Thursday 25 September 2025 
Visit to Ashley Court Tiverton –
Cost £35

Report and photos of successful visit here. 
This enchanting Regency house invites you to escape from modern life and re-connect 
with nature both wild and tamed. Set in 19 acres of woodland, gardens and pasture 
overlooking the Exe Valley, Ashley Court is a lovely example of a small country house 
retaining every period detail from the gate posts to the servant’s bells. To arrive here is 
to step back in time, relax and assume a gentler pace of life.
There will be a tour of the house (part), grounds and gardens including stables & studio, 
followed by a vegetarian buffet lunch. There is also a 30min woodland walk via path and 
field. You will need flat, sensible shoes on this visit. 
There is a short inclined walk up a cobbled path from the gate to the house. Please state 
on the booking form if you might require assistance. Unfortunately the venue is not 
suitable for wheel chairs or walking aids.

Booking Form

The internationally known Hauser and Wirth in Somerset is a pioneering gallery and multi-purpose arts centre which ‘acts as a destination for experiencing art, architecture and the remarkable Somerset landscape through new and innovative exhibitions of contemporary art. ‘

The exhibition at the time of our visit is a major solo exhibtion of works by Alexander Calder. Details can be seen here.

A tour of the exhibition and the gallery has been arranged, and then there will be plenty of time for lunch at the on-site Roth Bar and Grill which serves a range of locally produced food some of which is from the centre’s own farm. The Roth Bar was created by Bjorn and Oddur Roth, son and grandson of Dieter Roth and the large bar itself is made from salvaged materials, which was a central motif throughout Dieter Roth’s work.

Lunch will be available and some tables will be reserved for our party, and you will be able to choose from an extensive menu .  (Sandwiches and main courses from £12.00 - £17.00). You will be responsible for the cost. For those who wish to bring a picnic there are seats in the courtyards and the garden, and in the Radic Pavilion if the weather is inclement.

The visit is timed to coincide with the garden, designed by renowned Piet Oudolf, to be at its best – full of large drifts of colour. The garden is on a slight slope, but without any steps.  Placed throughout the grounds are a number of modern sculptures, several by Elisabeth Frink, and at the far end of is the striking Pavilion by Smiljan Radic.

The cost of this trip is £20 (not normally refundable) which includes the cost of coach, gratuities, coffee on arrival and the tour. Please note it does not include the cost of any lunch. The coach will leave the Manor Road car park at 9.00am, the Triangle a minute later and Drakes Avenue, Sidford about five minutes after. Please indicate your choice on the attached form.

We expect to be back in Sidmouth about 5.00pm.

If you would like to come on this trip please complete the  form, which can be found on the docs/forms page here, and return it to Jeremy Pearson, Visits Secretary,  at a meeting, or send it to him at 3, Carlton Mansions, The Esplanade, Sidmouth EX10 8BE

pearson.jeremy@ymail.com   01395 514792

Castle Hill is the home of the Earl and Countess of Arran, who are the fifteenth generation of the Fortescue family to live in this, the grandest Palladian house in North Devon, surrounded by tranquil  and important gardens and parkland.  It is hoped that Lady Arran will be one of our guides.

The cream-fronted Palladian style house was originally built between 1730 and 1740 but was destroyed by a major fire in 1935 so the interiors are largely reconstructions of the original. Hugh Fortescue, later Baron Fortescue consulted Lord Burlington and Lord Herbert on the designs for the house in the late 1720s but may have been his own architect. The architect for the recnstruction of the house was Lord Gerald Wellesley.

The house is splendidly furnished with eighteenth and nineteenth century furniture and paintings; several of which reflect the family’s love of horses and the chase.  It is not normally open to the public.

The 50 acre garden and historic parkland should be full of spring flowers at the time of our visit. Formal gardens frame the house, and not far away is the extensive walled garden. We shall be able  to stroll along paths through the woodland garden whilst admiring a host of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolias.  The more energetic can stroll to see the variety of temples, follies and statues in the grounds, or walk to the sham castle from where you can enjoy magnificent views of Exmoor, Dartmoor and beyond.

The coach will leave the Manor Road car park at 9.00am; you may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later or at Drakes Avenue, Sidford  about five minutes later. Please indicate your choice below. We expect to be back in Sidmouth about 5.00pm

Morning coffee on arrival and a light buffet lunch will be provided.

The price for this visit is £30 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of coach, gratuities, refreshments and entrance fees.

