Knightshayes Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Knightshayes Court |
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| General information | |
| Type | Stately home |
| Location | Bolham, Tiverton, Devon, England |
| Coordinates | (grid reference SS961151) |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Designations | Grade I listed |
Knightshayes Court is a grand Victorian country house located near Tiverton, Devon, England. The famous architect William Burges designed it for the wealthy Heathcoat-Amory family. It is considered a great example of Victorian design. The house is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. Its beautiful gardens are also special, listed as Grade II* in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
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History of Knightshayes
The first large house at Knightshayes was built between 1785 and 1788. It belonged to Benjamin Dickinson, who was a rich merchant, banker, and even the mayor of Tiverton.
Much later, in 1868, Benjamin Dickinson's great-grandson sold the Knightshayes estate. It was bought by Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet. His family had become very wealthy from making lace. They owned many factories and much land around Tiverton. Sir John chose the Knightshayes site because it offered a perfect view of his distant factory in the Exe valley. He decided to tear down the old Dickinson house and build a brand new mansion slightly higher up. This new house is the one you can see today.
Exploring the House
Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet bought Knightshayes in 1867. In the same year, he asked William Burges to design a new house. The first stone was laid in 1869, and the building was mostly finished by 1874. However, the inside was not completed exactly as Burges had planned.
Burges and Sir John did not get along well. Sir John thought Burges's designs were too expensive and too fancy. One expert noted that Sir John built a house he couldn't afford to decorate. This disagreement led to Burges being replaced in 1874 by another designer, John Dibblee Crace.
Despite the problems, Knightshayes Court is the only example of a medium-sized country house designed by Burges. It was considered very "picturesque" even in its own time. The house has a traditional layout with a hall, drawing room, morning room, smoking room, library, and billiard room. A huge tower was planned for the west side, but only its base was built. This tower would have made the house look even more romantic.
The interior was meant to be incredibly grand and detailed, but most of Burges's designs were never fully completed. Over time, many of the features that were built were taken down or covered up. This happened because people in the 20th century often didn't like Victorian architecture, especially Burges's style.
When the National Trust took over the house in 1973, they initially didn't see the house itself as very important. However, as Burges's work became more appreciated, the National Trust began to restore the house. They worked to uncover and fix as many of Burges's original features as possible. For example, a "sparkling" ceiling in the Drawing Room was found in 1981 after being hidden since 1889. The Trust has even brought in furniture designed by Burges from other places. This includes a bookcase from The Tower House and a marble fireplace from Worcester College, Oxford.
A special album prepared by Burges, which you can see at the house, shows what the interiors could have looked like. One Victorian writer described Knightshayes as a perfect example of the Gothic Revival style.
Among the paintings displayed in the house is one believed to be a self-portrait by Rembrandt. It might have been a study for a painting now in the Rijksmuseum. This painting was featured in a BBC television show in 2018.
During the Second World War, Knightshayes Court was used as a place for soldiers from the U.S. Eighth Air Force to recover.
The Heathcoat-Amory Family
The Heathcoat-Amory family lived at Knightshayes for many years. Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 3rd Baronet, who was the grandson of the first Baronet, married Joyce Wethered. She was a very famous golfer. You can find an exhibition of golfing items in the house.
Roderick Heathcoat-Amory, the youngest son of the 2nd Baronet, was a Brigadier in the Army. His son, David Heathcoat-Amory, was a politician.
The Gardens at Knightshayes
The gardens at Knightshayes were originally designed by Edward Kemp. However, they were made much simpler in the 1950s and 1960s. Sir John and Lady Heathcoat-Amory did a lot of work on the gardens. For their efforts, they both received the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour.
The estate also has a rare stické court, which is a type of indoor tennis court, built in 1907. Other interesting parts of the gardens include the amazing topiary (trees and shrubs shaped into designs), special rare trees, and unusual shrubs. The stables and the walled kitchen garden were also designed by Burges.
In 2015, the Mid Devon Show, a large local event, was held at Knightshayes Court.
Knightshayes and the National Trust
Knightshayes Court has been owned by the National Trust since 1972. It first opened its doors to the public in 1974. The National Trust works to protect and open up historic places for everyone to enjoy.
See also
- Heathcoat-Amory baronets
