ON Sunday, September 20, the former walled gardens of Eggesford House in Mid Devon (previously a garden centre, now being lovingly restored) will be open to the public for the first time in eight years, together with Eggesford Barton and All Saints Church.
A local history exhibition in the church tells the story of the vast aristocratic estate held by families of regional and national importance, such as the Reigneys, Chichesters and Fellowes, and later the Earls of Portsmouth.
This year new metal detectorist finds and everyday histories about local people are included.
The church and estate have connections to Julian Fellowes and his acclaimed TV and film series 'Downton Abbey'.
Refreshments will be served in the beautifully positioned church from 11am to 4.15pm.
Access to the church and exhibition, Garden and Barton is free.
• Jeremy Burks, owner of the walled gardens, says: “We’re trying to return Eggesford Garden to its former glory and to make it core to the local community and a delightful place to visit.
“It’s a work-in-progress so you won’t see the productive, vibrant garden yet, but you’ll get a sense for what will come.”
A café/ restaurant is planned within the historic gardens.
• Jonathan Crofts, local historian and author and organiser of the Eggesford events, added: “We are lucky this year to have not only the Garden and the Barton open to the public, as well as the church, but also to display the metal detecting finds of Jonathan Widdowson, who is another local historian and relates his discoveries to stories of the local area and its inhabitants. The Barton was probably the earliest significant settlement in Eggesford, home of the Reigneys, and like the Garden, is not usually accessible by the public.”
• All Saints is a Grade II* listed church with rectors from the C13, it has a C14/C15 tower and impressive C17 Chichester monuments, along with later estate owner William Fellowes' C18 monument. The 1867 restoration by the 5th Earl of Portsmouth installed an unusually large family pew, and moved the remarkable Earl of Donegall monument to opposite today's entrance in the nave, fronted by rare Georgian box pews. The Chichesters' earlier Eggesford House was adjacent, before being rebuilt in the early C19 as the grand Grade II building higher up the valley, still visible from the church. Its secluded churchyard, with views over earlier parkland and the Taw valley, has Fellowes and Churchill chest tombs and access to the Portsmouth vault, resting place for the 4th and 5th Earls (closed for this event).
• The church was included by historian Dr Todd Gray in his 'Devon's Fifty Best Churches': 'This is a building dominated by a need to be remembered and to do so ostentatiously... The monuments dominate the church and are, according to [antiquarian] Miss Cresswell a century ago, more suited to a cathedral than to a small village church... the first great monument... is the only one of its kind in Devon... in the east end of the chapel is a third monument which catches the eye... Notice also the Tortoise Stove with the motto slow but sure combustion.'
• Pre-booking is not required. Parking is available by the Garden (EX18 7QU) or access via the Tarka Line (Eggesford Station, some 10 minutes’ walk) and the Tarka Trail.
Disabled parking is also available at the church and the Barton. Visitors to the Garden will be guided with tours every half hour, due to the work in progress.
The Barton will be accessible by guided tour every hour from 12 noon. Visitors to the church can chat to local historians Jonathan Crofts and Jonathan Widdowson for more information.
The recent history of Eggesford and the estate – ‘The Portsmouth Connection’ – will be on sale, along with a variety of second-hand books, and refreshments.
The Eggesford venues will be open as part of Heritage Open Days, brought to the public by The National Trust with support from players of Postcode Lottery and delivered locally by a large range of organisations.
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