Kelly House, Devon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kelly House |
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| Type | country house |
| Location | Kelly, Devon, England |
| Built | 16th to 18th centuries |
| Architect | Abraham Rundle |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Kelly House | |
| Designated | 14 June 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1318194 |
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Kelly House is a very old and important country house located in the small village of Kelly, in Devon, England. It is so special that it's officially protected as a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered to be of exceptional historical interest.
The Kelly family has owned this estate for a very long time, since about the year 1100! Imagine living in a house that has been in the same family for over 900 years.
Contents
The History of Kelly House
Building Through the Ages
Parts of the very first medieval house are still there. You might not see them easily because they were changed a lot later. The house was greatly updated in the Tudor style, which was popular in the 1500s.
Later, in 1742, a new part called the west wing was built. This section was designed in the Georgian style, which was common in the 1700s. The house was also surrounded by beautiful parkland at this time. The newest part of Kelly House, the north wing, was added in 1877.
Challenges and Comebacks
During the 1900s, some parts of the Kelly House estate were sold off. The house itself started to fall into disrepair, meaning it wasn't kept up very well. One big worry was the leaking roof, which put the house on the Heritage at Risk Register.
But good news! Parts of the house have been carefully restored. Students from Kelly College even helped with some of the work.
Life in the Past
We know a lot about what life was like at Kelly House during the First World War. Margaret Kelly, who was the lady of the house at that time, wrote a diary. It tells us many interesting details about how the house was run every day.
After the war, another member of the family, Mary Kelly, started something special. She founded the Village Drama Society. This group was based at Kelly House from 1919 until about 1925. They probably put on plays and shows for the local community.
Kelly House Today
Today, Kelly House is still a home for members of the Kelly family. But they also open some of their rooms to visitors. You can even stay there like a guest, as they offer bed and breakfast accommodation. This started in 2013.
You can also take guided tours to see parts of the house that have been restored. It's a great way to step back in time and learn about its history. In 2010, Kelly House was even featured on a TV show called Country House Rescue on Channel 4.
The Kelly Family's Symbol
The Kelly family of Kelly has its own special symbol, called a coat of arms. This symbol has been recorded since the 1500s. A coat of arms is like a unique design or emblem that represents a family or a group.
The Kelly family's coat of arms is described as argent, a chevron between three billets gules. This is a special way of describing the colors and shapes on the shield. It means the background is silver (argent), and there's a V-shape (chevron) with three small rectangles (billets) that are red (gules).
