Join us to explore Belmont on Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 September 2024. We are opening this building in association with Heritage Open Days.
This fine 18th-century maritime villa in Lyme Regis is listed Grade II* and once belonged to the remarkable businesswoman, Mrs Eleanor Coade who devised a formula to mass produce architectural embellishments. More recently Belmont was home to world-famous author, John Fowles, author of The Magus and The French Lieutenant's Woman.
We have restored Belmont to its appearance in Mrs Coade’s day. Here you can sit – and indeed write – in John Fowles’s former writing room with its wide views of sea and sky. In the garden there is a Victorian observatory tower, with hatch and revolving roof. Most of the long garden is left wild (Fowles was a keen naturalist) and it tumbles down to the esplanade, with a pebble beach and the Cobb beyond.
Entry is free and leaflets on the building's history and children's activity sheets will be available on site. Whilst booking is not essential we would ask that you register for the event via Eventbrite so that we can provide you with updates regarding the event.
Families are welcome and we encourage picnics in the grounds if the weather is fine.
Open Day entry
Due to the historic nature of our buildings we have a limited capacity for our Open Day events. You may therefore be asked to wait a short time while other visitors finish their visit. Whilst booking is not essential, priority will be given to those who have booked in advance. Thank you for your co-operation.
Accessibility
At this property you are able to drop any guests with limited mobility at the house and then return your car to the car pay and display car park located 100 metres from the property.
Please note that due to the nature of our historic buildings and places, some may not be suitable for those with limited mobility or certain disabilities. We do all we can to enable access wherever possible; if you have any access concerns that you’d like to discuss before visiting, please contact our Booking Enquiries team on 01628 825925 or email [email protected]. The Booking Office is open Mon to Fri - 9am to 5pm.
Donating to Landmark
As a charity, the Landmark Trust relies on donations to support our work. We couldn’t have rescued over 200 Landmarks without the support of people like you. Your support saves historic buildings in danger of being lost forever and makes them available for all to experience and enjoy. Your donation could help train the craftspeople needed to restore buildings like this, or it could offer opportunities to young people to experience history first-hand, through our open days and free stays for study groups. We would be delighted if you felt able to add a gift to your booking today.