09/09/2026
🏰 THE ORIGINAL PLANS HAVE SURVIVED — AND WE HAVE NOW SEEN THEM! 🏰
Following our recent post about the historic building records discovered at North Yorkshire Archives, we are thrilled to share the next chapter of the story.
We have now had the incredible privilege of viewing the surviving original documents and architectural drawings in person — some dating back more than 158 years.
The earliest document is a handwritten letter dated 5 February 1868, sent to the Borough Surveyor by Scarborough architect W. B. Stewart.
It states:
📜 “I herewith forward plans of a Detached Residence for Thomas Jarvis Esq. which he proposes to build on the plot of ground purchased by him of the Corporation & known as Charnel Garth.”
This gives us several important pieces of evidence. It confirms that Thomas Jarvis had purchased the land from the Corporation, that the site was still known as Charnel Garth, and that plans for a detached residence were submitted in February 1868.
The letter even records how the building was to be constructed:
🧱 Walls of brick
🏠 A slate roof
💧 Drains made from glazed pipes, with watertight joints and the correct fall
The accompanying plans are remarkable.
They show an unmistakably castle-like, single-storey Victorian residence with battlements, towers, prominent chimneys, shuttered windows and curved bays.
Inside, the proposed house contained a large central hall measuring 16 feet by 24 feet, a six-foot-wide entrance hall, drawing and dining rooms measuring approximately 17 feet by 14 feet, several bedrooms, a kitchen, scullery, pantry, larder, bathroom and water closet.
A rainwater tank is also clearly marked beside the scullery — an especially interesting discovery as we continue investigating the original drainage and water-management systems around the property.
Only a few weeks later, in March 1868, further plans were submitted for an extraordinary range of outbuildings. These included:
🐴 A stable
🚗 A coach house
🏪 A lock-up shop
🛏️ A bedroom
🔥 A living room for the coachman
🛣️ A yard and roadway leading towards the house
The drainage from these buildings is specifically shown as being connected to the town drain.
Perhaps most excitingly, the surviving 1887 extensions and alterations drawing names “Castle by the Sea” directly. It shows how the site was being changed nineteen years later, including alterations around the lower buildings, rooms, terrace and staircase arrangement.
Taken together, these records create a much clearer documentary trail:
📜 1868 — Thomas Jarvis proposes a detached residence on land known as Charnel Garth
🐴 1868 — Stables, coach house, shop and coachman’s accommodation are planned
🏰 1887 — Further extensions and alterations are recorded under the name Castle by the Sea
This evidence may push the documented story of Castle By The Sea back to 1868, considerably earlier than some of the dates traditionally associated with the property.
We are continuing to compare the plans with the surviving building, historic maps and later alterations before drawing a final conclusion — but the similarities and connections are incredibly exciting.
To stand in the archive and see the original elevations, room layouts, drainage routes and handwritten correspondence was quite emotional. These fragile drawings have survived for more than a century and a half, preserving the story of how this remarkable little corner of Scarborough developed.
We genuinely feel as though we are watching the forgotten history of Castle By The Sea slowly come back to life. ❤️🏰🌊
A huge thank you to North Yorkshire Archives and their wonderful staff for preserving these important records and helping us access them.
There is still so much more to investigate — and we cannot wait to share the next discovery with you.
More history to come…
Daniel 😁💙
