A La Ronde National Trust beautiful monument in Exmouth

A La Ronde is a beautiful 18th-century estate located in the town of Exmouth in Devon, southern England. The central feature of the estate is a sixteen-sided house, whose construction appears as unusual as its interior. The house is surrounded by a lovely garden and park, offering a breathtaking view of the Exe estuary. On clear days, one can even spot Powder ham Castle, standing proudly on the opposite bank.

A La Ronde National Trust property and its history

The design of the house, along with the surrounding gardens and park, is the work of an extraordinary woman—Jane Parminter. She defied the rigid Victorian etiquette and created her world exactly as she wanted. Jane was the daughter of a wealthy wine merchant from Dover, whose fortune helped her realize bold and unusual dreams and ideas for her time.

Our courageous Jane rebelled against the strict rules of 18th-century England, which confined women to the role of managing the household and family. Instead of staying home and gossiping over tea, she set out on a multi-year journey across Europe in 1784 with her sister and several cousins. During their travels, they visited France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. Spending months in each country, they immersed themselves in its history, customs, and culture. They documented their observations and experiences in writing while collecting souvenirs, which—along with their private notes—you can see today at the A La Ronde estate in Exmouth.

Upon returning to England, Jane and one of her cousins, Mary, decided to build a home for themselves near the fashionable town of Exmouth. The house was meant to remind them of their travels and provide ample space for the many souvenirs they had brought back, as Jane loved to collect anything that caught her eye. The two women purchased a beautiful plot of land just outside the town and built their home on a picturesque hill. Dissatisfied with the proposals of local architects, they designed the house themselves with the help of a friendly student from Bath, John Lowder. The result was a home as extraordinary as they were.

A La Ronde is a living memory of these remarkable women and their journey through the world and life. The house has an oval shape and was designed and built in a highly unusual way. All the rooms have curved walls, and the windows were fitted to match the structure. The results of their work continue to fascinate visitors to Exmouth to this day. Alongside the house, the women also built a school and a care home for impoverished children. Unfortunately, only the house and some outbuildings have survived to the present day.

An unusual building and its interesting structure

The house at the A La Ronde estate in Exmouth was built in the 18th century by cousins Jane and Mary Parminter shortly after their return from a journey across Europe in 1796. It was constructed in a sixteen-sided design with three floors and a spacious attic, which was illuminated by nine dormer windows added in the late 19th century. At the heart of the house lies a central octagonal hall, over 10 meters high, with the main flats arranged around it on all floors.

The rooms in the house include several bedrooms, a living room, and a library, where the women spent most of their time. The ground floor contains utility rooms such as the kitchen, wine cellar, pantry, and laundry. In total, the house has 20 rooms, most of which serve as gallery spaces filled with display cases. Surrounding the house are beautiful gardens, offering a tranquil retreat where visitors can relax and enjoy excellent tea served at the estate’s charming café.

Extraordinary collections of souvenirs from numerous journeys

It must be acknowledged that Jane and Mary were not only remarkably bold women for their time but also highly talented artists. Together, they created galleries and designed exhibitions featuring shells, feathers, mosaics, as well as prints and paintings collected from around the world. As you explore A La Ronde, you will undoubtedly notice the extraordinary decorations that accompany you throughout the house. These include delicate galleries filled with shells and feathers, as well as friezes made of flowers and tiny plumes. The handmade ornaments crafted by the Par minter cousins blend seamlessly with ceramics, stones, bones, and paintings gathered during their travels.

Tables and desks are adorned with photographs and drawings of family members, along with sketches of the house in its early, original form. In the corners of the rooms, display cases hold rather unusual artifacts—animal bones, semi-precious stones, beads, and seaweed collected from English beaches. If you would like to explore the full collection amassed by the Par minter cousins, I invite you to visit the National Trust A La Ronde website.

A La Ronde National Trust practical information

• A La Ronde House is located in Exmouth at Summer Lane, Exmouth, Devon, England, EX8 5BD
• The estate is open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 15:30.
• The last entry is at 14:30.
• There is a car park on the estate, which is free for National Trust members.
• Dogs are welcome in the park and gardens at A La Ronde, provided they are kept on a lead.
• Ticket prices for A La Ronde in Exmouth:
  • Adult: £9.50
  • Child: £4.75
  • Family: £23.75
  • The above prices are a guide, not a set price.
• If you haven’t already, I recommend that you consider becoming a member of the National Trust. Thanks to this, you will be able to visit all the attractions belonging to it for free and without restrictions. You can read about the details in our previous article.

A La Ronde National Trust information and interesting facts

• Jane Parminter was born in 1750 in Lisbon, where her father ran a wine business. A childhood spent traveling awakened in Jane a thirst for adventure and a sincere opposition to the rigid English etiquette.
• After her uncle’s death, Jane became the guardian of her cousin Mary, with whom they became very close friends.
• After her father’s death, Jane, Mary, and a few friends set off on a several-year journey across Europe. This was an unprecedented event at the time.
• After returning from their travels, the girls decided to stay together and not start families.
• They built a house for themselves near Exmouth with an unusual, sixteen-sided structure.
• Their inspiration for such an unusual house was the 6th-century Byzantine Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna.
• Both girls were passionate about art, travel, and a life full of adventure.
• Jane Parminter died in 1811 and was buried in the chapel on the estate, known as Point in View.
• Mary lived at A La Ronde until her death in 1849, when she was buried next to her friend in the same chapel.
• Jane Parminter, as the owner of the estate and surrounding lands, left her entire estate to Mary in her will, and after her death the house and everything inside were to remain unchanged. The main point of the will was that A La Ronde could be inherited by future generations, but only by unmarried persons.
• The last family member to inherit A La Ronde was the Reverend Oswald Reichel.
• Oswald Reichel was the only male owner of A La Ronde.
• During the years that Oswald owned the estate from 1880 to 1923, he made many improvements and upgrades to the house. However, in accordance with Jane’s last will, the structure and interior design remained the same as when she and Mary lived there.