A round trip from Budleigh Salterton
A la Ronde, the sixteen-sided house located just outside Exmouth, is probably the only other building open to the public in East Devon that bears comparison with Fairlynch for quirkiness. It's a lot bigger of course and the National Trust has done a wonderful job in conserving its unique features such as the interior decoration which includes this feather frieze, gathered from native game birds and chickens, and laboriously stuck down with isinglass. Another must-see is the fragile shell-encrusted gallery, said to contain nearly 25,000 shells. Built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, on their return from a grand tour of Europe in the late 18th century it's said to have been inspired by the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna , Italy . You can read all about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_La_Ronde Unique though it is, A la Ronde shares other features with...