Powderham Castle: A Celebration of 700 Years

700 years ago this summer, the Manor of Powderham became home to the Courtenay family. When Hugh de Courtenay married Margaret, granddaughter of Edward I, Powderham was her dowry. A generation later, their son Philip built Powderham Castle, a fortified manor house centred upon a castellated Great Hall and kitchen - a venue for baronial hospitality. Powderham's consciously Gothic aesthetic reflected the Courtenay family's ancient origins, originating in the Crusades and Carolingian France.  Expanded over the centuries, the Castle is a unique blend of Medieval, Georgian, Regency and Victorian architecture with each new generation making their own distinctive contribution to the building and its contents - a multigenerational riff on the Gothic. The auction showcases items that reflect these architectural transformations and evolving tastes, offering a window into the innovations that have transformed country houses over the centuries.

Still a much-loved home, Powderham Castle has remained with the family who built it over six centuries ago.  The sale is part of their commemoration of 700 years stewardship, clearing space and raising funds to support ongoing conservation efforts to ensure that Powderham remains a leading example of authentic and sustainable Devon heritage. The castle was famously used as a location for the film Remains of the Day, starring Dame Emma Thompson and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Powderham’s most significant phase of architectural development occurred in the 18^th century. Three successive Viscounts Courtenay transformed the Castle from a Medieval civil war ruin into a Georgian treasure house, showcasing the finest of Devon and England's artists and craftsmen.  The third in this line was William 'Kitty' Courtenay, who became 9^th Earl of Devon. His artistic patronage culminated in the commissioning of the Music Room, designed by James Wyatt and built by Richard Westmacott. The largest room at Powderham, it was the venue for spectacular entertainments and performances for Courtenay and his 13 sisters. Renowned for his excellent taste and once hailed as “the most beautiful boy in England”, Courtenay found himself at the centre of “The Powderham Scandal” when his secret relationship with William Beckford, famed Gothic builder and novelist, was cruelly exposed in 1783. Publicly shamed, Powderham offered Courtenay something rare: a safe haven to express himself artistically at a time when homosexuality was punishable by law.

Among the most notable pieces in the sale relating to the 9^th Earl’s patronage is a monumental George III Axminster carpet, commissioned for the Music Room. At the time, this masterpiece held the record as the largest carpet ever made by Thomas Whitty's Axminster Carpet Factory until it was surpassed by one commissioned by the Prince Regent for his Brighton Pavilion. Other exceptional items from this period include a rare cast bronze ‘two pounder’ cannon by T. English, emblazoned with the Courtenay family crest commissioned for the family yacht the Dolphin, and a George III mahogany and painted hall chair attributed to Gillows of Lancaster with painted roundel and viscount’s coronet.

The Earl of Devon commented: “For my family, Powderham Castle is both a home and a living testament to our long relationship with Devon - a sustainable stewardship that has continued for 700 unbroken years. This auction will celebrate Powderham’s rich story as well as its unique global connections. We offer a rare opportunity to share treasures, many of which have been hidden for generations amidst the castle’s towers and upper floors. This collection is a tribute to the extraordinary evolution and continuity of Powderham; from its medieval beginnings to the present-day it has been both a family home as well as a venue for baronial hospitality on a grand scale. Each object offered for auction carries a piece of Powderham’s rich history, and we are delighted to share these stories with the world.”

Brocklesby Park

The Brocklesby Park collection hails from the ancestral seat of the Pelham family, who have resided at the estate since the 16^thcentury. The estate has undergone transformations by some of England’s most renowned architects, including Charles Tatham, Jeffry Wyatville, and James Wyatt. In the Victorian and Edwardian periods, Reginald Blomfield led a meticulous reconstruction of the house, later revised by Claude Phillimore. The estate remains the private residence of the Earls of Yarborough.

Joe Robinson, Head of House Sales and Private Collections at Dreweatts, commented:
“The Powderham and Brocklesby attics are filled with a fascinating selection of works ranging from the historically significant to the domestic - treasured everyday pieces that were gradually replaced over time as fashions evolved. In some ways, these objects are frozen in time, yet they remain very much a part of the living history of both houses. They offer a window into the evolution of the country house tradition, rooted in the present yet looking back to the generations of history and heritage that preceded them. We are honoured to present this curated selection of pieces, many of which have never been seen before, in collaboration with the families who have so generously entrusted us with their legacies”.

Auction Details

Tuesday 3 June 2025, 10.30am BST 
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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