Kelly House, Devon

Kelly House is a Grade I listed country house and estate located in the village of Kelly, in Devon, England.

Kelly House
Typecountry house
LocationKelly, Devon, England
Coordinates50°36′38″N 4°16′18″W
Built16th to 18th centuries
ArchitectAbraham Rundle
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameKelly House
Designated14 June 1952[1]
Reference no.1318194
Location of Kelly House in Devon
Arms of Kelly of Kelly: Argent, a chevron between three billets gules[2]

The estate has been the property of the Kelly family since approximately 1100. Parts of the original Medieval house and great hall are still standing, though they are obscured from view, as this part of the house was significantly remodelled in the Tudor architectural style. In 1742 the west wing of the building was constructed in the Georgian architectural style and surrounded by parkland.[3]

The most recent north wing of Kelly House was built in 1877. During the twentieth century parts of the estate were sold off, and the house fell into disrepair.[1]

A description of life in the house and village during the first world war was written as a diary by Margaret Kelly, the lady of the house at the time. It includes details of the running of the house.[4] After the war Mary Kelly founded the Village Drama Society which was based at Kelly House from 1919 until about 1925.[5] Kelly House continues to be inhabited by members of the Kelly family while opening some rooms for bed and breakfast basis.[6]

The house was added to the Heritage at Risk Register due to concerns particularly about the leaking roof.[7] Parts of the house have been restored, with students from Kelly College assisting with the works. These parts of the house are open to the public through guided tours,[8] and since 2013 the house has offered three bedrooms as bed & breakfast accommodation. [9]

In April 2010, Kelly House was the subject of a Channel 4 television programme presented by hotelier Ruth Watson as part of her Country House Rescue series.[10][11]

References
  1. Historic England. "Kelly House  (Grade I) (1318194)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  2. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.511
  3. "Kelly House". Devon Gardens Trust. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  4. "Confusion and fear - the wartime diary of a Devon country lady". Western Morning News. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  5. "Kelly, Mary Elfreda (1888–1951), founder of the Village Drama Society". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/69833. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  6. "Kelly House in Tavistock lets you live the country life..." Devon Life. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  7. "Kelly House, Kelly - West Devon". Buildings at Risk. Historic England. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  8. "Kelly House". Historic Houses Association. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  9. "Kelly House". Kelly House. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  10. "A glimmer of hope: 'Country House Rescue' visits Kelly House". The Country Seat. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  11. Deacon, Michael (24 February 2010). "Ruth Watson on Country House Rescue". Telegraph. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
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