Poltimore House, Devon
Poltimore House was the home of the Bamfylde family for over six centuries. The Treaty of Exeter was signed there in 1646, ending the Civil War in the South West of England. It is a large and complex building which has been altered and extended by successive generations. When the Bamfylde family left in 1921, Poltimore became a school and then a hospital, before being deserted until about eighteen years ago. It is now under the care of The Poltimore Trust.
Despite ravages of fire, theft and dry rot, the house retains many of its outstanding features: the original oak roof structure, a rare 17th century stair tower and the spectacular 18th century rococo plasterwork of its famed saloon. Its gardens contain an early 18th century lime avenue and mid-19th century plantings of exotic pines by James Veitch.
Earlier proposals to convert the building into a contemporary art centre have foundered due to funding difficulties. A variety of options for the re-use of the house are being investigated. A Friends of Poltimore House group was launched in 2003 and funding is currently being negotiated to erect a protective temporary roof over the entire building which will arrest further decay of its historic fabric until a viable new use is identified.
