The Gazebo

The Gazebo was once a part of Palmer House in the centre of Great Torrington. Mrs Palmer was the favourite sister of Sir Joshua Reynolds who often visited there, once famously with Dr. Johnson. This small building figures in some of Sir Joshua's paintings and one understands why because it must have been a most pleasant and comfortable place in which to work. Because of its dilapidated condition and due to the changes in ownership of the grounds of Palmer House the drastic solution was adopted of moving the gazebo to an entiretly new location. With the agreement of the planners and Royal Horticultural Society it was taken apart, conserved and rebuilt using the original components in the lovely grounds of RHS Rosemoor some 2 miles distant from its original site.

Not that RHS Rosemoor is entirely unconnected with the Palmer family and Sir Joshua because Rosemoor itself once formed part of the Palmer estates.

Over the years the Gazebo, prior to restoration, had fallen into ruinous condition. As in the case of the Haldon Belvedere "one more storm" would have reduced the building to rubble. The roof tiles were disintegrating and the cob walls failing as a result. However, most of the basic structure was there and the timbers were re-usable so the work of reconstruction could begin. Architects Caroe and Partners did the detective work and with the financial help of the Heritage Lottery Fund the resited building now graces a corner of Rosemoor Gardens where the planting cleverly mimics the corner-wall position that it once occupied in Palmer House.