The house features a 16-sided polygon design, intended to provide views of the surrounding landscape from almost every room.
The Frieze Room contains over 25,000 shells, some of which are arranged in elaborate patterns and designs.
The upper floor houses a unique 'shell gallery' which is highly sensitive to vibrations, limiting visitor access to small numbers at a time.
Jane and Mary Parminter designed the house specifically to display the souvenirs and art they collected while touring Europe.
The property contains a 'Feather Friar,' an 18th-century decorative piece made entirely from bird feathers.
The house remained in the hands of the Parminter family and their descendants until the late 20th century.
The architectural design is considered a rare example of a 'polygonal' domestic building in the United Kingdom.
A la Ronde is a unique 18th-century, 16-sided house built in 1796 for cousins Jane and Mary Parminter to reflect their Grand Tour travels. The architecture is famously inspired by the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. Its interior is renowned for intricate, hand-crafted shell-encrusted decorations, including a shell-lined gallery. The house retains a significant collection of family memorabilia, needlework, and art pieces created by the original owners. It was purchased by the National Trust in 1991 following a successful community fundraising campaign. The site is situated on a cliff edge providing views across the Exe Estuary. Conservation efforts have focused on maintaining the fragile 18th-century internal decorative schemes. The estate includes surrounding gardens and grounds that complement the non-traditional circular layout of the house.
The exterior viewpoint from the garden that captures the full 16-sided silhouette against the estuary backdrop.
Visit the shell gallery early in your tour, as access to this small space is strictly controlled to protect the fragile decorations.
Take time to observe the specific orientation of the windows, which the builders positioned to follow the sun throughout the day.
Explore the exterior of the house first to appreciate the unusual sixteen-sided geometry before entering.
Do not attempt to touch the shell-covered surfaces, as they are exceptionally fragile and deteriorating.
Operates on a seasonal schedule, typically closing during mid-winter months; check for mid-week closures outside of the main summer season.
Visitors are often required to remove footwear or wear protective overshoes to prevent damage to historic flooring; maintain a quiet demeanor due to the confined, intimate nature of the rooms.
