Venue Type & Location
Overview
Located a few miles S of Exeter on the E side of the estuary of the River Exe almost directly opposite Powderham Castle.
An early 19th c. country house now stands in the vicinity of the medieval seat of the Dinham family.
Performance History
A probable performance venue. No relevant Dinham household records survive but entertainers under John Dinham's patronage appeared elsewhere in Devon in the late 15th c. It is likely that they also performed at home for their patron.
Current Status
History of the Venue
1272/3 Sir Oliver de Dinham, 1st Baron Dinham, bought Nutwell Manor from the abbey of Marmoutier (which had been given the manor by his ancestor Geoffrey, Sire de Dinan in Brittany, in 1122).
13th c. Nutwell Castle became the seat of the Dinham family. Sir John de Dinham, Sir Oliver's grandson, was born at Nutwell in 1295.
Late 15th c. John Dinham converted the castle to a 'fair and stately dwelling-house' (Polwhele, Devonshire 2.210).
1501 Joan, sister and coheir of the 2nd Baron Dinham, and her husband John la Zouche (d 1525/6), 7th Baron Zouche, resident at Nutwell (Chope, 'Lands' 277).
16th c. Purchased by Sergeant Prideaux.
Late 17th c. Purchased by Sir Henry Ford.
ca. 1699 Estate acquired and house remodelled by Sir Henry Pollexfen.
ca. 1754 House renovated again by Sir Francis Drake.
1802 Estate inherited by the 2nd Baron Heathfield, who rebuilt the house in neoclassical style.
Record Source
REED Devon 33, 35--6
Patrons who owned this venue
| Name | Date | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Dinham, John | 1433-1501 | Baron Dinham |
| Dinham, John | 1433-1501 | Knight of the Garter |
Bibliographic Sources
- Cherry, Bridget, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Devon. London: Penguin Books, 1989
- Chope, R. Pearse. 'The Lord Dynham's Lands.'. Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association 43 (1911): 269--92.
- The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. 1887–98 (8 vols); 1910–59 (13 vols). 6 vols. Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1982
- Etched on Devon's Memory.
- Gray, Todd. The Garden History of Devon: An Illustrated Guide to Sources. Exeter: U of Exeter P, 1995
- Lysons, Daniel and Samuel. Magna Britannia; being a concise topographical account of the several counties of Great Britain. 6 vols. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1806--22
- Polwhele, Richard. The History of Devonshire. 1st ed. [1793--1806] printed by Trewman and Son for: Cadell, Johnson and Dilly (vol 1); Cadell, Dilly and Murray (vol 2); Cadell and Davies (vol 3); all in London. 3 vols. Dorking: Kohler & Coombes, 1977