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Bickham is a 17th Century house set in a wooded
valley west of Exeter. The original house was built in 1680, but
it has been much altered over the years, with major works being
done in the early 19th Century. The house has
remained in the ownership of the same family since it was built,
although it has passed through the female line several times,
and the family name has therefore changed. The builder of the
house, John Short, was a lawyer in Exeter, as were many others
of the family. His grandson, also John Short, married Charlotte
Baring, daughter of John Baring of Mount Radford, who was MP for
Exeter for many years, and whose grandsons went on to found
Barings Bank. John Short and his father-in-law John Baring went
into the wool business together in Exeter.
The house remained much the same for many years, although quite
a lot of work was undertaken when Julia Short, the present
owner’s grandmother, came of age in 1915. She had inherited the
estate on the death of her father, while still a young child.
During the Second World War the house was occupied by
Barnados,
and when they left, nothing was done to the house until Julia
Tremlett and her husband John took over the estate at the time
of their marriage in 1967. Since then a lot of changes have
taken place, including making a new kitchen and several
bathrooms, and the building of a billiards room in the old
kitchen.
The oldest part of the garden
is the walled garden which is certainly as old as the
original house. It is about an acre in area, and was once used
entirely for growing produce for the house. Now only about one
third of it is used as a kitchen garden, and the rest is divided
up into lawns, flower beds, a herb garden, a pergola garden,
greenhouses and a polythene tunnel for growing plants for sale.
The top third of the walled garden is planted with specimen
trees, and in 1999 an avenue of palm trees (grown from seed) was
added, which leads to a summer house, built to commemorate the
new millennium.
When the Tremletts came in 1967
the main part of the garden consisted of lawns, naturalised
bulbs and specimen trees, but since then much planting of
herbaceous borders and island beds has taken place, with the aim
of providing more year-round interest.
A terrace has been laid, a formal parterre garden with a lily
pond has been added, and a pond garden created. A lake has also
been made in the field in front of the house. Each year some new
project is undertaken, and although sometimes this is the
restoration of an existing part of the garden, there are always
plans for new additions. The house has recently been used by
Frankfurter Films as a location for their adaptation of one of
Rosamund Pilcher’s
books.
Bickham Gardens is
situated south of Exeter 1 mile off the A38 (Exeter - Plymouth
Road). Leave the dual carriageway at Kennford, follow signs to
Kenn. 1st right in village, follow lane for 3/4 mile to the end
of a no through road. 7 acres in wooded valley. Lawns, mature
trees and shrubs; naturalised bulbs, mixed borders, butterfly
bank.
Conservatory,
small parterre, pond garden, walled kitchen garden, lake.
No dogs except
assistance dogs. Plants available for sale. Wheelchair access to
at least the main features of the garden.
Open for
the
National Gardens Scheme
on many dates from April until September
Opening dates for 2009 (National
Gardens Scheme)
July
12th, 14th, 15th
August 9th, 11th, 12th
September 6th,
8th, 9th.
Visitors
also welcome by appointment Tel: 01392 832671
jandjtremlett@hotmail.com
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