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Summary

Series of late 17th century walled gardens and vineyard at Combe House.

Location

Protected Status

• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000691: COMBE HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19NW/6/2/1
• Old Registered Parks and Gardens Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GARDEN (Post Medieval to XXI - 1540 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

NMR, SY19NW34 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV135729.

Former vineyard at Combe House is rectangular in plan with symmetrically arranged terraced beds within the centre (citing DoE). A series of walled gardens, late 17C or earlier, extend east from the north side of the house. These, including the vineyard, are shown on a survey plan c1787. Their outline is still intact (citing Register of Parks + Gardens).

English Heritage, 1987, Combe House Park (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV324601.

Series of walled gardens, of late 17C origin or earlier at Combe House shown in a 1787 survey.

Department of Environment, 1998, Gittisham (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV135730.

English Heritage, 2003, Combe House (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV324649.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 18, Part 1; 134-135, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 380 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Combe House (now a hotel) is an Elizabethan mansion with later additions, which has probable earlier parts within it. Series of late 17th century or earlier walled gardens extend from east side of house. The house has a 17th century/18th century park and woodland (Listed Grade II) once covering 50 hectares, the woodland including Cross Park Copse and Roadwood Copse; the park held deer in the 16th century. There are a number of structures and landscape features within the grounds including a cottage, an orangery, stables, ice house, greenhouse, a well, a fishpond, most of which are Listed Grade II. The site is listed in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest (Listed Grade II), the east boundary of which extends to the A375 road on the west side of Gittisham Hill.
The place was probably the home of John de Combe documented in 1311; by association, Combe Farm which lies to the south of it may also be an early site.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 380 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 380 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3331 - East Devon heathlands archaeological survey

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.