IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
SIDMOUTH, EX10 1TF

The Knowle was firstly an estate of eleven acres, which was built in 1805 for Lord le Despenser and subsequently rented to the Marquis of Bute. It was enlarged with the arrival of Knowle Cottage - a large 30 room house inspired by a mixture of rustic and Gothic features. It changed hands in 1821 when Thomas Leversidge Fish, a noted collector and connoisseur, who added lots of trees, plants, artworks and a menagerie of various animals. He opened the grounds up on Mondays to the publis and with this trade he established a hotel here. During WWII, the buildings were requisitioned by the military but returned to commercial use thereafter. However, the 1960s saw holiday trade decline and the hotel was bought by Sidmouth Urban District Council for use as their offices. The parkland was left open to all. But by 2015 the council decided it needed to move to better premises and sold it to a care home company, with an eye to conversion. However, the plans were later rejected and the property sold again to a developer in 2022. They hoped to create a more practical mixed residence. However, in March, 2023, the site was engulfed by a fire that has largely destroyed the historic old suite.

The old hotel in the Knowle was all but razed to the ground in March this year. Following a protracted recent change of ownership, McCarty Stone were set to convert it into a mixed residential and care use after buying it the previous year. The future now seems open to speculation.

Knowle Hotel was destroyed by a serious fire, and now the security measures are out in force.

Knowle's centrepiece, the historic hotel, was destroyed by a fire in March, 2023.

Knowle hotel was built around the mid-1800s and prospered until the 1960s, when it was sold for use as offices by the council. Later owners have tried to convert it into mixed residential and care home use, but the site was ravaged by a terrible fire in March this year. The mature woodland and park surrounding it is largely intact although there are some plans to build new housing on it - much to the disdain of the local people.

Originally, the eleven acre site was landscaped with occasional small buildings (perhaps summerhouses or the like), to the designs of Sir Thomas Stapleton, Lord le Despenser. With later owners and expansions there were a number of public attractions too.

Viewed from a Station Road park gate. A tractor is mowing the grass. The absence of yellow (buttercups I think) near the tractor shows where it has already mown.

Part of the original gates to Knowle House. Currently home to The East Devon District Council. Sidmouth Folk Festival took place in the grounds through these gates. An OS Bench Mark is located on the reverse of the left hand gate post.

The wall was originally part of the nearby St John's school which was formerly a convent. The land was sold off and built upon. The wall was however retained. Covered in an early clematis, the wall is a fine example of 'garden wall bond' brickwork.

With a park between the road and the council offices on the left.