If you would like to come on this trip please complete the form, which can be found on the docs/forms page here and return it at a meeting or send it to Jeremy Pearson, Visits Secretary, 3, Carlton Mansions, The Esplanade, Sidmouth, EX 10 8BE

pearson.jeremy@ymail.com  01395 514793

Cothay Manor, a grade one listed medieval house and gardens in Stawley, hidden in the lanes of Somerset and set within 12 acres of magical gardens, is little changed since Richard Bluett built it in 1485.

The angel-corbelled Great Hall with its early furniture and wall painting depicting the funeral procession of Reynard the Fox, invoke a time when England was still fighting the Wars of the Roses

Cothay, like so many of the homes of its period, may have crumpled into non-existence had it not been for the intervention of Colonel Reggie Cooper who purchased Cothay in 1925.  He sensitively restored the Manor to its former glory and with much forethought, chose to minimise alterations to the existing building by adding a new wing for his own use.  The grounds of Cothay were of equal importance to Colonel Cooper. With the advice of friends Harold Nicolson, Vita Sackville-West Lawrence Johnson and Edwin Lutyens he created a garden of many rooms each leading from a 200 yard Yew walk.  The present Mary-Anne Robb has re-designed the gardens within the original framework of the yew walk and new rooms have been added each with their own character.

Our trip to Cothay will include coffee on arrival, a guided tour of the house, a ploughman’s lunch and time to enjoy the gardens and a cream tea.

The coach will leave Manor Road Car Park at 09:00am. You may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later, at the Radway or at Green Close by 09:05am.

The price for this visit is £44 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of the coach, gratuities, entrance fees and catering

If you wish to go on this visit, please complete the form that you can find on the docs/forms page here.

Day visit to the famous American Museum at Claverton near Bath, with its special Christmas display. More details and the booking form can be found on the "Docs/Forms" page here. 

John Makepeace in his youth came across Scandinavian furniture, which inspired him to become a furniture maker by departing from the prevailing rigidity of design.  There have been two strands to his career. One is the design and making of furniture that displayed the character of various woods while allowing artistic exploration, but which always served the function for which it had been commissioned.  His fame since the 1960s led to commissions and design consultancies for institutions and private collections around the world.

The second strand was to promote education and training in furniture design, craftsmanship and business, for which he set up his residential College and, alongside but separately, his studio & workshops at Parham House in 1976. In 1983, the College and workshops were moved to Hooke Park, with 350 acres of native woods and a brand new campus.  In 2000, John Makepeace handed over the College and Trust to a new Director, to concentrate on his design activities.

The Makepeaces moved to Farr’s (which dates from 1603) in Beaminster in 2001.  The property holds an eclectic collection of objets d’art ranging from locally-made rugs to sizeable sculpture, ceramics, and pictures and of course some of his furniture. There are two gardens: his, green and slightly sculptural; and hers, colourful and informal.  John Makepeace will talk to us about his collection, and Jennie will preside over the gardens.  Tea will be provided.

The coach will leave Manor Road car park at 1pm.  You may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later, or at Green Close five minutes later:  Please indicate your choice below.  We expect to be back in Sidmouth by 6 pm.

The price for this visit is £25 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of the coach, gratuities, and entrance fees.

John Makepeace in his youth came across Scandinavian furniture, which inspired him to become a furniture maker by departing from the prevailing rigidity of design.  There have been two strands to his career. One is the design and making of furniture that displayed the character of various woods while allowing artistic exploration, but which always served the function for which it had been commissioned.  His fame since the 1960s led to commissions and design consultancies for institutions and private collections around the world.

The second strand was to promote education and training in furniture design, craftsmanship and business, for which he set up his residential College and, alongside but separately, his studio & workshops at Parham House in 1976. In 1983, the College and workshops were moved to Hooke Park, with 350 acres of native woods and a brand new campus.  In 2000, John Makepeace handed over the College and Trust to a new Director, to concentrate on his design activities.

The Makepeaces moved to Farr’s (which dates from 1603) in Beaminster in 2001.  The property holds an eclectic collection of objets d’art ranging from locally-made rugs to sizeable sculpture, ceramics, and pictures and of course some of his furniture. There are two gardens: his, green and slightly sculptural; and hers, colourful and informal.  John Makepeace will talk to us about his collection, and Jennie will preside over the gardens.  Tea will be provided.

The coach will leave Manor Road car park at 1pm.  You may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later, or at Green Close five minutes later:  Please indicate your choice below.  We expect to be back in Sidmouth by 6 pm.

