Powderham Castle. East front ([1845?])

White, William. History, gazetteer, and directory of Devonshire. Sheffield: William White, 1850. pp. 411 - 412.POWDERHAM CASTLE, which stands in an extensive and well-wooded deer park, which rises in bold swelling hills between and near the confluence of the exe and the Kenn, the latter of which is a small stream falling into the estuary at the southern point of the parish. Camden states that Powderham Castle was built by Isabella de Redvers, Countess of Devon, who died in 1293, but it has been clearly ascertained that it never belonged to her, but to the Bohuns, Earls of Hereford and Essex, under whom it was held by the Powderham family. […]. Powderham was anciently described as a strong castle, with a barbican for the protection of the estuary of The Exe. The castle was probably built either before the Norman Conquest, to prevent the Danes from coming up the river to Exeter; or else by William de Ou, a noble Norman, to whom the Conqueror gave Powderham. The castle was garrisoned for the King in the early part of the struggle between Charles I. and the Parliament, and was long an object of contention between the two parties; changing hands twice or thrice during the war. When in the possession of the royalists, it was more strongly fortified than before, having at that time eighteen pieces of ordnance mounted on its walls. Since then, it has undergone many alterations in order to adapt it to the requirements of a modern mansion; but it still retains in some degree a castellated appearance, having battlements on its towers and pediments. Until 1752, it retained a considerable portion of its ancient castle-like form, and had a quadrangular court in front, with embattled walls and a tower gateway at the entrance. Its exterior has now a modern appearance, and the interior has many spacious apartments sumptuously furnished, and decorated with numerous valuable productions of art. […]. The park is very extensive, and is finely planted with trees and shrubs, and diversified with some bold swells. The present noble proprietor has recently spent several thousand pounds in improving the house and grounds.[…]. The park, gardens, and plantations, belonging to this domain extend through a circumference of nearly ten miles, and the pleasure grounds behind the house are replete with a great variety of flowers and botanical rarities.[Text may be taken from a different source or edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Lithograph

207x295mm