A large Victorian Venetian Gothic house but with also hints of Arabic inspiration. A romantic late Victorian fantasy. The walls are cream coloured Barnstaple machine-brick with decorative bands of red brick. Built by and for Richard Carter-Pedler in 1900. A most unusual house and garden as signified by the fact that even the garden paths and ponds are listed. The house faces south overlooking the terrace and Japanese garden. From the front the ground drops away dramatically to a former quarry, now the Japanese garden and includes 2 terraces. The upper terrace in front of the verandah projects forward with a round end. The lower terrace includes strange concrete ponds and service walkways to the cellars. There are a series of winding concrete and brick paths with simple iron rails, including simple timber and iron footbridges, which wind down the steep slopes of the former quarry which has been landscaped as Japanese garden including a large concrete-lined lake with islands. The paths also wind off through water gardens, rockeries, tennis court. croquet green, bear pit etc. The lakes, ponds and waterfall are fed by an elaborate system of overflow pipes and fed by a nearby spring and water tower.
Reeve Castle including adj. glasshouse, engine house, terrace, ponds, bridges and garden paths Grade II,
Water tower 200m W Grade II
Cherry & Pevsner: The Buildings of England – Devon, 1989: 927 T Gray:
The Garden History of Devon, 1995: 191
