debris4spike: (James - totally fascinated)
[personal profile] debris4spike
This afternoon, Christine came over after work and we went to A La Ronde - a 16 sided house in Exmouth (near Exeter)

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It was built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, on their return from a grand tour of Europe in the late 18th century. It contains many objects and mementoes of their travels. They also built a Church nearby to work with poor children in the village. Both the ladies are buried there.

The extraordinary interior decoration includes a feather frieze, gathered from native game birds and chickens, laboriously stuck down with isinglass.

There is also a fragile shell-encrusted gallery, said to contain nearly 25,000 shells, which can be viewed in its entirety using a touch screen 360 degree virtual tour.

Until it went into the hands of The National Trust the house was passed through the family, going to single ladies only. Although one married while there, and brought her husband to live with her. He did many renovations including centarl heating, in late Victorian times.


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A frieze they made of feathers -
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I love how they managed to use the shape, squared off the rooms, but still utilised the odd shaped corners -
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No one is allowed up to the Shell Gallery now, as it is too fragile -
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Some of the work is also around the house -
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The Church-
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There are a few more pictures here

Date: 2012-06-28 05:26 pm (UTC)
ext_11988: made by lmbossy (Default)
From: [identity profile] kazzy-cee.livejournal.com
I saw this on an antiques programme recently - a fascinating place. Nightmare to dust LOL!!

Date: 2012-06-28 05:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jaded-jamie.livejournal.com
What an absolutely stunning place! I love the "library" most, that is epic :D

I must see this place in RL before I die... Thanks for sharing :D

Date: 2012-06-28 06:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spikereader.livejournal.com
How fascinating. I love the quirky windows and the bookshelves.

Date: 2012-06-28 07:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] illuminanted.livejournal.com
It looks wonderful. I love seeing this kind of themed houses. I find it very interesting and inspiring. I love the shells and the feather decorations. Although, that is quite a lot of shells...

Date: 2012-06-28 10:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] illuminanted.livejournal.com
That's exactly what fascinated me most about the shell gallery. (besides the beauty aspect of it) It must have been very challenging to do such a thing then.

Date: 2012-06-28 09:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crimson-newmoon.livejournal.com
Fascinating :) To see what is new with me see this: http://valo-daily.livejournal.com/4984266.html

Date: 2012-06-29 10:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crimson-newmoon.livejournal.com
Thank you hun :D Ahh cool :D

Date: 2012-06-28 09:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] curiouswombat.livejournal.com
What a wonderful building.

Date: 2012-06-29 01:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] missus-grace.livejournal.com
That's pretty cool - I especially love the bookshelves!

It reminds of this round barn near my childhood home. Everytime we drove by it my dad would say, "Did you hear about the farmer who went crazy in this barn? He couldn't find a corner to pee in!"

Cue raucus laughter from us kids ;)

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