Watermouth Castle is a building in

Watermouth Watermouth is a sheltered bay and hamlet between Hele Bay and Combe Martin on the North Devon coast of England. The settlement's castle, named as Watermouth Castle, is currently used being as a theme park. Watermouth harbour is shielded by th ...

, near

Ilfracombe Ilfracombe ( ) is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England, with a small harbour surrounded by cliffs. The parish stretches along the coast from the 'Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and along the ...

, North

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, England, designed by

George Wightwick George Wightwick (26 August 1802 – 9 July 1872) was a British architect based in Plymouth, and possibly the first architectural journalist. In addition to his architectural practice, he developed his skills and the market for architectural ...

as a residence for the Bassett family in the mid-19th century and is not a true

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

but a country house built to resemble one. It has been designated as a Grade II*

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. Located near the shore of the inlet of

, near

, Devon, the castle houses a collection of Victorian antiques centred on domestic tools and amusement machines, a family

theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

and holiday apartments. The Bassetts left the castle in 1945.

Descent of ownership

Bassett

The castle was built by Joseph Davie Bassett (1764–1846), son of John Davie (died 1793) of

Orleigh Court Orleigh Court is a late medieval manor house in the parish of Buckland Brewer about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-west of Bideford, North Devon, England. It is a two-storeyed building constructed from local slate stone and has a great hall with a hammer- ...

Buckland Brewer Buckland Brewer is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England, 4.7 miles south of Bideford. Historically the parish formed part of Shebbear Hundred. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 777, increasin ...

and his wife Eleanora Basset of Heanton Court,

Heanton Punchardon Heanton Punchardon ( ) is a village, civil parish and former manor, anciently part of Braunton Hundred. It is situated directly east-southeast of the village of Braunton, in North Devon. The parish lies on the north bank of the estuary of the R ...

. His brother was Rev. Charles Davie (1760–1836), rector of Heanton Punchardon, which

advowson Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, ...

was possessed by the Bassett family. After his mother became the sole heiress of her childless brother Francis Basset (died 1802), Joseph Davie adopted the name Bassett in lieu of his patronymic and adopted the Bassett armorials. He sold Orleigh in 1807 and built Watermouth Castle as his principal residence. He married Mary Irwin (1777–1862) of Barnstaple. The Devon topographer Rev. John Swete visited Watermouth, before the construction of the Georgian castle, as part of his travels in 1796, and was entertained by Mr Davie. He painted the Palladian house then standing on the site and recorded the visit in his journal. Joseph Bassett's eldest son and heir was Arthur Davie Bassett (1801–1870), who died in a horse-riding accident. He married Harriet Sarah Crawfurth, daughter of Thomas Smith Crawfurth of

Dulverton Dulverton is a small town and civil parish in west Somerset, England, near the border with Devon. The town had a population of 1,408 at the 2011 Census. The parish includes the hamlets of Battleton and Ashwick which is located approximately ...

, by whom he had his eldest surviving son Reverend Arthur Crawfurth Davie Bassett (1830–1880), who was unmarried and died at Watermouth Castle. His heir was his sister Harriet Mary Bassett, the wife of

Charles Henry Williams Charles Henry Williams (later known as Charles Henry Basset, from 1880) (16 November 1834 – 1 February 1908) of Pilton House and Westaway House, Pilton, near Barnstaple, and of Watermouth Castle all in North Devon, was a British naval an ...

(1834–1908), MP, of Pilton House, Pilton, near

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...

. In 1908, the castle was inherited by their daughter Edith Bassett Bassett (1862–1943) (born Edith Basset Williams), married to Captain Ernest Charles Penn Curzon (1856–1938). During World War I she started to sell off the ancient Basset lands. Watermouth Castle had been used as a military hospital during World War I, and in the 1920s she started to sell the Berrynarbor farms and cottages. In 1942 she sold most of the contents of Watermouth Castle.

Wickenden

The castle passed through the hands of many short-term owners and property speculators but was at last purchased by

Keith Wickenden Keith David Wickenden (22 November 1932 – 9 July 1983) was a Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament for Dorking from 1979 until 1983. Early life Keith Wickenden had an older brother named Roland, who served as chairm ...

(1932–1983), a Conservative MP for Dorking South and businessman. He was killed in a light aircraft crash near Shoreham Airport in 1983.Obituary in Accountancy Magazine, August 1983

Haines

Watermouth Castle was purchased from Wickenden in 1977 by Richard L. Haines of

Market Deeping Market Deeping is a market town and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the north bank of the River Welland and the A15 road. The population of the town at the 2011 census was 6,008. History The town's mar ...

, Cambridgeshire and his wife. The price paid for the castle and was £50,000. The castle was turned into an amusement centre, which as of 2012 was run by their two sons Jonathan and Antonie Haines.

Current use

The castle is a tourist attraction open to the public by admission charge. Within the Castle, areas include Castle Treasure, Dungeon Labyrinths and The Watershow Extravaganza. Its grounds feature nine rides spread across themed areas known as Adventure Land, Merry go Land and Gnome Land.

References

External links

*{{commonscat-inline
Watermouth Castle official website
Houses completed in 1825 Castles in Devon Grade II* listed buildings in Devon Museums in Devon Amusement museums in the United Kingdom Amusement parks in England Mock castles in England