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A La Ronde
A La Ronde is a charming 18th century house built to a unique design. The 16-sided residence was built as a showcase and a home for two cousins, Mary and Jane Parminster. Seemingly never idle, the two women invested hours in a painstaking labour of love, decorating their home and creating a beautiful shell-grotto which may now be seen via closed-circuit television.A La Ronde was designed by an apprentice architect, Commander John Lowder. A relative to the Parminsters by marriage, Lowder designed this unique 16-sided house at the tender age of 17. The result was perfect for the Parminster cousins as it enabled them to house the formidable collection of artefacts and curiosities which they had accumulated in a ten year Grand Tour of Europe. More importantly, A La Ronde was also designed to attract sunlight as it moved from east to west with the two ladies ending their day in the oval western tearoom.
Despite decay, repainting and alteration, A La Ronde resounds with the energy the Parminster cousins infused into their home. They invested hour upon hour into the so-called 'Lady's Amusements' of the time and left in their wake the best collection of the art in England. In their work, they used typical materials such as feathers, shells, mirrorglass, seaweed and sand to create a range of practical and decorative crafts.
Jane Parminster died in 1811 but her cousin, Mary Parminster remained at A La Ronde until she passed away in 1849. Her will stipulated that A La Ronde would only be passed down to unmarried kinswomen. This was mostly adhered to with the exception of Reverend Oswald Reichel who lived at A La Ronde between 1886 and 1923. After this period, A La Ronde was rescued by the National Trust. Although changes and alterations conducted by Reichel altered the exterior and modified the interior accommodation, A La Ronde is still a testament to the works of the Parminster cousins. Their hours of painstaking work, decorative schemes, ingenuity and patience are all evident in this remarkable 18th century relic.
Location
Address: A La Ronde, Summer Lane
Postcode: EX8 5BD
Town/city or near: Exmouth
County: Devon
Admission
Adults: £5.00
Children: £2.50
National Trust
(2 votes)
