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Summary

Memorial tower erected in 1787 by the Palk family, in memory of their friend General Sir Stringer Lawrence, governor of Madras. Also known as Lawrence Castle.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1097067: LAWRENCE CASTLE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX88NE/23
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 85427

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BELVEDERE (XVIII - 1787 AD to 1787 AD (Throughout))

Full description

GRIFFITH + QUINNELL, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV20949.

Vis=8/6/1983 (griffith and quinnell) tower as described above.

VIATOR, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294915.

The belvedere, haldon. Erected in 1787 by the palk family in memory of their friend general sir stringer lawrence, governor of madras. Also known as lawrence castle. The tower is triangular with a round tower at each corner of the triangle. There are three floors, each with three rooms; the central floor being built as a ballroom with a mahogany floor. The main room at the foot of the building contains a large statue of general lawrence in the classical style, depicting the subject in roman costume. It was the work of the famous mrs coade. There is a large plaque on each wall which notes the achievement of the general; one plaque is in persian. From this room the spiral staircase ascends to the top of the tower in 98 steps. Not only is the staircase symmetrically perfect, but there is no form of support other than the locking of one step into another. The building affords a splendid view of the surrounding countryside. Height 21.3m.(source of above not stated) listed by russell as site of a beacon. The belvidere is in use as a tea-house. In it are housed statues of stringer lawrence and sir william follett, and a plaster-cast of the drake statue on plymouth hoe. They had been discarded by exeter museum a few years previously (viator).

EXETER CITY COUNCIL, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294919.

Haldon belvedere has been restored by the devon historic buildings trust to provide function rooms open to the public with a holiday apartment above (exeter city council).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294920.

Pearson, j. B. /tda/28(1896)225/the representatives of the borough of ashburton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294921.

Des=western morning news/(13/1/1978).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294922.

Des=scrapbook 2, p.22.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294923.

Osa=sx88ne8.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294924.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)417.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294925.

Russell, p. /tda/87(1955)285.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294926.

Viator/dcnq/20(1938-1939)84-85/haldon house library.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294927.

Des=griffith, f. M. /as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294928.

Des=slide(8/6/1983)in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294929.

Dro=564m/18/15(illustrations by swete).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294931.

Des=photo in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294932.

Des=western morning news/(13/8/1991)/in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294933.

Des=das newsletter/64 (may 1996).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV294934.

Aph=slide/(10/5/1996)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV294935.

Aph=dap/zb 4-5/(10/5/1996).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV294936.

Aph=dap/kl 4,5/(26/5/1988).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV294937.

Aph=dap/yp 12,13/(8/8/1995).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV294938.

Aph=dap/abi 32/(1/5/1997).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV294939.

Des=exeter city council/cricklepit regeneration: townscape heritage initiative/(july 1998)18/copy in pf.

Department of Environment, 1987, Dunchideock, 7 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV311275.

Memorial tower. 1788, built by Sir Robert Palk of Haldon House to commemorate and celebrate Major-General Stringer Lawrence, died 1775, Commander of the British Army in India and benefactor of Sir Robert Palk who was Governor of Madras in 1763. Shillo over stone rubble. The 3-storey tower is sited on top of Haldon Hill and is an impressive landmark. Access unobtainable at time of survey (1985). The old list description refers to "3 sides with turrets on each corner, all castellated. Moulded string-course below castellations. Small Gothic windows on top floor, larger ones on 1st floor with 3- light windows in centre. Large pointed window in centre with lancets on side. Band between floors". Interior not inspected. The old description refers to a figure of Major-General Stringer Lawrence on the ground floor "in Roman costume on a pedestal in the centre" and "boards in praise of his character and achievements on each of the flat walls of the triangle". The first floor, once a small ballroom has "a mahogany floor brought from India and an elaborate plaster frieze showing Adam's influence. In another room on the first floor is an "Adam" fireplace. Lawrence tower is also known as the "Haldon Belvedere" and was formerly linked to Haldon House by a roadway.

Sampson, J., 1994, Dunchideock: Haldon Belvedere. Outline Proposals for the Recording Programme During Conservation (Report - non-specific). SDV351929.

Caruth, R., 1996, Belvedere Back from the Brink (Article in Serial). SDV351979.

Bowen, R., 2000, Annual Report 1999/2000 (Report - non-specific). SDV346993.

Land surrounding the Belvedere was restored to recreate the 18th century conception.

Bowen, R., 2002, Chairman’s Annual Report (Article in Serial). SDV364247.

Work on restoration began in 1992.

Oliver, G., 2003, Chairman’s Annual Report 2003 (Article in Serial). SDV364246.

The building has been open to the public.

Kemp, S. N., 2004, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV319534.

Site visit to monitor installation of disabled access to the west door. The turf was stripped and the area cleaned prior to geotextile matting being laid. No archaeology was exposed or finds seen to be collected.

Agate, A., et al, 2012, Early Medieval Settlement at Mothecombe, Devon, The Interaction of Local, Regional and Long-Distance Dynamics (Article in Serial). SDV351669.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Memorial tower. 1788, built by Sir Robert Palk of Haldon House to commemorate and celebrate Major-General Stringer Lawrence, died 1775, Commander of the British Army in India and benefactor of Sir Robert Palk who was Governor of Madras in 1763. Rendered stone rubble. Triangular plan with corner turrets. Gothic style. 3 storeys, with plat bands to each storey and moulded cornice beneath castellated parapet. Glazing bar sashes with switch tracery set in small pointed-arched windows to turrets; the intervening bays have moulded architraves to similar but larger windows, the tripartite first-floor windows having small flanking lancets. Similar architrave to pointed-arched doorway, with switch-tracery overlight set over half-glazed doors. Interior reflects the Gothic style of the exterior, and is noted as including high quality joinery and panelled doors set in moulded architraves and fine neo-classical friezes and cornices with Gothic detailing; principal first-floor room has fine Gothic style architraves in the style of Adam. Coade stone statue of Major-General Stringer Lawrence on ground floor, dressed as Roman general and set on pedestal, with boards in praise of his character and achievements on each of the flat walls of the triangle. The first floor, once a small ballroom, has a mahogany floor brought from India which tapers towards the centre; the stone ground-floor floor is similarly constructed. Fine fireplaces to side rooms, including one on first floor with Palk crest. Open well staircase with wrought-iron handrail and plaster ornamental ceiling to top. Similar to the earlier tower at Powderham (qv), both inspired by the triangular tower built for the Duke of Cumberland in Windsor Great Park. The tower is also known as the "Haldon Belvedere" and was formerly linked to Haldon House by a roadway. (Cherry B and Pevsner N, The Buildings of England: Devon, 1989, p.342)

Devon Historic Buildings Trust, Unknown, Haldon Belvedere (Lawrence Castle) (Leaflet). SDV351980.

The principal rooms are open to the public, on the ground floor is housed the life sized statue of General Stringer Lawrence and on the first floor is the Ballroom and Tower Room with its fine plasterwork, gothic windows, mahogany floors and marble fireplaces. The second floor comprises a well appointed apartment for two persons which is available throughout most of the year.

Devon Historic Buildings Trust, Unknown, Haldon Belvedere (Lawrence Castle): A Short History (Leaflet). SDV351974.

History of Haldon Belvedere from 1788 to 1994. Just before the death of the last owner,Edward Blessing Dale, in 1994, the property was transferred to a charitable trust who arranged with the Devon Historic Buildings Trust to restore and run it.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV110 - Installation of disabled access to the north-west door.

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