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Summary

Late 18th and early 19th century gardens at A La Ronde.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1164838: A LA RONDE
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000686: A LA RONDE, and THE POINT-IN-VIEW
• Listed Building (I) 1164937: THE POINT IN VIEW
• Listed Building (I) 1103806: THE MANSE OF THE POINT IN VIEW

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY08SW39
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY08SW/79/1
• Old Registered Parks and Gardens Ref (II)
• Pastscape: 762700

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GARDEN (XVIII to XXI - 1701 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Unknown, 1938, Untitled Source, 448-452 (Article in Serial). SDV338247.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 167 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Jones, B., 1974, Untitled Source, 312 (Monograph). SDV294973.

English Heritage, 1987, A la Ronde, and The Point-in-View (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV338244.

Late 18th/early 19th century landscape garden with views, at most extensive 5 hectares, now largely pasture.
Fine views out over the estuary of the Exe. The site was purchased 1795 by the Misses Parminter, and was 'landscaped' into a complex scheme. In 1811 the garden was described as 'full of bowers, arbours, three obelisks - fountains, glass-houses and rare tropical plants, orangeries with cows and sheep grazing. A ha-ha extends round three sides of a square, running c icrca 50 metres to north, west and south of A la Ronde. On the outer side of the ha-ha was a 'wild walk' now gone, returned to pasture. Woodland and orchard to nw, surviving from a 'bee garden'. Three oak trees, early 19th century or before survive from the original scheme being protected from felling by the will of miss jane parminter. Development on part of site since 1950.

National Trust, 1991, A la Ronde Guide Book (Pamphlet). SDV338246.

Unknown, 1991, Untitled Source, 38-41 (Article in Serial). SDV338257.

Unknown, 1991, Untitled Source, 74 (Article in Serial). SDV338256.

Weddell, P. J., 1995, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed DCC Dinan Way Link, Exmouth, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV349665.

Gray, T., 1995, The Garden History of Devon: An Illustrated Guide to Sources, 33 (Monograph). SDV671.

Surviving garden features include the ha-ha and the woodland with fig, mulberry, medlar and walnut trees. The 3 oaks also survive and garden now owned by the National Trust.

Duterloo, F., 1996, A Survey of the Garden of A la Ronde (Un-published). SDV338258.

Horner, B., 1996, DAP/AAX, 7-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV320375.

English Heritage, 1998 - 2000, A la Ronde, and The Point-in-View (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV338254.

Developed in the late 18th- and early 19th centuries with further alterations in the late 19th century, A la Ronde and the associated grounds of the chapel, manse and almshouses known as The Point in View, form a Regency ferme ornee. Ornamental landscape features are combined with more practical paddocks, orchards and kitchen gardens creating an ornamented estate.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2011, Land at Courtlands Cross, Exmouth, Devon: Assessment of Potential Impacts upon the setting of Designated Heritage Assets and Heritage Impact Assessment, 17-18; figures 2-3, 11; Appendix A, 10 (Report - non-specific). SDV351225.

No views of the development site were possible from within A la Ronde pleasure grounds, and as such the development will not impact upon the setting or the overall significance of the park. See report for full details.

National Monuments Record, 2012, 762700 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV338250.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Historic England, 2023, A La Ronde and The Point-in-View, Summer Lane, Exmouth (Correspondence). SDV365840.

Notification that Historic England are considering if the entry on the Register of Parks and Gardens should be revised and have completed an initial assessment.

Historic England, 2024, A la Ronde and The Point-in-View, Summer Lane, Exmouth (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV366292.

Notification that the entry for the site on the Register of Parks and Gardens has been amended.

Historic England, 2025, National Heritage List for England 2025, 1000686 (National Heritage List for England). SDV366287.

A la Ronde and The Point-in-View
Summary
Developed in the late C18 and early C19 with further alterations in the late C19, A La Ronde and the associated grounds of the chapel, Manse and almshouses known as The Point in View, form a Regency ferme ornée. Ornamental landscape features are combined with more practical paddocks, orchards and kitchen gardens creating an ornamented estate.
Reasons for Designation
The landscape at A la Ronde and The Point in View is registered at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest: as a landscape laid out at the turn of the C19 which survives sufficiently well to reflect the original design; as a rare example of a small-scale picturesque ferme ornée, comprising ornamental landscape features combined with more practical paddocks, orchards and kitchen gardens, creating an ornamented estate; laid out by the well-travelled and cultured Parminters, and, along with the buildings, reflecting Regency tastes and fashions, along with the ladies’ spiritual values.
Design interest: a carefully composed, picturesque landscape around A la Ronde, where the ha-ha separates the house platform and former poultry yard from the pastures and dramatic estuarine view below, designed with a circuit walk and ornamental features, with the more practical farmland around Point in View, characterised by its rural isolation; well-documented, enabling the general development to be understood, and providing an insight into the tastes and values of the creators.
Group value: with the Parminter’s house, A la Ronde, and their chapel, The Point in View, and the Manse, all Grade I-listed structures.
See listing description for full details.
Date first listed: 12th August 1987. Date of most recent amendment: 19th January 2024

Binney, M., July 1990, Comment, 71 (Article in Serial). SDV349726.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6370 - A la Ronde Conservation Management Plan

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