- Brunel Manor
Brunel Manor is a mansion on the outskirts of the
Devon seaside resort ofTorquay .The manor, along with its gardens were designed by
Isambard Kingdom Brunel to be his retirement home. It is said that while Brunel was surveying for the Great Western Railway that he discovered the area, where he and his family later spent many holidays in the town. He eventually purchased the plot of land with a view to designing and building his dream home to which he would retire. ["English Riviera" ( [http://www.theenglishriviera.co.uk/english-riviera/brunel.asp] ) Isambard Kingdom Brunel Retrieved Jun. 16, 2006.]Unfortunately the great engineer never saw the house or gardens finished due to his early death in 1859.
Brunel Manor Today
In 1962 Brunel Manor was purchased by the Woodlands House of Prayer Trust, and is now a Christian Hotel and Conference Centre. The manor gardens are undergoing restoration, with many of Brunel's original features being restored. These include a large number of original trees, ponds and water cascade, Italian Gardens, cobble lined paths, Brunel's seat and the footings of the bridge over the Teignmouth Road. The manor gardens are open to the public on Sunday & Tuesday - Thursday afternoons, with guide maps and story boards to guide visitors around. A large section of the grounds, now known as Brunel Woods, was divided from the rest of the manor and this area is also open to the public.
Notes and References
External links
* [http://www.brunelmanor.com/ Brunel Manor]
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