Simonsbath House
Encyclopedia
Simonsbath House is a historic house in Simonsbath
on Exmoor
in Somerset
, England. The Grade II listed building is now the Simonsbath House Hotel, and outdoor activity centre. It lies in the valley of the River Barle
and on the Two Moors Way
footpath.
of Exmoor
, and for 150 years his was the only house in the forest. After the death of Boevey and his wife the house was sold with the Exmoor estate to Robert Siderfin of Luxborough
. Siderfin used the grazing rights he gained on the estate but let the house to tenants, one of which was John Dennicombe, who allowed the house to fall into disrepair, and was eventually evicted, but only after he had burnt much of the wood panelling and other fixtures within the house. During the second half of the 18th century and the early part of the 19th century the wardens of the forest were the Acland Baronets
who leased the house, and it was licensed as an inn.
After the Inclosure Acts the house was bought, with the accompanying farm and about 70000 acres (283.3 km²), the remaining portion of the former Royal Forest belonging to the Crown Estate
, by John Knight of Worcestershire in 1818 for the sum of £50,000.
Knight set about converting the Royal Forest, now known as Exmoor National Park, into agricultural land. He and especially his son Frederick, who assumed management in 1841, erected most of the large farms in the central section of the moor and built 22 miles (35.4 km) of metalled access roads to Simonsbath. He built a 29 miles (47 km) wall around his estate, much of which still survives.
The house was further altered by the Fortescues when they were the owners in the early 20th century, including the building of one of the first Squash Courts
in England in 1929. John Fortescue was a military historian and the King's Librarian. During World War II
the house was used as a school, and after the war used as a hotel under the name Diana Lodge Hotel, which had several owners during the ensuing decades. In 1969 the name reverted to Simonsbath House.
The interior includes a fireplace with a chamfer
ed lintel which dates from 1654, panelling and a 17th century overmantel with a painted coat of arms which was brought to the house from a house at Weare Giffard, Bideford
, Devon
.
Simonsbath
Simonsbath is a village high on Exmoor in the English county of Somerset. It is the principal settlement in the Exmoor civil parish, which is the largest and most sparsely populated civil parish on Exmoor, covering nearly but with a population, at the time of the 2001 census, of 203 in 78...
on Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England. The Grade II listed building is now the Simonsbath House Hotel, and outdoor activity centre. It lies in the valley of the River Barle
River Barle
The River Barle runs from the Chains on northern Exmoor, in Somerset, England to join the River Exe at Exebridge, Devon. The river and the Barle Valley are both designated as biological Site of Special Scientific Interest....
and on the Two Moors Way
Two Moors Way
The Two Moors Way is a long-distance path that runs from Ivybridge in South Devon to Lynmouth on the coast of North Devon, crossing parts of both Dartmoor and Exmoor along the way...
footpath.
History
The house was built in the mid-seventeenth century for John Boevey, the warden of the Royal forestRoyal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
of Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
, and for 150 years his was the only house in the forest. After the death of Boevey and his wife the house was sold with the Exmoor estate to Robert Siderfin of Luxborough
Luxborough
Luxborough is a small village and civil parish located some south of Dunster, lying amongst the Brendon Hills and the Exmoor National Park in Somerset, England. It is divided into the hamlets of Churchtown, Kingsbridge and Pooltown, which lie within a mile of each other...
. Siderfin used the grazing rights he gained on the estate but let the house to tenants, one of which was John Dennicombe, who allowed the house to fall into disrepair, and was eventually evicted, but only after he had burnt much of the wood panelling and other fixtures within the house. During the second half of the 18th century and the early part of the 19th century the wardens of the forest were the Acland Baronets
Acland Baronets
thumb|250px|Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 10th BaronetThere have been four Baronetcies created for members of the Acland family, two in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
who leased the house, and it was licensed as an inn.
After the Inclosure Acts the house was bought, with the accompanying farm and about 70000 acres (283.3 km²), the remaining portion of the former Royal Forest belonging to the Crown Estate
Crown Estate
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
, by John Knight of Worcestershire in 1818 for the sum of £50,000.
Knight set about converting the Royal Forest, now known as Exmoor National Park, into agricultural land. He and especially his son Frederick, who assumed management in 1841, erected most of the large farms in the central section of the moor and built 22 miles (35.4 km) of metalled access roads to Simonsbath. He built a 29 miles (47 km) wall around his estate, much of which still survives.
The house was further altered by the Fortescues when they were the owners in the early 20th century, including the building of one of the first Squash Courts
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
in England in 1929. John Fortescue was a military historian and the King's Librarian. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the house was used as a school, and after the war used as a hotel under the name Diana Lodge Hotel, which had several owners during the ensuing decades. In 1969 the name reverted to Simonsbath House.
Architecture
The house, which consists of several bays, has white painted walls and slate roofs. Outside are several agricultural buildings which have been adapted to provide accommodation.The interior includes a fireplace with a chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed lintel which dates from 1654, panelling and a 17th century overmantel with a painted coat of arms which was brought to the house from a house at Weare Giffard, Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.