New Exhibition opens at A la Ronde
A new exhibition is opening at A la Ronde, near Exmouth in Devon, focused on the information and discoveries brought to light by a recent major conservation project.
The exhibition follows the conservation journey of the rare and unusual decorative interiors created at A la Ronde at the end of the eighteenth century, including the delicate Shell Gallery, Grotto Staircase, Feather Frieze and central Octagon room.
Around £300,000 of project funding has allowed the National Trust to undertake major changes at the property, including new experiences, projects with the local community, conservation, digitisation, and a new pathway through the grounds. This vital work means that the unusual 16-sided house is protected for future generations.
A la Ronde was built by Jane Parminter and her ward and second cousin, Mary Parminter, in around 1796 following several ‘Grand Tours’ of Europe. They decorated the unusual Devon house with imaginative interiors, including natural but fragile materials such as feathers and shells.
Many hours of painstaking work were carried out at A la Ronde by a specialist conservation team to restore and stabilise the delicate interiors. This work and the stories surrounding it have been documented and are being shared in the new exhibition, which visitors can experience in person from 26th March. Each step of the journey also features in the latest series of the BBC’s ‘Hidden Treasures of the National Trust’ which airs later this year, offering a rare insight into an important and fascinating conservation project.
Emma Mee, Project Manager at A la Ronde said, “Due to many years of decay, the Shell Gallery and Grotto Staircase were extremely fragile. Thanks to the generosity of funders, we have been able to stabilise both spaces, and create exciting new virtual access which means visitors can experience the beautiful decoration in intimate detail, as well as viewing from the Octagon below. Further access to these spaces is sadly not possible if we want to ensure their survival for the future. However, we're really pleased to have the opportunity to share the fascinating discoveries made during our recent conservation work and open our 2024 exhibition.”
“This exhibition explains how we have approached the care of this unique property, what we have discovered, and how this adds to our understanding of the people who lived in the house,” she continues “This is the first in a series of rolling exhibitions designed to bring A la Ronde’s captivating history to life for visitors. We are also making the exhibition and Shell Gallery more accessible digitally, so we can share the unique features with as many people as possible.”
Project funding will also see A la Ronde re-imagined for visitors. New spaces will be opened up across the house, grounds and estate and exciting stories will be shared and discovered through research into the history of the property as the work progresses over the next six months.
The next stage of the project will be recording the work digitally - ensuring it can be shared with visitors, but without causing the incredibly fragile features of the building to deteriorate further. Visitors will be able to view the intricate shellwork in detail with a new Virtual 360 experience available from April 2024.
The project has been enabled thanks to generous funding from the Wolfson Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Trust – in addition to the generous support of visitors to A la Ronde.
A la Ronde is open every Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30am to 3:30pm until the end of October. Normal admission applies. Find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
