notable local HOUSES


Riversea M


any fine Victorian villas line the River Dart offering sizeable accommodation and stunning views of the river and out to sea.


One such house is Riversea on the Kingswear side of


the river. Currently, it is easily identifiable with a huge plastic canopy protecting it during a major renovation, project which is expected to be complete in early 2016. this renovation will likely preserve the building for at least another century. Aside from its stunning location, riversea boasts an illustrious history. the house was built between 1866 and 1867 by


the reverend george turner seymour on land land leased from the Luttrell family (nethway estate). It is commonly accepted that prince Albert stayed at riversea with his mistress Lily Langtry. edward Langtry participated in a number of regattas but one assumes that any use of riversea (and Warfleet House - another location of the secret trysts with the prince of Wales across the river) - must have taken place between 1877 and 1880, the duration of the royal affair. this is not to say that Albert may have used the house outside these dates.


A single storey extension was constructed just before


or around the turn of the last century by subsequent owner Henry toms. toms owned riversea from 1876 to 1903. He was a Justice of the peace and, according to hearsay, didn’t relish the journey into brixham to hear cases. the extension, now a library, was thus used as a court room. His coat of arms is depicted in the stained glass window over what would have been an entrance into the room from the outside. there is a second connection with the prince of Wales, which occurs in 1892. In this year, toms was


By the Dart takes a look at some local houses that have an interesting story to them.


riversea from the river (2004). stunning views to the sea


granted the rights to riversea’s foreshore down to the low water mark. It is understood this is a rarity on not only the Dart but throughout the Duchy of Cornwall. Whether Albert was still visiting and wanted to protect his privacy from people walking along the foreshore at low tide, or whether toms by his own wishes was granted this concession in recognition of his past discretion, is unclear. In 1934 riversea was sold by the reverend bishop


boyd Carpenter to a t. r. bangham who converted it for use as a small ‘private’ hotel (the riversea private Hotel Company). It remained such, with varying


riversea - 1920s - 1930s


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