James Templer a Devonian entrepreneur bought an old 80,000 acre estate in 1765 and established a country seat. He began to landscape the land including the construction of a lake which covers 10 acres. The water originally entered from the Ventiford Brook. He replaced the old house, Stoford Lodge, and in 1777 built himself a large mansion house in the Palladian style which he named Stover House. The lake now is part of a country park open to the public and has been designated a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The house is a private school.

Boddy Collection