KILLERTON - DEVON
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One of Devon’s great estates, Killerton was originally owned by the Acland family who donated the property to the National Trust for people like us to enjoy.
We frequently visit the estate as it is less than an hour from our home. The photo sequence was taken over two sessions, one during a stay in 2023 at a Trust Cottage to celebrate Sheila’s birthday and again on a day trip in early spring 2024.
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We stayed in the former rector’s cottage which is adjacent to the old school building. It was beautifully renovated as the photos show but the big plus for us was our own gateway giving access to the Estate Grounds and this gave us miles of open walking.
The gardens at Killerton are renowned, with blooming herbaceous borders and patches of wild meadow. Winding paths lead to hidden treasures, from the ice house and bear's hut to a chapel. The Killerton estate is vast stretching over 6400 cares.
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Killerton House and Grounds
Our temporary holiday cottage was on the other side of the hill close to the Chapel which was being enhanced during our stay - more later. It is the right hand cottage in the photo below.
Outside
Inside is the Birthday Girl!
The "stand-in" chef for the night.
Notice the salad!
The Bathroom, refurbished in a throw-back style to the former Use of the school building.
Through the gate from our garden onto the main Estate this picture shows an ancient tree with the cottage behind.
............And here is the Segway to January 2024 with Sheila appearing to clean the beautiful stained glass window of the chapel behind our cottage. in August 2023.
In fact it was a poster sized photo at ground level showing the window which the architects planned to recreate.
Below is the new window in its proper location.
and the interior views of the partially refurbished chapel.
The outside of the Chapel
Beyond the Chapel there are some fantastic walks, some through the formal gardens and others over the iron age hill fort and woods, pasture fields and even a second Chapel.
The picture below shows one of the most beautiful beds of "wild" cyclamen we have ever seen and in January it was at its peak.
As I hope you can see, there is a lot of open countryside and formal parkland to explore and enjoy and I hope the selection of photographs will whet your appetite to make a visit if you are near Exeter.
