A la Ronde Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids A la Ronde

Location	Summer Lane, Exmouth
OS grid reference	SY 00480 83390
Area	Devon
Built	1796
Owner	National Trust

Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: A la Ronde
Designated	6 December 1949
Reference no.	1164838


National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
Official name: A la Ronde, and The Point-in-View
Designated	12 Aug 1987
Reference no.	1000686

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A la Ronde is a very special house built in the 1700s. It is near Lympstone and Exmouth in Devon, England. What makes it unique is its shape: it has 16 sides! This interesting building is now owned by the National Trust.

A la Ronde was built for two cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter. They were unmarried women who wanted to live together. The house is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic site. The nearby chapel, school, and almshouses (homes for poor people) were also built by the cousins. These are also Grade I listed. The gardens around the house are also important, listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

History of A la Ronde
Who Designed A la Ronde?
About the Building
Gallery
Point-in-View chapel
Gallery
See also

History of A la Ronde

The Parminter family was quite wealthy. They had been merchants since the 1600s. Jane Parminter was born in 1750 in Lisbon, Portugal. Her father was a wine merchant. Jane grew up in London. Later, she became the guardian for her cousin, Mary, who was an orphan.

In 1784, after her father died, Jane decided to go on a big trip. This trip was called the Grand Tour. It was a long journey around Europe. She traveled with her sister Elizabeth, her younger cousin Mary, and a friend.

The two cousins, Jane and Mary, became very close. In 1795, they decided to live together in Devon. They bought about 15 acres of land near Exmouth. After their house was built, they lived a quiet life there for many years. Jane died in 1811.

Mary's will (her last wishes) said that only "unmarried kinswomen" (unmarried female relatives) could inherit the house. This rule stayed in place for a long time. But in 1886, the house went to a man named Reverend Oswald Reichel. He was the brother of one of the women who had lived there before.

Who Designed A la Ronde?

People believe that the design of A la Ronde was inspired by a church. This church is called the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The two cousins had visited this church during their Grand Tour.

The family story says that Jane herself designed the house. However, it's more likely that a "Mr. Lowder" drew the plans. A writer from the 1800s mentioned him. It's thought that a younger John Lowder, who was an architect, might have designed it. He was only 17 when A la Ronde was built. Later, he designed another unusual building with 32 sides. A la Ronde might have been an early idea for his later, bigger project.

About the Building

The house was finished around 1796. It is made of stone and has 20 rooms. The rooms on the ground floor spread out from a central hallway. This hallway is 35 feet high and is called "The Octagon." The rooms were originally connected by sliding doors.

The house also has a lower ground floor. This area used to have a wine cellar, a strong room, and a kitchen. Above the main floor, there is an octagonal gallery. This gallery holds a beautiful Shell Gallery, which was made by hand. A narrow staircase connects the floors. This staircase is covered with shells. A famous writer, Nikolaus Pevsner, called it "the most extraordinary feature in the house."

Between the main rooms, there were small, triangular closets. These closets had diamond-shaped windows. The two cousins were very skilled at crafts. They made much of the inside decoration themselves. This included artworks made from shells, feathers, and seaweed. The house also had many special objects they brought back from their trip to Europe. Pevsner described the building as "a wholly delightful and unique creation."

Reverend Reichel, the only male owner, made some big changes to the house. He added a water tower and a laundry room. He also put in a bathroom and central heating. He built bedrooms upstairs with dormer windows. He also added first-floor windows. A heavy dumb-waiter (a small lift for food) and speaking tubes were also installed. He replaced the original thatch roof with roof tiles. He even added an outside walkway.

The last private owner removed most of the large central heating radiators. In 1991, the National Trust bought the property. They worked to restore the wall coverings to their original colors. They also created a virtual tour of the delicate Shell Gallery. This allows people to see it without causing damage. The original kitchen and strong room are now offices. There are plans to turn them into spaces for visitors in the future.

Gallery

A la Ronde from the south
The north-eastern entrance
A la Ronde stable, from the south-west
A la Ronde, roof detail
A la Ronde, window detail
A fireplace in a reception room
Display of shells in an ornate fireplace
The ceiling of the Octagon with the Shell Gallery at the top
Entrance to the Shell Gallery; this is now closed to the public

Point-in-View chapel

Point-in-View chapel

Location	Summer Lane Exmouth
OS grid reference	SY 00788 83506
Area	Devon
Built	1811
Governing body	Mary Parminter Charity

Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: The Point in View
Designated	6 December 1949
Reference no.	1164937

The Parminter cousins also built a chapel on their land. It is called the Point-in-View. This chapel is also a Grade I listed building. It is run as a registered charity.