Accommodation in East Devon

Hotels:

Combe House Devon Gittisham

Imagine a wildly romantic Grade 1 Elizabethan Manor set in 3,500 acres of one of Devon’s finest country estates, close to the sea for long coastal walks, yet just a short drive from the Cathedral city of Exeter. Beautiful Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely as you approach Combe House along a mile of winding drive.

Tel: 01404 540 400

The Deer Park Hotel Honiton
The Deer Park Country House Hotel is situated at the end of a long drive just outside the historic lace town of Honiton, a mile or so from the main A30 London to Exeter road. It affords spectacular views of the River Otter. Anne and I look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you to the Deer Park Country House Hotel. Come and visit us soon.
Tel: 01404 41266

The Heathfield Inn Honiton

Set in the charming town of Honiton, in the heart of Devon, lies the beautifully thatched 15th Century Heathfield Inn. There is something for everyone at the Heathfield Inn and its all quality!
The 7 en-suite guest rooms are all non smoking, including a bridal suite and a ground floor family room. All rooms are traditionally styled with modern facilities.

Tel: 01404 45321

Home Farm Hotel & Restaurant Wilmington

Home Farm Hotel is a delightful romantic Devon hotel and restaurant located only minutes from both Axminster and Honiton.Easily found on the A35, Home Farm Hotel will provide you with standards long-forgotten. Its character rooms, a wealth of modern amenities, good food, fi ne wine and friendly service will refresh the weary traveller and stay long in the memory. Originally a 16th century thatched farmhouse, Home Farm is now an intimate hotel and fine dining restaurant that caters for both the comfort of the holidaymaker and the needs of the business traveller.

Tel: 01404 831 278

HOLIDAY COTTAGES

Willows Holiday Cottage, Weycroft Mill, Axminster Tel 01297 34565.
Click here to visit website

Smallicombe Farm Holiday Cottages and B&B‎ – more info »
Northleigh, Colyton, EX24 6BU‎ – 01404 831 310‎

The Shippen Cottages‎ – more info »
Hayne Ln, Wilmington, Honiton, EX14 9JY‎ – 01404 831 012‎

Higher Watchcombe Farm‎ – more info »

Shute, Axminster, EX13 7QN‎ – 01297 552 424‎

Old Symes Cottages‎ – more info »

The Green Bungalow, Whitford Rd, Kilmington, Axminster, EX13‎ – 01297 35982‎

River Cottage‎ – more info »

Trinity Square, Axminster, EX13‎ – 01297 630 302‎

Lea Hill country cottages‎ – more info »

Lea Hill, Membury, Axminster, EX13 7AQ‎ – 01404 881 881‎

Northleigh Farm Holiday Cottages‎ – more info »

Northleigh Farm, Northleigh, Colyton, EX24‎ – 0140487 1217‎

Barritshayes Farm Cottages‎ – more info »
Northleigh Rd, Colyton, East Devon, EX24 6‎ – 01297 552 485‎

Hayne B&B‎ – more info »

Colyton, EX24 6DU‎ – 01297 553 777‎

Niche Nook and Cranny Cottages‎ – more info »

The Green, Kilmington, Kilmington, East Devon, EX13 7‎ – 0845 268 0947‎

Whitwell Farm 4 Star Self Catering Cottages‎ – more info »
Whitwell Ln, Colyford, Colyton, EX24‎ – 0800 092 0419‎

Colyton Holiday Cottages‎ – more info »

Dolphin St, Colyton, Devon, EX24 6NA‎ – 01297 552 401‎

Old Manor Cottages‎ – more info »
Old Manor Gardens, Colyford, Colyton, EX24 6TZ‎ – 07943 260 129‎

Hedge End Hideaways and Badgers Glory‎ – more info »
Hedge End Farm, Colyton Hill, Colyton, EX24 6HX‎ – 01297 553 233‎

Cottages4You‎ – more info »

Downhayne Farm, Colyton, EX24 6SJ‎ – 0870 197 5853‎

Cottages4You‎ – more info »

