Celebrating 100 years of Coleton Fishacre

Archive image of the stone house at Coleton Fishacre with newly landscaped gardens and terraces — An archive image of Coleton Fishacre, 1926 | © National Trust Archives

In 1924, whilst sailing the South Devon coastline, Rupert and his wife Lady Dorothy glimpsed a secluded valley that led down to a private cove, and fell in love. It was the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of London life, and in 1925 construction on their country retreat began. The rest, as they say, is history.

100 years of style

Sitting within a sub-tropical coastal garden, Coleton Fishacre makes the most of the breathtaking sea views from the South Devon coast, and it’s not hard to see why it was chosen by Rupert D’Oyly Carte as the perfect location for an idyllic country retreat.

With its understated and timeless elegance, Coleton Fishacre evokes romanticism for a golden bygone era of glamour and style.

“The place that belongs to the sea… here is a retreat from land-sickness, a spot where hurries and worries and work do not come.”

Country Life 1930

Archive black and white image of the South Devon coastline with shrubs and gorse. In the distance a rocky island out at sea. — The view that captured the hearts of the D'Oyly Cartes | © National Trust Archives

Creating Coleton Fishacre

Rupert and Lady Dorothy commissioned renowned architect Oswald Milne to design Coleton Fishacre, a house that would sit in harmony with its surroundings. Nestled in the coastal valley, they wanted their holiday home to make the most of the sea views and natural light.

The house was built into a difficult landscape, but Oswald Milne turned this to his advantage in rooms like the Saloon, where he cleverly added elegant steps along the curve of the hillside to create a showstopping, stage-like room set at an angle to maximise the views of the garden. The house and garden were designed in the Arts and Crafts style, with the interiors reflecting the Art Deco ‘jazz age’.

Building the house

The result of considerable wealth, it was built to the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality, with gurjan wood flooring throughout and Portland stone. The exterior facing of the house was actually quarried from within the garden, with the stone transported up the valley on railway tracks, which can now be seen in the kitchen where they support shelves.

The quarry itself, sitting below a picturesque gazebo with views out to sea, is undergoing an exciting redesign to compliment the history of Coleton Fishacre and its creators, to become a creative and artistic feature of the garden.

The original blueprints are too fragile to be on display, but depict details from the Delabole roof slates to the black Staffordshire tiles on the window sills, created by the architect Oswald Milne.

Archive blueprint detailing a window design with measurements and annotations, framed in a circular highlight on a blue background. — Original blueprint of the Dining Room at Coleton Fishacre | © National Trust Archives

Looking ahead

In 1926 the building of the house was complete, the rooms furnished and the landscaping of the garden well underway. The D'Oyly Carte's moved into the house spring 1926 and we're able to enjoy the fruits of the labour. Pasttimes were gardening, sailing and entertaining with friends.

In 2026 we'll be following in the family's footsteps and enjoying the calm solitude that Coleton Fishacre brings. As the garden wakes up from its winter slumber, there'll be blossom to admire and more.