A fortified manor house with 600 years worth of history, lush gardens and an ancient deer park; explore one of Devon's most majestic and oldest family homes at Powderham Castle.
Step onto the stunning grounds of Powderham Castle, a family home tucked away in the rolling Devonian countryside and bursting with history. The grounds are made up of the breath-taking castle and its well-appointed pretty gardens which lie in the beautiful ancient Deer Park beside the Exe Estuary. First opened to visitors in 1959, this wonderful site has had over a million visitors and hosts a wide breadth of events from music to food festivals to its very own Deer Safaris.
Explore the castle in detail on one of the two educational and interesting tours. Take the State Room Tour and explore the castle’s prized gardens and its grandest rooms, including discovering secret doorways and the hidden ballroom. For those seeking an insight into the Courtenay family’s exciting history, experience the Upstairs/Downstairs tour which includes a walk through the never-before-seen family bedrooms, learning intimate and spooky details of the family members and their staff.
On a sunny day, one should definitely make the most of the many gardens on the estate. The American garden boasts exotic trees and an extraordinary gothic summer house, whereas in June the Rose Garden will be in full bloom with rich, red roses. You can also enjoy the ancient Deer Park, home to over 600 fallow deer and a range of trees such as oak, lime and plane. For the little ones, there is the delightful Victorian Walled gardens which harbours the Play Area and Pets Corner. With many farm animals such as donkeys, goats, pigs, chickens and sheep and a lovely picnic area to let the little one’s run free, this is the perfect spot to take a breather from this immense estate and to just sit back and enjoy the view.
If you’ve forgotten to bring your packed lunches, there are two lovely places to grab something to eat. The Courtenay Café has a tasty menu made up of light lunches, refreshments, traditional cream teas and the ever-so-popular children’s lunch boxes. For a larger, more grown-up lunch you can take your time and peruse the menu at The Orangery, found in the delightful Country Store on the estate.
Whether you decide to explore the history of the spectacular fortified manor house or spend the day enjoying the peaceful and beautiful landscapes, there is something for everyone to enjoy a day out at Powderham Castle.
Feeling inspired? Have a look at our luxury cottages near Exeter, Devon here.
Powerham Castle, Kenton, Exeter, Devon EX6 8JQ | 01626 890243 | www.powderham.co.uk
