There is evidence that people have
lived in this beautiful corner of the
Blackdown Hills since prehistoric times. The first record of a dwelling here at Lea Hill is in what is called the Lay
Subsidy of 1352, when an Edith de Legh was the owner.
Lea Hill has existed since the 14th Century, and
the earliest evidence lies in the reception hall where you will be
standing on original flagstones from those times.
John Smith, the leading local
Quaker once lived
here from 1650 and was sentenced to
death in
1685 for supporting the Duke of Monmouth's
attempts to seize
the English Crown, when he
landed at The Cobb Harbour in near by
Lyme
Regis, Dorset..
Ties with the Quakers continued for many years and
today there is still a meeting House down the hill below the house and
a Quaker burial ground on the hill above us. An annual pilgrimage is
made
to this site.
For most of its life
Lea Hill has been a working farm with far more than the 8 acres which
remain today. The building is a prime example
of a thatched Devon Longhouse.
The oldest part is the flag stoned and
low-beamed reception area which dates from the 14th Century, when people
were a lot shorter than they are today! In those days both the animals
and the humans lived under one roof separated by thin walls and screens.
Today Lea Hill is a characterful country house with its historic barns
converted into pretty cottages. It is owned and personally run by the
Avis family. Lea Hill offers not only a respite from stressful times;
it's a gateway to the beautiful and stunning South West of England.
Perhaps one of the best known
items of
interest
in the Lyme Regis and Charmouth stretch of this
South West
coastline are the prehistoric
fossil cliffs that lie between
these two ancient towns. Lyme Regis' history contains
many references
to the amazing finds that have been made here and the
town has a
number of interesting shops that supply real and replica
items that
have been taken from the cliffs.
The nearest large towns are
Exeter,
Taunton and
Dorchester,
the
County Towns of Devon, Somerset and Dorset respectively. A full range
of shops
and large stores can be found in all three, with Exeter
offering the largest
choice. |
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