A further extension of existing dining-room was made, concealed under the terrace.

By 1980 all possible space had been utilised at the Royal Glen. It was decided to purchase another Hotel in the area, and the Torbay Hotel was acquired. This hotel overlooks the cricket field and has superb views and again an old Regency house converted into a hotel from three houses. It would appear another challenge for the Crane family. Their eldest daughter Hilary having just qualified in Hotel Catering and Management at Oxford Polytechnic College appeared most eager to follow in the family's footsteps and now supervises there with her husband Mr. Martin Caldwell, who is also learning the management, making the Culinary side his forte.
It would appear that the present proprietors are more than fortunate to be endowed with two daughters interested in making hotel life their careers as now their younger daughter Vivienne has successfully completed three years at the same College and gained her HND diploma and is now travelling around the world to gain experience.
Mention must be made of the wine cellar of the hotel which was cleverly constructed from a store tunnel which led from the kitchens to the outside. It is admirable for keeping the hotel's fine range of wines in ideal conditions.

Staff and guests spent a festive evening seeing out the old year and welcoming in the new Millennium. 1999 also saw the completion of the 'Clifton Walkway' organised by the Sidmouth Millennium Walkway Group. The new walkway enables everyone to stroll from the west end of the promenade to Jacob's Ladder. This was funded by contributions from Sidmouth hotels and the entire community.

2001

2001 brings us up to the Centenary of Queen Victoria's death, to commemorate the event there are exhibitions and houses listed as having royal connections, (open to the public) and those where Her Majesty resided. The Royal Glen is proud to be one of the latter.

At present Mr & Mrs Crane are trying to take more of a back seat, and leave the general running of The Royal Glen to Hilary and Vivienne. Naturally, foremost in all our minds is our promise to continue to upgrade and refurbish in keeping with the Grade 1 listing of the building.

The Baynes family occupied the house until early 1856. In October of the same year, it was the honour of Mr and Mrs George Alexander to show the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) the apartments of his grandparents and mother, Queen Victoria.

1878-83

Another change, now the house is called the Glen and is an orphanage, but in 1883, it was bought and managed as a boarding house, by the Misses Culverwell and first advertised as such in the Sidmouth Directory of 1887.

Jubilee 1897 at the Glen

Postcard titled 'Sidmouth, The Glen, Queen Victoria's Nursery'

It was circa 1700 that the Royal Glen was built by a Mr King, of Bath. It was then a modest farmhouse with a dairy, outhouses, a hay loft and a well that still exists in the centre of the house. It was first known as King's Cottage, taking the name of the owner.

Many other names followed, Woolbrook Cottage, Woolbrook Glen, and finally as events prove, (so aptly) The Royal Glen.

It was quoted by a speaker to the local National Trust Group, on a talk about Sidmouth's old houses that the Glen might have been built with a royal Duke in mind, which of course it was not.

At the time of the Duke and Duchess of Kent's tragic stay, there would possibly have been 15 rooms. The Duchess occupied boudoirs on first and second floors, the Kent Room opposite the drawing room and room 23, with room 15 the Royal nursery adjoining. Room 15 has a plaque bearing the inscription 'This room was occupied by her most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria 1819-1820.