National Trust - Knightshayes Court

I take a little photography day out doing what I like; walking, and getting photos of places I've been. Sprawling, gothic Victorian National Trust country mansion set in formal gardens and woodland walks. Address: Bolham, Tiverton EX16 7RQ Knightshayes has a rich and varied history, beginning in 1868 when Sir John Heathcoat-Amory commissioned the architect William Burges to create Knightshayes Court. It was the only complete country house Burges ever designed. With its Victorian Gothic style, carved gargoyles and fantastical beasts, the house remains impressive. During the Second World War, Knightshayes became a USAAF rest home for the American Air Force, and has seen many changes since. Sir John was the grandson of John Heathcoat, who created the mechanised bobbin lace-making machine and owned a lace factory in Tiverton. Sir John Heathcoat and his family moved to Tiverton in 1816, after their lace making factory in Loughborough was destroyed. It was Sir John's grandson, John Heathcoat-Amory, who commissioned the building of the house. Sir John built his new home overlooking the factory, and although the foundation stone was laid in 1869, it was not until 1873 that the interior designs were complete. The last family members to own Knightshayes were Sir John and Joyce, Lady Heathcoat-Amory. Joyce Wethered, was a respected gardener and a world championship golfer, winning the British Amateur Championship four times, in 1922, 1924, 1925 and 1929. She also won the English Championship from 1920–24 and was playing captain of the Curtis Cup team against the United States in 1932. Sir John lived until 1972, and the house was handed to the National Trust on his death. Joyce, Lady Heathcoat-Amory continued to live in the east wing of the house until her death in 1997. Passionate about medieval architecture and design, William Burges believed that ‘what looks best is best’. While working on Knightshayes he was also busy transforming Cardiff Castle for the Marquis of Bute, who shared Burges’s intensely medieval vision. He succeeded in making it impressive and practical, and it shares many of the house’s features. Surrounded by trees, only the front elevation was intended to be seen. The flamboyant interiors Burges proposed for the house were too much for Sir John and his wife Henrietta and they were never realised. Client and architect parted company halfway through the commission when Burges was fired by the family. In 1944 Knightshayes became a rest home for the American Air Force. It had enough space to have 40 officers and was allocated to the 1st Bomb Division. The airmen were entitled to a week of leave. It wasn't possible for the men to go home, so some English country homes and hotels became repurposed to provide a break from the war. At Knightshayes, men could rest and recover away from their military routine, relaxing and enjoying games, activities and tranquillity. They played golf in the garden, clay pigeon shooting on the cricket ground in the parkland and tried to leave behind the horrors of war. The grounds also served as an airfield for two small military spotter planes attached to the army artillery unit whose staff headquarters were based here. It became customary for those who had convalesced at Knightshayes to fly over the estate and dip their wing as a salute to those who were still staying there. Just three days before the end of the war, on 1 May 1945, Lieutenant Albin Zychowski set out to fly over Knighthayes. He planned to tip the wing of his P47 Thunderbolt in an 18 strong plane formation. Unfortunately, his plane clipped the top of a tall pine in the grounds, causing the fully armed plane to crash. It exploded near the waterworks in Chettiscombe, which borders the estate. Despite the efforts of bystanders, Albin couldn't be saved. It was a reminder to everyone how cruel the war was. The Formal Garden was laid out by landscape designer Edward Kemp, at the same time as the house was being built in the 19th century. The garden in the wood was the first part of the garden Sir John and Joyce, Lady Heathcoat-Amory developed after the Second World War in 1946. Sir Eric Savill, who created the famous Savill woodland garden in Windsor Great Park in the 1930s, helped them. The garden in the wood blends Sir John’s passion for new and rare plants and Joyce, Lady Heathcoat-Amory's love of arranging them. Together, this created views and vistas with shady paths leading to sunlit glades. It remained her favourite part of the garden for the rest of her life. The walled kitchen garden Considered by many to be a high art, the vegetable and fruit growing that took place within these walls would have showcased the latest growing techniques. In the 1960s the garden was abandoned due it being too expensive to run and put to bed for over 40 years. In 1999, a project was undertaken to restore the kitchen garden to its former glory and by 2003 it was fully productive again.