Spitchwick Manor

Two lodges (early and late C19) survive at the entrances to the large estate where in the C18 a house was built for the first Lord Ashburton, who was responsible for the extensive plantations in this area. The house itself was remodelled in the later C19. White (1850) noted that Lord Ashburton had built  ‘a neat house…. in a romantic situation, where he made extensive plantations.’  In 1901the sale particularsdescribed it as ‘a gentleman’s residence’ and a ‘residential sporting property .’Moreover, ‘the scenery is unsurpassed, the climate bracing and invigorating.’  It noted that the drive was lined with an avenue of beech trees and that there was a moorland stream with banks covered with ferns and ….’ The pleasure grounds, of moderate extent, are most attractively laid out with rare and beautiful trees and shrubs.  There are some grand specimens of well grown ornamental trees.  In the front of the house is a fine piece of turf of about an acre in extent, well adapted for tennis, croquet and bowls’.  There were also glass houses (vinery, greenhouse, orchid and melon)  and a vegetable garden of two acres.  Finally there was the Park Wood which was laid out with grass drives and paths.  Curiously, ‘at the end of the wood, a short distance from the entrance is a large open tank or bath (known as Lady Ashburton’s bath); it is well screened by laurels and other shrubs and abundantly supplied with pure fresh water’.            

Higher Lodge and Lower Lodges are listed Grade II

Cherry & Pevsner: The Buildings of England – Devon, 1989: 908
T Gray: The Garden History of Devon,1995: 208-9