A La Ronde
A sixteen-sided cottage built in the late 18th century by two cousins, inspired by their travels in Europe, with a shell gallery and feather decoration that are unlike anything else.
A La Ronde was built in the 1790s by the cousins Jane and Mary Parminter. It is said to have been inspired by the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. The house has sixteen sides, and its rooms are arranged around a central octagonal hall. The top-floor shell gallery is decorated with thousands of shells, feathers and stones. Because the structure is fragile, visitors can only view it through a screen or mirrors. The house is run by the National Trust, and admission is around £12. It is on the outskirts of Exmouth, so you can easily add Exmouth beach at the western end of the Jurassic Coast.
Opening hours
Approx. 11:00–16:00 (seasonal)
Nearby sights
- Powderham Castle
- Exeter Quayside
- Exeter's Underground Passages
- Exeter Cathedral
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum
- Babbacombe Cliff Railway & Oddicombe Beach
- Anstey's Cove
- Babbacombe Model Village