A patchwork of history
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| A group of writers prepares to boldly go... |
When they're not writing, they're imagining, and sometimes they go on
outings to fascinating places, which is what a group of Exeter Writers
did yesterday.
We went to Poltimore, which some of you might remember from the BBC's
Restoration series. Alas, Poltimore didn't win, so it's still waiting
for a zillionaire with a stack of cash to happen along.
Do we need hard hats?
No, we're writers - we're hard enough!
As a nation, we're practically buried under the layers of our history. Devon is particular rich in history, featuring the Jurassic Coast charting the birthdays of the world from aeons before human beings came along to, more recently, some astonishing buildings in various states of magnificence or - sadly - decay.
Poltimore House near Exeter is in a state of decay and needs millions spent on it. Well, if it's to be restored to anything like its former glory it does. When it was sold by the Bampfylde family in the early years of the 20th century, its decline had already begun, and its subsequent tenants did little to preserve its beauty. It became a girls' school, then a boys' school, then a private hospital, then an NHS hospital, and finally a private nursing home. But, as costs mounted, its resources diminished and finally it was abandoned. The vandals moved in, stealing, stripping, looting, scavenging and burning. It's now home to a very vocal flock of jackdaws, lots of pigeons and a few bats. Some of its former magnificence still remains, however, and there are many features worth preserving.
The Tudor Tower and Courtyard
The Georgian Plasterwork
The Entrance Hall
(Margaret James)
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