Come and ‘Shell-ebrate’ the summer with A la Ronde’s summer festival

A la Ronde, a sixteen-sided, 18th-century ornamental cottage in Exmouth, is hosting a five-day ‘Summer Festival’ to celebrate the culmination of its two-year-long project: 'A la Ronde: Conserving the Past, Creating the Future’.

This five-day festival will run from July 16 to July 20.

Managed by the National Trust, A la Ronde’s Summer Festival is a celebration of conservation work and a chance to explore some of Britain’s lesser-known history.

Above: A la Ronde. Credit: National Trust, James Dobson

The festival themes centre around people and place, craft, and creativity – the legacy of the adventurous Mary and Jane Parminter, the Devon-born cousins who built and loved A la Ronde.

Two well-travelled and fiercely independent women, the Parminter’s filled their home with personal souvenirs from their tour of Europe. Conserved by a 2023 restoration project, A la Ronde’s famous Shell Gallery contains over 26,000 fragments of shell and other materials, including bone, moss, watercolours, feathers, paper, corals, pinecones, and more.

An excellent array of special experiences and offers will give visitors the chance to see A la Ronde in an exciting new light.

Above: Bookbinding. Credit: National Trust, Freya Raby

You can partake in shell crafting, bookbinding, printing, or theatre workshops, walk a new family trail in a unique tour of the house and its grounds; get involved in garden games and a community picnic; or listen to live music performances.

The festival will also host deaf awareness sessions and after-school specials, as well as sculpture and headdress making for Exmouth Parade. 

Emma Mee, Project Lead at A la Ronde, says: “We are delighted to be hosting a ‘Summer Festival’ at A la Ronde. This wonderful programme of events is designed to celebrate the achievements of our project, showcasing our work with partnering groups, our conservation success, and sharing our new experiences through talks and craft workshops.”

Harriet Squire, Project Co-Ordinator at A la Ronde, says: “This five-day festival will highlight why A la Ronde is so special, with a wide range of events including live music, theatre, workshops, talks, after school specials, and much more besides. We hope to welcome visitors of all ages to help us bring in new voices and backgrounds.”