A collection of 11 photographs of Seward House taken in May 2003 when the former Nursing Home was being converted into residential accommodation: (i) house and garden from the south; (ii) house and garden from the south-west; (iii) house and garden from the south-east; (iv) house and garden and out-buildings from the south-east; (v) former residents’ bedrooms; (vi) the interior being gutted; (vii) the interior being gutted; (viii) fireplace in the drawing-room with initials “W” and “B” either side of the hearth, denoting William Byrd who lived at Seward House in the 1870s and refurbished the house, turning the building from a farmhouse into a gentleman’s residence; (ix) a second fireplace, with mantelpiece also installed in the 1870s with initials “W” and “B”; (x) the well which was uncovered during the 2003 refurbishment; (xi) a close-up of the well.
Seward House was built in about the late 17th century and was named after the Seward family who lived there for around a hundred years. It remained as a private house until 1984 when 86-year-old Miss Juliet Sladden died (the Sladden family had lived at Seward House for over a hundred years). The house was sold in 1985 and converted in to a Nursing Home, where many long-time Badsey residents were able to end their days. The Nursing Home closed in October 2001, and was bought by property developers. The main house was divided into two, the southern section being still called Seward House and the northern part being called The Court. The former out-buildings (which had been converted into bedrooms for the nursing home residents) were converted into two cottages.