Bradley (house)

The east front of Bradley

Bradley is small medieval manor house amongst woodland and meadows in the valley of the River Lemon about a half mile to the west of Newton Abbot, Devon, England. The house is now in the ownership of the National Trust.

The house is one of the most complete medieval manor houses in Devon. Much of it is the creation of Richard and Joan Yarde who owned it from 1402. On the walls of an upstairs room is preserved a late medieval pattern of stencilled black fleur-de-lys. The great hall is emblazoned with the royal arms of Elizabeth I, and there are a number of other rare features. It has a fine east front and chapel.

The house contains a collection of Pre-Raphaelite art and Arts and Crafts furniture.

File:Bradley Manor from Wolborough Hill1.JPG

A distant view of Bradley showing its location in the wooded valley.

Flowing past the house is the Bradley Leat which used to provide water for the manorial mills which were located where the cattle market in Newton Abbot now stands.

Bradley was given to the National Trust in 1938 by Mrs A. H. Woolner. Her family still live in the house and manage it on the Trust's behalf.

See also

• Puritan's Pit, nearby on the opposite bank of the River Lemon, was used for nonconformist services in the 17th century.
• The Great Western Railway built a series of 4-6-0 steam locomotives known as the Manor class, named after various manor houses. Locomotive 7802 was named after Bradley Manor and is preserved on the Severn Valley Railway.

References

• The National Trust: Bradley (Guidebook). 1989.

External links

• Bradley information at the National Trust