The Hayloft, Tritchayne Farm Cottages, Colyton, EX24 6SP‎ – 0870 197 5853‎

Shute Barton‎ – more info »
Axminster, EX13‎ – 01297 34692‎

Burrow Farm Gardens‎ – more info »
Burrow Farm, Old Taunton Rd, Dalwood, Axminster, EX13 7ET‎ –

Higher Wiscombe‎ – more info »

Higher Wiscombe, Southleigh, Colyton, EX24 6JF‎ – 01404 871360‎

Whitwell Farm 4 Star Self Catering Cottages‎ – more info »
Whitwell Ln, Colyford, Colyton, EX24‎ – 0800 092 0419‎

CARAVAN / CAMPING

Andrewshayes Caravan Park‎ – more info »
Dalwood, Axminster, EX13 7DY‎ – 01404 831 225‎

Countryside Park‎ – more info »

Farway, Colyton, Devon, EX24 6JL‎ – 01404 871 367‎

Ladram Bay Holiday Centre‎ – more info »
Otterton, Budleigh Salterton, Devon, EX9 7BX‎ – 01395 568 398‎

Hook Farm Caravan & Camping Park‎ – more info »

Gore La, Uplyme, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3UU‎ – 01297 442 801‎

Salcombe Regis Camping & Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Thorn Farm, Salcombe Regis, Sidmouth, EX10 0JH‎ – 01395 514 303‎

Fishpond House Campsite‎ – more info »

Honiton, Honiton, EX14 44S‎ – 01404 891 287‎

Sidmouth’s Oakdown Holiday Caravan Park‎ – more info »
Gatedown Ln, Branscombe, Sidmouth, East Devon, EX10 0‎ – 01297 680 387‎

Kingsdown Tail Caravan and Camping Park‎ – more info »

Salcombe Regis, Sidmouth, Exmouth, EX10 0PD‎ – 01297 680 313‎

Shrubbery Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Rousden Garage & Stores, Rousdon, Lyme Regis, DT7 3XW‎ – 01297 442 227‎

SF Glasper‎ – more info »

Coombe View Farm, Branscombe, Seaton, EX12 3BT‎ – 01297 680 218‎

Caravan Club Site‎ – more info »

Putts Corner, Sidbury, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0QQ‎ – 01404 42875‎

Leacroft Touring Park‎ – more info »

Colyton Hill, Colyton, Devon, EX24 6HY‎ – 01297 552 823‎

Axe Vale Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Colyford Rd, Seaton, EX12‎ – 01297 21342‎

The Manor Farm Camping Site‎ – more info »

Seaton Down Hill, Seaton, EX12‎ – 01297 21524‎

RK Webber‎ – more info »

Pound Hill, Axmouth, Seaton, Devon, EX12 4BG‎ – 01297 24707‎

Axmouth Camping Site‎ – more info »

Axe Farm, Pound Hill, Axmouth, Seaton, EX12 4BG‎ – 01297 32965‎

Wood Farm Caravan Park‎ – more info »
Axminster Rd, Charmouth, Bridport, DT6‎ – 01297 560 697‎

Timber Vale Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Timbervale Caravan Park, Charmouth Rd, Lyme Regis, DT7 3HG‎ – 01297 442 585‎

Hunters Moon Country Estate‎ – more info »

Hawkchurch House, Hawkchurch, Axminster, EX13 5XD‎ – 01297 678 402‎

Camping and Caravanning Club Site‎ – more info »

Otter Valley Park, Northcote, Honiton, EX14 8SP‎ – 01404 44546‎

Sea Shanty Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Great Seaside Farm, Branscombe, Seaton, EX12 3DP‎ – 01297 680 226‎

Berry Barton Caravan Park‎ – more info »

Berry Barton Farm, Berry Hill, Branscombe, Seaton, EX12 3BD‎ – 01297 680 208‎

Youth Hostels Association‎ – Bovey Combe, Townsend, Beer, Seaton, 0845 371 9502‎

Whitwell Farm 4 Star Self Catering Cottages‎ – more info »
Whitwell Ln, Colyford, Colyton, EX24‎ – 0800 092 0419‎

