Despite attempts to 'keep the wolf from the door', Lord Ivar Mountbatten has announced that Bridwell Park will be put up for sale. The unique country house estate in Uffculme, near Cullompton, had been hidden from the public gaze for more than 240 years until Lord Mountbatten and his husband James Coyle opened its doors to events for the very first time in January 2015.
In 2020, it opened its gates to the community with visitors enjoying its Orangery Café and parkland with vast acres of deer park.
In the spring of 2023, a new fee was introduced for those wanting to visit the estate due to the rise in living and operating costs. A Friends of Bridwell Annual Visitor Pass and a daily visitor entry fee was charged in a bid to 'help keep Bridwell open.'
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Lord Mountbatten said at the time: "It’s a sink or swim dilemma we face again, only this time we have a snorkel and flippers ready. I hope this strategy will meet with the same level of understanding and support we have been fortunate enough to receive during the last 2.5 years.
"To keep going and to keep sharing Bridwell will mean so much to our family, to our suppliers, our team, and hopefully to you our visitors too."
However, in January of this year, Lord Mountbatten waived fees for members of the public visiting his Devon estate. In a statement on social media he said despite 'wonderful' support from visitors, the costs of overheads had risen 'exponentially'.
On Bridwell's Facebook page, he said: "Sadly, there is no getting away from the fact that membership and general admission income hasn't strengthened our position as much as we hoped or needed.
"From February 1, I will be lifting all admission charges to the Orangery Cafe and Parkland. My aim is to keep the wolf from the door by maintaining healthy visitor numbers across the seven day week and to encourage everyone in our local and wider community to feel welcome to visit us.
"Our fantastic welcome stewards will remain a presence in the Parkland at weekends in addition to busy event dates - to bid you a cheery hello, answer any questions you may have, monitor litter, behaviours and movements in connection with dogs on leads, health and safety and kindness and respect."
However, it seems it has not had the desired impact Lord Mountbatten had hoped leaving him to make a new 'strategic decision'.
On Bridwell's Facebook page yesterday, April 3, he posted: "James and I would like to advise our visitors, Friends of Bridwell members, subscribers, event clients and suppliers of news that Bridwell will this week be placed on the open market with both Knight Frank commercial and residential divisions.
"This is a strategic decision which forms part of our wider plans. Our aim is to find an investor to join us as we carefully review how we can make best use of the house and the parkland.
"This movement will not impinge on the warm welcome we take great pride in extending to visitors of The Orangery Cafe and the community events we and our clients look forward to hosting at Bridwell this year - to include The Mix Music Festival, Uffculme Show and Country Fair, Queer Spirit Festival and our annual Community Bonfire and Fireworks Celebration.
"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support as we feel hopeful for the next chapter for Bridwell."
Bridwell is a Grade I listed classic Georgian house built in early Regency style by Richard Hall Clarke between 1774 and 1779. The Clarke family had owned the Bridwell estate since 1628 and the house and parkland were to remain in the family’s ownership for the next 200 years.
In the late 1980s, the house was devastated by fire, leading to a vast and costly restoration programme in partnership with English Heritage. The original fireplaces were retained and restored within the original rooms with their fine plasterwork, oak floors and splendid mahogany doors.
The lower ground floor, since its restoration, has been recreated as a recreational and office area, complete with home cinema, although it retains its original extensive wine cellars and butler’s pantry.
Lord Ivar Mountbatten and his family have made their home at Bridwell since 1997, having previously lived at Moyns Park in Essex, an Elizabethan mansion inherited from his cousin Ivar Bryce. Lord Mountbatten belongs to one of the most illustrious families in Europe and is related to many of its crowned heads as well as the last Tsar of Russia.
He is a direct descendent of Queen Victoria through his great-grandmother, Princess Victoria of Hesse, who married Prince Louis of Battenberg. He is also directly descended from Catherine the Great of Russia and Alexander Pushkin, the famous Russian poet.
The Mountbatten name is the family name of the Milford Haven title, his brother being the current Marquess of Milford Haven.
