We were sitting in the Cornish bakery Barbican Plymouth, enjoying a morning brew, when Mrs. C looked up from the MET Office weather report and said that today was going to be the only sunny day this week. So, we had better Carpe Diem and take a drive out for an impromptu expedition.
Indeed, we had been reading about a very interesting National Trust property located just outside of Exmouth called “A La Ronde”. So we packed a picnic, fired up Bridget, dialled A La Ronde in to the satnav and headed up the A38.
This particular property is quite unusual in its design and has a very interesting history. The house itself was built in 1795 by two cousins, Jane & Mary Parminter. The building is unusual in that it is a 16 sided construction which was inspired by the Basilica of San Vitale in Italy, which the cousins had visited during their Grand European Tour.
I was looking forward to capturing the building and its interiors using the Leica SL2S and the Sigma 45mm F2.8 dgdn contemporary lens. This photographic set-up has been growing on me and I have been putting in the groundwork for a planned summer trip to Italy where this combo would be integral. Hold that thought for a future blog.
The journey from Sutton Harbour was about an hour and as we drove along leafy Devon lanes I was reminded of what a privilege it is to live where we live.
On arrival there was plenty of parking and as we walked through the entrance we were immediately blown away by the view that confronted us.
Views on arrival.
First glimpse of the house.
Understated Elegance.
The two creators of this property were quite unusual for the period and very much ahead of their time. The Parminter girls were very much independent, unmarried women, who travelled Europe during the late 18th century, during a time when travel for single women was quite rare.
Usually the National Trust properties that we visit have been gifted to the Trust in lieu of death duties or by way of a gift for prosterity. However, A La Ronde was actually purchased by the National Trust in 1991 as they wished to preserve its unique interiors.
Organisation at the property was first class and we were greeted at the entrance by a very helpful guide who gave us a brief history of the property and some tips about the best way to view this unique property.
A warm welcome and introductory talk before every visit to the house.
The property itself comprises a sixteen sided construction over three floors. It was allegedly built in a style that would remind the girls of their tour of Europe, whilst providing a home for the artefacts and souvenirs that they had collected during their travels.
I was pleased that I chose the SL2S because inside of the property it was full of light and shadows and so low-light capability was a must.
Embracing shadows whilst enjoying the highlights.
Central to the house is “The Octagon”, a circulating meeting area from which all other rooms radiate. Given that I only had the 45mm lens with me, I found the best way to reflect this was in the reflection in the mirror ball hanging from the ceiling which shows the 8 doors leading from the Octagon.
Reflections of a beautiful home.
In addition to the various collections of shells and souvenirs this really was a family home.
Memories of Family.
Details of The Grand Tour adorned the dining table.
Light & Shadows.
The property has a whole gallery containing some 25,000 shells but unfortunately this was not open. Another reason to plan a return visit. However, I was able to capture some of the shell and feather mosaic’s as illustrated below.
Shell mosaic.
Just like me - Neat yet perfectly functional.
Its only when you walk around the beautiful grounds and gardens that you see what really attracted the Parminter girls to this location.
Beautiful from every angle.
View from The Walk of the Garden.
The Bee Garden.
We decided to take our picnic lunch on the “Ha Ha Lawn” with beautiful views over the Exe estuary in the distance.
Lunch on the Ha Ha Lawn - Hydration by Luscombe, Imagery by Leica SL2s & Sigma 45mm DGDN Contemporary.
The Gardens and Exe Estuary.
Of course, regular readers already know that my blog would not be complete without a visit to “The Bench of Contemplation”.
The Bench of Contemplation.
Whilst this blog is quite brief I hope that I have been able to illustrate some of the beauty of the property and certainly I found capturing both the interior and exterior so enjoyable. Now I know what to expect I fully intend to revisit, with a wide angle lens, in order to capture the interior of the house from a completely different perspective. If you want to read a detailed history of the Parminter girls and their tour of Europe, there is plenty of information online but a good place to start is www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/a-la-ronde .
So if you are driving down the A38 and see Exmouth signposted, take a deviation and spend an hour or so at A La Ronde. You won’t regret it.
Warmest regards from Plymouth U.K.