Haunted Hosts

Lewtrenchard Manor stands as one of Devon's most historically significant country houses, with parts dating from around 1600. Originally owned by Sir Thomas Monk, the estate was sold in 1626 to Henry Gould due to financial difficulties, beginning its association with the Gould family that would span centuries. The manor became the ancestral seat of the Gould family and later the Baring-Gould dynasty through marriage. Most notably, it was the beloved home of Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924), the prolific writer, folklorist, and composer of 'Onward Christian Soldiers'. Baring-Gould substantially remodelled the house from 1881, creating what Cherry and Pevsner described as 'an intriguing creation'. The manor features remarkable architectural elements including the Long Gallery with its leather-bound books and remarkable wooden ceiling, wood-panelled dining rooms, and original Jacobean features. The property includes Walter Sarel-designed gardens with formal terraces, a granite cloister loggia based on the Moretonhampstead almshouses of 1637, and extensive grounds. Listed Grade II*, the manor embodies centuries of English country house tradition and literary heritage, having inspired George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion through Baring-Gould's romance with mill girl Grace Taylor.