Richard Devere's Dream House

In the first episode of "To The Manor Born," a Rolls Royce stops before an English church.

The driver gets out, and asks the priest for directions to The Old Lodge, a gentleman's estate he is planning on buying for his mother and himself. 

After giving him directions, the vicar politely asks him to leave, as a funeral service is underway.

When the man pulls up outside The Old Lodge, he tells the real estate agent that this isn't what he is looking for. He introduces himself. His name is Richard Devere. He's the owner of the multinational supermarket chain Cavendish Foods. He wants to escape the hustle and bustle of London, and run his business from a country home. The Old Lodge is hardly large enough to house himself and his mother, in addition to to serving as a regional corporate office.

Still, as long as he's driven this far, he agrees to tour The Old Lodge anyway.

Then he opens the french windows leading onto the back porch. There, in the distance, he sees what he desires: a real gentleman's country house. It would be perfect for his needs! "That's the one I want you to show me," he announces, and hurries off across the back porch and onto the snow-covered ground, not waiting to see if the real estate agent will follow him.

This little country church still stands. It's called The Parish Church of Saint Thomas. It's located on the grounds of Cricket St. Thomas, an old gentleman's country house. On the day we visited, no funeral service was underway. Nor did a vicar come out to greet us. But it was hardly necessary, as the house we wanted to see, the kind of house Richard Devere needed for himself, his mother, and his business, was easy to find.

As with Richard Devere, one glimpse, even from far away, is enough to make you fall in love with this stately old manor house.

Dragon Dave