Parke

A handsome white rendered early nineteenth century house of five by four bays built for William Hole in front of an earlier house. Heavy central porch with two pairs of Greek Doric columns.   In the eighteenth century the property was owned by Lord Ashburton, who, according to the Rev John Swete, ‘softened the harsh and rudefeatures of the scene around him’ by  blowing up the granite masses in his best meadows, and planting the hills.  Stockdale noted that it was ‘a very elegant mansion situated in a delightful part of the parish & the approach to it has a very delightful avenue of venerable beech trees’.  Stable block, lodge and cooling house in garden. Walled garden.  Now the headquarters for Dartmoor National Park.

House and stables, cooling house and Parke Lodge all listed Grade II.

Cherry & Pevsner: The Buildings of England – Devon, 1989: 193 T Gray: The Garden History of Devon,1995: 175-6