Three historically important travelling trunks, which are believed to date from before 1796, have recently been away for conservation repair and have returned ready for display to help tell the story of this unique sixteen-sided house.
The trunks are an important part of A La Ronde’s history. They are thought to have gone on the Grand Tour of Europe with Jane and Mary Parminter in the 1780s. It was following this Tour that the cousins returned and began creating their home in Exmouth by building A la Ronde around 1796, influenced by what they had seen.
It’s Hallowe’en season at A la Ronde, with lots of spooky half-term activities for any little ‘monsters’ who enjoy this frightful time of year.
From Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November there will be a pumpkin trail around A la Ronde and any children who find all the pumpkins will win a prize.
For those who want to get creative, there will also be a fun day on Tuesday 27 October. Bring your own pumpkin along for a carving session, or have a go at creating apple monsters - perfect for a fun snack or decorating the home.
The summer may be over but there are still plenty of reasons to visit A La Ronde, the sixteen-sided National Trust house near Exmouth.
Come along to Heritage Open Weekend on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 of September and enjoy free entry to the house and grounds throughout the day.
Pick up a bargain from our second hand book sale where a wide range of fiction and reference books are available to choose from, or join the final session of ‘Okay for Croquet on Tuesday 8 September from 12 noon until 4pm with free tuition from the Sidmouth Coquet club.
Come along to A la Ronde and stock up on reading and reference books during our annual bumper second hand book sale from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August, 11am - 4pm. You will be able to browse a wide and varied range of titles and authors, including reference, fiction, children’s and antiquarian books. The sale is in the marquee and entry is free. All funds raised go towards conservation work of the unique and quirky collection in the house. A la Ronde is open 7 days a week. The grounds and tea room are open from 10.30am until 5.30pm with last order at 5pm. The house is open from 11am with...
Looking for things for the kids to do this summer holiday? At A la Ronde, near Exmouth, there is a family activity on offer every day.
They can join in the Coastal Quiz Trail from Saturday 18 July until Sunday 6 September. All they need to do is follow the map to find the answer to all the questions and win a prize. The coastal theme of the quiz ties in with the 50th anniversary celebrations of project Neptune, which has helped the National Trust protect over 775 miles of coastline.
Every Tuesday during the school holiday kids can also get creative with crafts and...
Flora and fauna are in abundance at A la Ronde near Exmouth. Countless different species of grasses, flowers, shrubs, insects and trees have been identified on a recent nature walk hosted by local expert Nigel Pinhorn.
One of the group, Ginnie Cox, listed many of the varieties recognised, including the thick kneed beetle with their vivid metallic green colour, the quirkily named Corky-fruited water dropwort, the aptly named frog hopper which can jump great distances and the beautiful cut-leaved cranesbill.
A la Ronde Gardener David Collings said: “Our wonderful hay meadow...
An exhibition by Exmouth Art Group inspired by the beauty of the surrounding area, the tranquil setting of the A La Ronde house and gardens provide an ideal backdrop for this eclectic range of paintings.
To celebrate National Volunteering week, the team at A la Ronde, the quirky sixteen-sided house near Exmouth, presented three of its 200 volunteers with long service awards.
Peter Mitchell has been filling the house with music by volunteering to play piano on a regular basis, Maureen Cook has spent five years welcoming visitors and explaining about the house as a Room Guide. And Jenny George received a special certificate from the National Trust Director-General Helen Ghosh for 20 years of volunteering at A la Ronde.
Emma Kay, Volunteer Manager at A la Ronde, said: “We have...
In June, to celebrate the strong religious tradition linked to the owners of A la Ronde, the National Trust team will be focusing on the twelve bibles in the collection at the quirky sixteen-sided house.
Each bible has an inscription and, through these, part of the Parminter family tree can be traced back to 1743.
Many of the Parminters were dissenters who opposed state interference in religious matters, including the last owners, cousins Jane and Mary Parminter, who were both non-conformists.
The grandfather of Jane Parminter was the minister of a non-conformist...
Come and join the team at A la Ronde for a ‘Grand Tour’ of all the places visited by former owners of the quirky sixteen-sided house, cousins Jane and Mary Parminter.
Over the May half term, A la Ronde will be running an Explorer Family Trail around the grounds based on the traditional European tour. Visitors young and old can look for and try to solve hidden clues, do the activities and win a prize. The trail runs from Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May, from 10.30am to 5.30pm and is £1.50 per child.
On the 26 May, from 11am to 4pm, the team is also holding a half term fun craft...
