History
RUMWELL
Is it a house, is it a hill, is it a manor, is it a hall…???
- On the site of 2 ancient properties of Homelands and Dodhouse; in the tithing of Rumwell and Hundred of Hull and within the manor of Taunton Deane; owned by Solomon Andrewes; passed to John Colborne, then his widow Grace. Known as Colborne’s.
- 1671 sold to John Cross, a gentleman of Trull.
- 1701 settled on his daughter Joan and her husband Peter Risdon of Exeter.
- Further land purchased.
- 1724 premises assigned to son Benjamin Crosse Risdon of Trull.
- 1731 further land purchased.
- 1733 house rebuilt and estate mortgaged to Sir Edward Seymour, Baronet, with £1,500 owed on the property. Sir Edward Seymour lived in Wiltshire but also owned Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon. Rumwell probably represented a convenient stopping-off point.
- 1739 mortgage undischarged and Sir Edward took possession, with Seymours as occupiers. Sir Edward’s son succeeded his distant cousin as Duke of Somerset, followed in 1757 by his own son, also called Edward. Probably from this tenure that the story of Rumwell having been built for the Duke of Wellington stems.
- 1792 final disposition of Risdon property. Benjamin, son of Benjamin Crosse Risdon occupied main house; part of the estate leased to his brother-in-law Thomas Govier.
- 1796 sold to John Cape of Wellington, with Risdon occupying until 1803-4.
- 1804 John Cape (substantial Wellington merchant and leading member of Baptist Church, who donated site of present Baptist Church in 1833 and was a deacon there for 41 years), died leaving estate to nephew William Cadbury of Wellington – probably related to the Cadbury ‘chocolate’ family, originally from Exeter.
- 1805 – 1815 present house built by Cadbury; known as Rumwell House.
- 1834 leased to Colonel Shapland.
- 1836 leased to Colonel Pearse.
- 1839 re-occupied by Cadburys – William, wife Mary and 4 servants.
- 1847 William Cadbury died; widow Mary continued to live at Rumwell (now known as Rumhill House).
- 1856 sold to Adjutant of the West Somerset Yeomanry, Captain (later Major) Thomas Belsey Tomlin; family of 2 daughters and 3 sons.
Documents from the sale in 1856
provided by Anne Leamon
- 1872 renamed Rumwell Hall.
- 1885 Tomlin moved to Dawlish; leased house to Major Samuel Martin Gully.
- 1892 leased to Charles Leslie Fox, JP – member of Fox clothing manufacturers of Wellington. Later bought house with his new bride, Lilian Pease.
- 1933 Fox died
- 1944 Aerial Photos taken by grandson of Charles Leslie Fox; Peter Bucknall when he was in the Fleet Air Arm. Plus more photos provided by Peter.
- 1949 widow died.
- 1954 Arthur Mortimer occupied property.
- 1976 owned by Mr & Mrs Hoare as a family home. Sold to Mr Brian Adams who converted old coach house into extra accommodation and ran bed and breakfast/guest house.
- 1980s became a hotel with stable block and coach house wing becoming 10 additional bedrooms and conference room. Renamed Rumwell Manor Hotel.
- 1991 taken over by Coles family; second conference room and updating of bedrooms and gardens.
- 2007 hotel taken over by Style Hotels.
- 2011 sold to business consortium; leased to tenants – accountancy, solicitors, and architectural practices.
