Watermouth Castle was built by Joseph Davie Bassett, son of John Davie of Orleigh Court, Buckland Brewer and his wife Eleanora Basset of Heanton Court, Heanton Punchardon.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,324 |
Watermouth Castle's brother was Rev Charles Davie, rector of Heanton Punchardon, which advowson was possessed by the Bassett family.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,325 |
Watermouth Castle sold Orleigh in 1807 and built Watermouth Castle as his principal residence.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,326 |
Watermouth Castle painted the Palladian house then standing on the site and recorded the visit in his journal.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,327 |
Watermouth Castle married Harriet Sarah Crawfurth, daughter of Thomas Smith Crawfurth of Dulverton, by whom he had his eldest surviving son Reverend Arthur Crawfurth Davie Bassett, who was unmarried and died at Watermouth Castle.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,328 |
Watermouth Castle's heir was his sister Harriet Mary Bassett, the wife of Charles Henry Williams, MP, of Pilton House, Pilton, near Barnstaple.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,329 |
Watermouth Castle had been used as a military hospital during World War I, and in the 1920s she started to sell the Berrynarbor farms and cottages.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,330 |
Watermouth Castle passed through the hands of many short-term owners and property speculators but was at last purchased by Keith Wickenden, a Conservative MP for Dorking South and businessman.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,331 |
Watermouth Castle was killed in a light aircraft crash near Shoreham Airport in 1983.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,332 |
Watermouth Castle was purchased from Wickenden in 1977 by Richard L Haines of Market Deeping, Cambridgeshire and his wife.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,333 |
Watermouth Castle is a tourist attraction open to the public by admission charge.
| FactSnippet No. 1,140,334 |