Shute Barton

Shute Barton is one of Devon's most significant medieval manor houses, a building of towers and battlements near Axminster held by the Bonville family from the 13th century. William, Lord Bonville, rebuilt it before his execution in the Wars of the Roses, and his granddaughter Cicely Bonville extended it again; her great-granddaughter Lady Jane Grey, queen for nine days, inherited the estate. William Pole bought Shute in 1560, and the surviving kitchen wing and outer courtyards passed to the National Trust in 1959. Tours take in the great kitchen, whose fireplace, over 7m wide, is believed to be the largest medieval example in Britain, and the attic with its medieval roof timbers, ending with time in the garden. The house is a holiday cottage for the rest of the year, so visits are by pre-booked guided tour only, on a handful of dates a year, with tickets released shortly beforehand. Reviewers praise the volunteer guides and note that the small groups book up quickly. Parking is limited, and the many staircases rule out wheelchair access.