Escot House is a privately owned 19th century country house, the home of the Kennaway family

Kennaway Baronets

The Kennaway Baronetcy of Hyderabad in the East Indies, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 25 February 1791 for John Kennaway, British Resident at the Court of the Nizam, in recognition of his part in the negotiation of the 1790 alliance between the Nizam and the East...

, situated at Talaton, near Ottery St Mary

Ottery St Mary

Ottery St Mary, known as "Ottery" , is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, England, on the River Otter, about ten miles east of Exeter on the B3174. It is part of a large civil parish of the same name, which also covers the villages of West Hill, Metcombe, Fairmile, Alfington, Tipton St...

, East Devon

East Devon

East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...

. It is a Grade II listed building.

A house was built at Escot in 1678 for Sir Walter Yonge Bt

Yonge Baronets

The Yonge Baronetcy, of Culliton in the County of Devon, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 26 September 1661 for the merchant and Member of Parliament, John Yonge. He was succeeded by his son Walter, the second Baronet. He was also a Member of Parliament. His son, the...

 by Robert Hooke and altered by architect James Wyatt

James Wyatt

James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...

 in 1795.. It was sold in 1794 to Sir John Kennaway Bt, an East India Company

East India Company

The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

 diplomat then recently returned from India. The house was destroyed by fire in 1808 and the Kennaways lived for some time at Fairmile and Fort House, Sidmouth.

Sir John built the new house to a design by architect Henry Roberts

Henry Roberts

Henry Roberts may refer to:*Henry Roberts , 19th-century architect of Fish Hall for the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers*Henry Roberts , officer in the British Royal Navy who served with Captain Cook on his last two voyages*Henry Roberts , English first class cricketer*Henry Roberts , English...

 in 1838. Built in yellow brick with limestone mouldings, the two storey house has a square plan and symmetrical five bayed west south and east entrance fronts.

Sir John Henry Kennaway

Sir John Kennaway, 3rd Baronet

Sir John Henry Kennaway, 3rd Baronet PC was an English Conservative Party politician.He was Member of Parliament for East Devon from 1870 to 1885, when the constituency was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885...

, the third Baronet, was Member of Parliament for East Devon and Honiton.

The house is not generally open to the public but is available for functions and is licensed for weddings. The 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) park, designed by Capability Brown

Capability Brown

Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...

in the 18th century, and the gardens are open to the public.