WATERMOUTH CASTLE

Devon

Watermouth Castle is, of course, a 'mock gothick' mansion rather than a genuine Castle. It has a superb position over-looking Watermouth Bay which a real Castle would have been proud of!

The Castle was begun by A. Davie Bassett in 1825, although the date of its completion is less clear.  Beatrix Potter visited in 1882.  She reports that the then owner, a Mr Bassett, was "rather queer, they say he did not live in his castle at all but some place further on.  His horse ran away with him and broke his neck at the corner of a field".

At the turn of the century the Bassetts of the time owned a peculiar mixture of animals including a bear which met an unfortunate end in a bran tub and a orange cat with orange teeth who terrorised the staff by breaking things - for which the staff would have to take the blame.

The Bassetts left in 1945 and today the Castle operates as a kind of bizarre theme park with the most spectacular exhibit being the "Dancing Waters", a show of lights, fountains and music rescued from a World War II victory celebration.

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2001