Reginald Pavey writes:
On the east side of the Manor House are three dwelling houses and a grocer's shop. In 1864 Giles Pryer was living in the first house, now called "Stanley House"; R.Wild a tailor, and Sam Byles in the other two and John Carter in the shop, which was also the Post Office.On a Saturday evening in June of that year a fire "broke out in the roof of Pryer's house. By taking off the thatch the fire seemed quite extinguished and the engine was sent back to Lyme. On the Sunday morning the breeze freshened up and the fire burst forth anew and raged furiously until the four houses were burnt to the ground. Fortunately the fire did not spread. The Coach and Horses was saved by water being thrown on the roof (Pulmans Weekly News). The houses when they were rebuilt were called "Prospect Place". The name was painted over the grocer's shop and was visible until a few years ago when the shop was redecorated. Amongst a number of old receipts for rates which I found a few years ago in the Parish Council office I discovered that the "Coach and Horses" or "Mail Coach Inn" as it was before 1812, was described as being in the Market Square. This receipt unfortunately has been lost. It makes one wonder if there was a market square many years ago and the houses that were burnt down had been further back. Every 10th of July Charmouth Fair used to be held here until 1915.
"Stanley House". The house on the westward end of Prospect Place was owned by Giles Pryer a monumental mason, who left it to his son Henry William on his death. His workshop and yard were on the corner of Sea Lane.