thumb|right|250px|View to the south from the terrace of Knightshayes Court.
Knightshayes Court is a Victorian country house near Tiverton, Devon, England, designed by William Burges for the Heathcoat-Amory family. Nikolaus Pevsner describes it as "an eloquent expression of High Victorian ideals in a country house of moderate size." The house is Grade I listed. The gardens are Grade II* listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
History
Benjamin Dickinson, a wealthy merchant, banker, and mayor of Tiverton, built the first mansion at Knightshayes between 1785 and 1788. His great-grandson, Sir John Walrond, 1st Baronet, sold the Knightshayes estate to Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet in 1868. The Heathcoat-Amory family, who had established their wealth from lace production, owned much of the manufacturing and land around Tiverton, and Heathcoat-Amory chose the site of Knightshayes, because of its view of his distant factory, nestling in the Exe valley below. He demolished the Dickinson house and built a new mansion slightly above it, which survives today.
They received advice from the American garden designer and writer Lanning Roper, especially on their remodelling of the 19th century bowling green. The estate includes a rare stické court dating from 1907. Other features include the extensive topiary, specimen trees, rare shrubs and the stables and walled kitchen garden, also by Burges.
In 2015 the Mid Devon Show was held at Knightshayes Court.
National Trust
Knightshayes Court has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1972 and has been open to the public since 1974.
See also
- Heathcoat-Amory baronets
Notes
References
Further reading
External links
- Knightshayes Court information at the National Trust