A La Ronde in Exmouth(Image: GWilliams)

Future of ancient Devon attraction secured after painstaking work

by · DevonLive

The National Trust says the future of a much-loved Devon attraction has been secured after two years of painstaking conservation work. Amazing new spaces have also been created at A la Ronde, near Exmouth.

The 16-sided 1790s house was taken into the conservation charity's care in 1991. Two years ago it embarked on a mission to reimagine it and bring in new audiences, including working with community groups and creating new experiences for visitors.

New spaces include an "immersive" room inspired by A La Ronde’s intricate 200-year-old Shell Gallery that is now too fragile to enter. The Room of Discovery is said to be an "artistic re-interpretation" of the space, while the gallery itself has been cleaned and repaired.

Exhibition rooms will change each season and a new digital space, "Compendium" holds in-depth information about the house, the grounds and the people who lived there. Visitors can explore two different virtual tours focusing on either history or conservation.

Emma Mee, project manager at A la Ronde, said: “We're delighted to have successfully completed this two-year project. We’re enormously grateful for the support we have received from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, from the Wolfson Foundation, and from visitors and donors, whose generosity has made this transformative work possible.

"We would like to thank everyone who has taken part in the project, from visitors to students, to families, staff and partners, over the past two years. We hope that through our work, A la Ronde has become better known to more people – that sharing the stories of the house in a variety of ways will bring in new audiences, and in doing so protect A la Ronde’s legacy for many more years to come."

The Room of Discovery at A la Ronde, inspired by its shell gallery(Image: Sophie Bolesworth/National Trust Images)

The "A la Ronde – Conserving the Past, Creating the Future" project included events and workshops ranging from shell crafting, willow weaving and an archaeological dig to family theatre sessions. Outside in the meadow, there is now an animal trail for families and new seating.

A series of videos are also being launched for visitors who use British Sign Language. Designed to make A la Ronde more accessible, they can be viewed by scanning QR codes at the property with a phone camera or from home here.

A La Ronde was built by Jane Parminter and her second cousin and ward, Mary Parminter in the last years of the 18th century, following several ‘Grand Tours’ of Europe. They decorated their Devon home with imaginative interiors, including natural but fragile materials such as feathers and shells.

The National Trust has been carefully restoring the house over the last 33 years, including work to address significant deterioration of the roof and chimneys.

The intricate detail in the Room of Discovery at A la Ronde(Image: National Trust Images/Sophie Bolesworth)

A la Ronde is open every Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am to 5.30pm until November 3. Normal admission applies, with free entry for National Trust members.

The new Shell Gallery Virtual 360 Tour can be found here. Find out more about A la Ronde at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/a-la-ronde

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