Poltimore House and Grounds 4.07

A few miles north of Exeter on the level land between the rivers Exe and Clyst, Poltimore House stands four-square and solid against a background of dark trees. Now encased in scaffolding and sheet metal it awaits restoration.

Circa 1550 Richard Bampfylde built the first house on the site. Over the next 370 years the family enlarged and altered it, although much remains of the original Tudor house. The Bampfylde’s moved out in 1921, when the house became a girls school, Poltimore College and then a home for the WWII evacuated boys school, Dover College. In 1944 it was sold and subsequently in 1945 became a private hospital, until its incorporation into the National Health Service in the 1960’s. Since 1975 the house has had several owners, but is now owned by The Poltimore House Trust, a charitable trust.