Why is A la ronde sixteen-sided?

VISITORS get an insight into the mindset of the architects who built one of Exmouth s most quirky buildings this summer.

VISITORS get an insight into the mindset of the architects who built one of Exmouth's most quirky buildings this summer.

At A la Ronde, the 16-sided National Trust house, staff have just put the finishing touches to the 'interpretation' project, which was started last year.

Visitors can follow the course of the sun during the day and see how owners Jane and Mary Parminter spent their time, have a go with a speaking tube, build a beech block model of the property, dress up as a Regency lady or Victorian gentleman and have a go at parlour pastimes of the day, with shells, feathers and silhouettes.

Assistant Property Manager, Salli Carr-Griffin said: "We have updated our interpretation to tell visitors the people story of A la Ronde.

"We are showing why the house was built 16-sided, giving an insight in to the day to day life of the Parminter cousins, for whom the house was built, and the changes to the building and introduction of country house technology, by the Reverend Oswald Reichel, the only man ever to own A la Ronde.