The China Tower was built in 1839 by Lady Louisa Rolle for John, Lord Rolle, a charming surprise birthday gift from a young wife to her much older husband. The Rolles were an ancient Devon family who amassed vast acreages in the county through marriage and purchase. Their main seats were at here at Bicton, and at Stevenstone, where we have another Landmark, The Library. Lord and Lady Rolle were passionate gardeners and together they created fine botanical gardens and a famous arboretum at Bicton.
Lady Rolle built this octagonal, four-storey belvedere tower secretly on a knoll wooded with conifers, to surprise her husband on his 89th birthday. It is said that he has to be carried up the winding stairs to the roof terrace in his bath chair – from where he was rewarded with a view of Bicton House with the sea beyond. The tower gets its name from Lady Louisa’s collection of china which she displayed in one of the rooms. J C Loudon was impressed: he called it ‘the best piece of architecture at Bicton’ when he visited the gardens in 1842.
The tower was standing empty and at risk of vandalism, and Landmark took it on after an approach by its owners, the Clinton Devon Estates, who are paying for its refurbishment as a Landmark. Work is well underway and we have no doubt it will prove a wonderful and secluded place to stay on an ancient estate. The China Tower will join our collection in spring 2013