Shute Barton Manor

Shute Gatehouse

Adjacent to St. Michael’s Church is the ancient manor house of the Parish of Shute, built in 1380 by Sir William Bonneville, a Norman from Bonneville, in Beauce, near Chartres. It remained in his family for five generations. Lord William Bonneville (The Builder’s grandson) was beheaded and his two sons killed in the Wars of the Roses, and so his grand daughter Cecily inherited it. She married Thomas Grey who became the first Marquess of Dorset. During the 15th century the building was extended by the Grey family who remained at Shute Barton until 1554, when the entire family fell from favour following their failed attempt to install Lady Jane Grey on the throne of England. The ‘Queen for Nine Days’ was beheaded in 1554, as was her father, by Edward VI. The ’grey’ lady is said to walk in the area where part of the house used to stand: it is said that she was actually beheaded there. The house passed to one of Queen Mary’s advisers, Sir William Petre, who sold it to a successful lawyer, William Pole in 1560: he built the Gatehouse; he and his family extended and ornamented the house.

Interestingly, all three families to own it were related, the Poles being descended from the brother of Sir William, the builder. Each family contributed equally to its building. In 1730 the Rev. Carolus, a younger brother of Sir William Pole, Master of Queen Anne’s Household (his statue is in the Church, nearby), who owned Shute, inherited the Antony Estate in Cornwall from a Carew kinsman, and so added Carew to his surname. In 1870, Sir John William Pole pulled down two thirds of the house to provide foundations for a smart new house, a quarter of a mile up the drive, to impress his friend, the Prince Regent. It cost £50,000 a huge sum in those days (about £3M plus today), and the Prince Regent stayed there for one night! The original house, in fact, was in none too good shape by then. The Poles had been Royalists; their main home Colcombe Castle, outside Colyton, was totally destroyed, and Shute, which was not a fortified house, was ‘distressed’, that is it was damaged by the Roundheads sufficiently thoroughly to make it a misery to live in, but not so badly that the owner could claim exemption from taxes – a practice they had learnt from Henry VIII when he dissolved the Monastries!

Only two pieces of the old building now remain: the kitchen block and a part adjacent to the manor hall. The changes made to the Shute Barton Manor have not disguised the ancient origins of the building. This can be particularly seen in the large hall at the top (where the kitchen staff used to sleep) with its exposed roof timbers and two garderobes and late Gothic windows. The Entrance Hall has the largest Tudor fireplace in England which is 22 feet wide, six feet deep and takes up the entire end wall of the room.

Shute Barton is one of the most important non-fortified manor houses of the Middle Ages still in existence. It is now run by the National Trust: it was given to them in 1959 by Sir John Carew Pole, whose plaque is on the wall of the courtyard . He stipulated that it was to be kept as a dwelling house, and that the Pole family had right of first refusal on the lease whenever it came available. As a result, in 1988, Christopher and Gillian Pole-Carew came to live at Shute, the first Poles to live there since 1780, and of their own direct line since 1730.

(from a painting by Pat Lambert which currently hangs in the new hall)

Special thanks to Christopher Pole-Carew for his input into this article. and to him and his wife Gill for allowing us to reproduce the following photos:

Shute Barton c 1950:

Shute Barton in the snow – by Jenny Ford:

What Shute Barton looked like c 1770:

The very large kitchen fireplace being restored:

Garden improvements summer 1990 to July 1991:

The Great Hall August 1992:

Shute Barton is now available for rent from the National Trust

www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk/south_west/south_devon_and_dartmoor/shute_barton/459

This is the sort of quality you can expect:

Photos courtesy of the National Trust.

Holiday Cottage guests can have the benefit of a guided tour of Shute Barton by a volunteer guide during their stay (please enquire when booking).

Shute Barton is available all year round except for public open weekends:-
14 and 15 May 2011
18 and 19 June 2011
17 and 18 Sept 2011
15 and 16 Oct 2011