Showman's Caravan

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Certainly the most flamboyant lot in our sale today, the ‘Sir Joseph Swan’ was the brainchild of Marc Swan, a well-known local restorer of ancient buildings.

Named in honour of his Great Grandfather, the inventor of the electric lightbulb, this spectacular ‘nautical caravan’ was conceived as an antidote to the laughably named ‘Crusader Tornado’, ‘Buccaneer Corsair’ and ‘Sprite Musketeer’ monstrosities that clog the M5 in the summer months. Marc’s art school background and unconventional take on the world of design left him questioning the conventions associated with the concept of the caravan. Why should they be white? Who dictates their box-like profile and why are they full of cheap plastic laminates and overstuffed cushions? By his reckoning, if you are going to be stuck behind one on the road, it may as well offer some form of architectural merit to help reduce the annoyance.

His design was built around a professionally built chassis and three-dimensional frame engineered by Francis & Sons in nearby Knighton. This was carefully clad in wood panelling for the lower deck, with iron roof supports forming the upstairs structure which is topped off with a curved steel roof. ‘Upstairs in a caravan’ we hear you cry – well why not?

The addition of a first floor has meant that downstairs there is sufficient room for a small galley kitchen and a washroom, top and tailing as they do the generous central seating area. With sufficient head room for the tallest of visitors (well downstairs at least), it is extremely well appointed with a wood burner (which heats the water), LED lighting and a low-level tap arrangement that allows the externally-mounted tin bath to be set up and filled in time for the pre-bedtime soak.

A cleverly conceived narrow stair takes the freshly-washed to their beds, accommodation stretching to a centrally positioned double bed, with two child’s beds mounted at either end. Full of wonderful detail touches, the Strawberry Hill Gothic-inspired ‘quatrefoil’ portholes on the lower deck have marble filled sections to emulate stained glass panels and the LED lighting is elegantly mounted in tin cans.

Not particularly suited for the annual family holiday to the seaside, its robust chassis and strong construction mean that it weighs a fair bit and is fitted with a towing eye rather than a conventional ball-hitch. As a mobile caravan though, most of the awkward planning regulations can be sidestepped, making this comfortable and stylish retreat the perfect solution for an extra bedroom, garden office or holiday let. Featured in the April 2014 issue of ‘World of Interiors’ (a copy of which is included), this latter-day Noah’s Ark certainly makes a bold statement wherever it docks.