Coleton Fishacre

Om museet

Coleton Fishacre owes its location to a sailing trip. Rupert D'Oyly Carte and his wife Lady Dorothy saw a valley running down to the sea near Pudcombe Cove from their yacht in the early 1900s and decided it was the right place for a country home. Rupert was the son of Richard D'Oyly Carte, the impresario behind Gilbert and Sullivan and the Savoy Hotel, and he ran both the Savoy company and the opera company.

The architect Oswald Milne designed the house to sit within the valley, with sea views and plenty of light and stone quarried from the garden itself. Building began in 1925 and the family moved in during 1926. The interiors are dramatic Art Deco, with pale rooms, strong accent colours and little decoration, and were featured in Country Life. The family enjoyed sailing, swimming in the cove, gardening and entertaining guests such as the conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent and the painter Charles Ricketts. A wind dial showed when the weather was good for sailing, and a bell called the family in from the cove for meals.

Their son Michael died in a car accident in 1932, and Rupert and Dorothy separated in 1936. Their daughter Bridget sold the house in 1949 to Rowland Smith, a London motor trader who kept the house and garden in good order until he died in 1979. The estate was offered to the National Trust just before his widow Freda's death in 1982. Visitors can see the bedrooms, the servants' quarters and the kitchen with its original electric bell board.

Højdepunkter

• Art Deco country house designed by Oswald Milne in 1926
• Lady Dorothy's bedroom, library and servants' quarters
• Original kitchen with electric bell board
• Coastal garden running down to Pudcombe Cove
• Free Wi-Fi in the visitor courtyard and a sensory station in the house

Permanent udstilling

• Art Deco house – The 1920s country house with its Art Deco interiors, bedrooms, servants' quarters and original kitchen.

Grundlagt

1926

Ejer

National Trust

Entrépriser & rabatter

Prices are for the whole property (house and garden) without Gift Aid; with Gift Aid the adult price is £19.80, the child price £9.90 and the family price £49.50. National Trust members enter free. Car parking is free for members; non-members pay £1.30 an hour (£3.60 for three hours).

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The ground floor of the house is accessible, but the grounds are only partly accessible, with steep slopes and narrow paths, and an accessible route map is available. Two manual wheelchairs can be borrowed on a first-come basis, and an all-terrain Tramper can be hired by arrangement for a fee. Adapted toilets are next to visitor reception. A drop-off point is in front of reception and designated parking spaces are on the left of the main car park, which has an uneven gravel surface. The café and shop have level access, an induction loop is provided and there is a sensory station in the house. There is no mobile phone signal. Assistance dogs only are allowed in the house.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer

The house has a free trail, a sensory station with items to borrow and an interactive sensory projector. Free 'Little Acorns' toddler sessions run in the garden on Wednesday mornings in term time, and summer activities include nautical games and hands-on 'Mucky Mondays' sessions. Café Coleton serves children's meals.

Transport & parkering

The approach lane is narrow and busy, and reversing may be required, especially between 13:00 and 14:30. From Kingswear take the Lower Ferry road and turn right at the toll house; from Brixham take the A3022 to Kingswear and turn left at the toll house. A bicycle rack is at the back of the property office.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Museumsbutik
• Opbevaringsskabe
• Wi-fi

Free Wi-Fi is available in the visitor courtyard. Café Coleton has indoor and outdoor seating and serves light lunches, children's meals and cakes, and an ice cream kiosk operates in summer. The shop sells gifts and locally made food, with a plant shop and a second-hand bookshop in the garden. Lockers for large bags are available. Picnics are welcome in the garden and at tables by the car park. Dogs on leads are welcome in the garden, shop and café.

Arrangementer & udlejning

Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.

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