The price for this visit is £25 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of the coach, gratuities, and entrance fees.

Please note that this visit is now fully booked, but it will be repeated on Weds September 21st.

We start with a visit to the Royal Horticultural Society’s nursery and gardens at Rosemoor, in North Devon, arriving mid-morning. You will be able to see the interesting gardens and admire the plants, buy plants that take your fancy, talk to experts, shop for garden items, and buy lunch in the café. 

After lunch, we will drive 20 miles through rural North Devon to Hartland Abbey. This is the home of Sir Hugh and Lady Stucley with their four married children and nine grandchildren, and as a consequence is well-known for its family atmosphere. It was built in 1157 as a monastery, and was the last monastery in the country to be dissolved in 1539. Henry VIII then gave it William Abbott, whose descendants live here today. It passed through the female line until 1859, when the present baronet’s grandfather restored his name to Stucley (sometimes Stukely), that of his ancestors.  

The interiors of the house span many architectural styles and periods, and there is a collection of documents going back to 1160. The extensive gardens are rewarding, including the Baronet’s Bog Garden by Jekyll, Victorian Fernery, Camellia Garden, four walled gardens, and woodland walks. There will be a guided tour of the house, time to wander, and the visit will end with a cream tea. 

The Otter coach will leave Manor Road Car Park at 0845am. You may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later, at the Radway or at Green Close by 0855am:  Please indicate your choice below.

We hope to arrive back in Sidmouth between 6 and 7pm.

The price for this visit is £30 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of the coach, gratuities, entrance fees and cream tea.

Please note that this visit s now fully booked.

We start with a visit to Bath, a city that needs no introduction to most of you. There will be about two hours in Bath for you to do what you wish, and have lunch.

After lunch we will visit Corsham Court, the home of James Methuen-Campbell.  This privately owned historic house dates back to 1582, and was acquired by the Methuen family in the mid 18th century.  Its Georgian interiors and 71-foot gallery, which includes furniture by Chippendale and mirrors by Adam, were designed for the significant Methuen/Sanford art collection.

There will be an introductory talk on the paintings when we arrive, after which you can explore the collection and the state rooms.  Outside, the parkland created by Brown and Repton contains many mature specimen trees.  The gardens include herbaceous borders, a 13-acre lake, a lily pool, a walled rose garden and a gothic bath house.

The Methuen Arms Hotel just down the road is a good place for tea after the visit if you wish (price not included in the trip).

The Otter coach will leave Manor Road Car Park at 8.45am. You may prefer to join the coach at the Triangle a minute later, or at Green Close at 8.50am:  Please indicate your choice below.  We hope to arrive back in Sidmouth between 6.30 and 7pm.

The price for this visit is £30 (not normally refundable), which covers the cost of the coach, gratuities, and entrance fees.

If you wish to go on this visit, please complete the form that you will hind in the 'documents' section (or click here) and send it to Jill with your cheque and SAE. If you have any queries please let her know and we will do our best to help.

Our visit to Wells was the first to be organised by our new Visits Secretaries, Sue Ogonovsky and Jill Burke. 

In spite of the dismal weather, we all made the most of ourday. In the morning’s tour of the Palace, we visited the wells which haveprovided the city with its water over the centuries and observed the garden’srare plants and trees, many still surprisingly in flower due to the mild autumnweather.

The afternoon’s excellent guided tours of the Library, Stainedglass and Embroideries provided us with a wealth of interest and information andthe opportunity to view at first hand many of the Cathedral’s treasures. Ithas also inspired some of our members to return to Wells and enjoy the tourswhich they missed!

Sue Ogonovsky and Jill Burke

(Visits Secretaries)

An enjoyable visit to Minterne House via Sherborne.

A very enjoyable visit to Sherborne for lunch and the historic Abbey (or shopping) and then on to Minterne where we were given a warm welcome by Lord Digby and his son, the Hon. Henry Digby, our hosts for the afternoon. We were told of the history of the house, rebuilt in 1905 but looking much older, stories of earlier relatives and more recent family.This was followed by a lovely tea of sandwiches and homemade cakes.Fully sustained our group had a tour of the beautiful gardens with the rhododendrons looking magnificent in the sunshine.

We had a very successful visit to Tetbury and Highgrove Gardens.

A beautiful sunny day for our visit to two Somerset gems.

Set within the Cathedral Close in Salisbury, Arundells was the home of former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath

Built by Sir John Thynne from 1568, Longleat House is the home of the 7th Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn