LIFE AT MORETON

Restoration Diary

A Quick History

Moreton House is a grade-II listed Georgian estate house on the outskirts of Bideford in North Devon. The Buck-Stucley family, who have owned land around Hartland and North Devon for centuries, built and lived at Moreton until it was commandeered for use as a school during the second world war.

Shortly after the war, Moreton and the surrounding estate became home to Grenville College boarding school, and remained so for more than half a century. But when the school moved on and merged with Kingsley school in 2009, the property was divided up and sold. After national publicity surrounding its sale, the house and five acres of the original grounds are in family ownership once again.

The current owners, the Phillips family, have spent the past 5 years lovingly restoring and renovating the house, with the aim of creating a business that will secure a sustainable future for Moreton. Aiming to be relevant to the local community as well as to the many tourists who visit beautiful North Devon, Moreton with its grand function rooms and peaceful gardens, is now available to book for boutique weddings and private parties, events and workshops. It offers also offers four luxurious holiday lettings apartments in the areas of the house that were once the Victorian kitchens, and the living and working space for the household staff.

All the proceeds from the business are being ploughed straight back into the property to expand the number of rooms offered and continue with the upkeep and restoration.