Buller Lupton, Brixham

1 buller

1.1 sir francis buller, 1st baronet (1746-1800)
1.2 sir francis buller-yarde-buller, 2nd baronet (1767–1833)
1.3 john yarde-buller, 1st baron churston (1799-1871)
1.4 john yarde-buller, 2nd baron churston (1846–1910)
1.5 john reginald lopes yarde-buller, 3rd baron churston (1873–1930)
1.6 richard francis roger yarde-buller, 4th baron churston (1910–1991)

buller

arms of buller: sable, on cross argent quarter pierced of field 4 eagles displayed of first

the ancient family of buller descended ralph buller of word in somerset, sixth in descent whom richard buller settled in cornwall , married heiress of tregarrick. derived of political power kinship trelawny family of trelawny in parish of pelynt, cornwall, controlled pocket borough of nearby east looe. john buller (1632–1716), mp, of shillingham near saltash, in cornwall, married anne coode, daughter , sole heiress of john coode of morval in cornwall, became family s principal seat.

sir francis buller, 1st baronet (1746-1800)

sir francis buller, 1st baronet (1746-1800)



lupton house, 1793 watercolour rev john swete titled: lupton, seat of sir francis buller

sir francis buller, 1st baronet (1746-1800) since acquisition of fine place (i.e. lupton) hath quitted churston, antient seat of yarde s , wrote rev. john swete in 1793. churston court 1 mile north of lupton, , long remained possession of buller family after purchase of lupton. sir francis buller third son of james buller (1717-1765) of morval in cornwall , of downes, crediton , of new place, king s nympton in devon, member of parliament east looe in cornwall (1741-7) , county of cornwall (1748-1765). francis buller s mother lady jane bathurst, father s second wife, daughter of allen bathurst, 1st earl bathurst. morval, ancient buller seat, , downes, inherited father s eldest son first marriage, , francis younger son, had make own fortune. buller family had history of service in politics, church , law. francis excellent student , @ age of seventeen entered inner temple study law. in same year married susanna yarde, 6 years senior, daughter , heiress of francis yarde of churston. began practicing law aged 19 , successful. aged 32, became judge , in 1789 made baronet. judge buller had residence on dartmoor known prince hall pioneer of moorland reclamation. in 1788 francis bought lupton house. began extensive programme of planting , landscape improvement. topographer , landscaping connoisseur rev. john swete visited house in 1793 , painted property shown above. noted north drive passed through newly planted grounds , luxuriant shrubbery included great variety of flowering shrubs .

sir francis buller-yarde-buller, 2nd baronet (1767–1833)

sir francis buller-yarde-buller, 2nd baronet (1767–1833), son , heir, inherited lupton , churston. incorporated mother s maiden name surname. married elizabeth holliday, daughter , sole heiress of john holliday of dilhorne hall in parish of dilhorne, staffordshire. couple did not live @ lupton house , years let.

john yarde-buller, 1st baron churston (1799-1871)

sir john yarde-buller, 3rd baronet, circa 1850, later 1st baron churston



marble statue of john rolle, 1st baron rolle (1750-1842), edward bowring stephens, entrance hall of lupton house, inscribed on rear: e b stephens sculp london 1843 . statue dominates entrance hall of lupton , placed there john yarde-buller, 1st baron churston, shortly after remodelling of house , 1 year after lord rolle s death. not known why buller held lord rolle in such high esteem. statue survived later disastrous fire, having lost tips of right hand , left foot. staircase behind modern replacement of destroyed in fire. identical version dated 1844 exists in entrance hall of bicton house, lord rolle s home

john yarde-buller, 1st baron churston (1799-1871), son , heir, 3rd baronet, in 1858 created baron churston of churston-ferrers , lupton, devon , in 1833 inherited lupton house , years later made extensive improvements lupton house , gardens, designs of george wightwick. in 1860 royal licence dropped first buller family surname.

he born in 1799 in staffordshire , educated @ oxford. in 1834 elected member of parliament south devon, seat held 20 years. in 1823 married elizabeth wilson-patten, daughter of thomas wilson-pattern, wealthy land owner, whom had 2 children john , bertha.

a notice appeared in 1841 in local newspaper;

“the recent alterations , improvements @ lupton, splendid residence of sir j yarde buller having been completed honourable baronet has again returned of establishment.

