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| Hospitality Today | June/July 2016
HOTEL IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Langdon Court Hotel
The family-run Langdon Court Hotel in Devon is a remarkable, atmospheric place
with an extraordinary history from the Norman Conquest to Edward VII’s mistress.
Hidden down winding lanes in the
stunning south Devon countryside near
Wembury Point and beach, just round the
headland from Plymouth, this elegant,
quiet and secluded country house has
played host to historical figures such as
Henry VIII and last wife Catherine Parr (it
became her home), Elizabeth I, as well as
society beauty Lillie Langtry and her lover
of the day, the Prince of Wales, who went
on to become Edward VII.
Langdon has a distinguished past
dating back to the Domesday Book. First
recordings demonstrate that the manor
house was granted to a Norman baron
called Jodhel for providing crucial support
to King William after the Battle of Hastings.
Jodhel in turn granted Langdon to a loyal
knight named Walden through the Pipard
family, until it was later discovered by the
Courtenay family of Devon, then from 1876
the Cory family, coal shippers.
During this time, extensive alterations were
made to the house, and on many occasions
Richard Cory played host to his friend the
Prince of Wales, later to become Edward
VII - who often visited with his ‘friend’, the
society beauty and actress Lillie Langtry.
On Richard Corey’s death in 1904 the estate
was broken up and a Mrs. Kenyon-Slaney
bought the house and ten acres of land. She
lived here until the beginning of the Second
World War. After the war Langdon Court
was purchased by Plymouth Council and
used as a children’s convalescent home.