these alterations designed george wightwick, well-known architect. twenty 6 plans survive of additions made house. main entrance moved south west side , doric porte-cochere added. tudor gothic lodge added. @ same time formal gardens , terraces constructed south , east of house. new south drive constructed, , cedars , pines planted in park.

wightwick designed stables, conservatory , kennels surviving plans reveal. @ same time artist samuel cook commission paint murals on walls of staircase of views outside house. further remodeling of house made 1st baron in 1860 when commissioned anthony salvin make more additions.

james veitch, landscape designer lupton house

it seems 2 famous designers involved in laying out of lupton gardens in 1840, namely james veitch , george wightwick. italian gardens appear have been @ least partially designed george wightwick detailed coloured plan survives in portfolio entitled: design italian gardens, lupton house, near brixham: general plan , elevation , section of balustrade on dwarf wall .

ordnance survey map of lupton house in 1869, showing garden

a detailed description of whole garden given in gardeners chronicle , agricultural gazette in 1869. article states james veitch designed gardens, road , kitchen garden. of highlights of garden outlined in 2 part magazine feature follows:

garden bounded , likewise partially divided round centre strong balustraded wall furnished iron supports , chains drooping between uprights. these chains prove capital training places creepers , covered. whole garden carried out on level base of mansion. laid out on solid basis of gravel , granite walks, chief paths being edged stone. figure simple – square cut 2 centre walk converges upon fountain, fountain being picked out upon inner line of semicircle completes boundary of garden. secondary arrangements may termed or dividing of these spaces beds harmonise general outline, architectural position , character of garden.

the second part of feature describes kitchen garden follows:

garden divided 2 portions – fruit garden , vegetable garden; wide slips of ground carried round outside walls cultural purposes , nice young orchard of thriving trees occupies space between garden , public road. ground in fruit garden has been made if not quite level in th vegetable garden has regular , fall. immense quantities of earth had moved secure these forms of surface , turned account thus:- @ boundary of fruit garden thick retaining wall built; in front of wall range of glass running right across garden built leaving room fruit rooms, sheds stoke holes etc. between 2 walls. spare earth used fill space between 2 walls , carry terrace walk right across garden, 8 or ten feet above vegetable ground.

the 1st baron died in 1871 , succeeded grandson in title , properties, son had predeceased him.

john yarde-buller, 2nd baron churston (1846–1910)

lupton house circa 1900

john yarde-buller, 2nd baron churston (1846–1910), grandson , heir, inherited lupton on death of grandfather 1st baron in 1871. owned lupton 40 years until death in 1910. born in 1846 , until inheritance served in scots guards. after inherited title in 1871 resigned military , concentrated on estates. married barbara yelverton, daughter of admiral sir hastings reginald yelverton, whom had 3 children, youngest of whom, giles yarde-buller, died of pneumonia @ lupton house in 1900, aged 24.

he became interested in local community affairs , president of churston cricket club , torquay club , through efforts churston golf club established. keen yachtsman , belonged royal yacht squadron. friend of duke , duchess of york (later king george , queen mary) , member of house party entertained them @ ugbrooke park when visited devon in 1899. died in 1910 , succeeded in title , estates son, john reginald lopes yarde-buller.

john reginald lopes yarde-buller, 3rd baron churston (1873–1930)

john reginald lopes yarde-buller, 3rd baron churston (1873–1930), wearing uniform of scots guards



jessie smither, wife of 3rd baron

john reginald lopes yarde-buller, 3rd baron churston (1873–1930), son , heir, born in 1873 , educated @ winchester college , later served many years in scots guards. served in boer war , awarded queen s medal. later aide-de camp viceroy of india , prince arthur, 1st duke of connaught , strathearn (1850–1942).

in 1907 @ age of 36 married jessie smither, actress stage name denise orme. 3 years later in 1910 after death of father, inherited lupton house. 3rd baron had 6 children, including joan yarde-buller, in 1936 in paris married prince aga khan. in 1926 major fire damaged lupton house , resulted in removal of third floor. of fine paneling , decorative plasterwork lost. died in 1930 , succeeded in title , estates son, richard yarde-buller.

richard francis roger yarde-buller, 4th baron churston (1910–1991)

richard francis roger yarde-buller, 4th baron churston (1910–1991), son , heir, owned lupton until 1960 during of time let did not live there. in 1943 during world war ii both house , estate requisitioned military. estate played major role in support , training of u.s. infantry in preparations operation overlord , d-day landings.