Our local celebrity retired Horticulturalist, Stewart Henchie, brought a lifetime’s experience as the former Assistant Curator/Manager of the Services, Temperate and Hardy sections of Royal Botanic Kew Gardens and consultant to Penang Botanical Gardens Malaysia, presenting an illustrated talk to Teignmouth Mens Probus Club about the grade II listed Teignmouth Orangery at Bitten House and its planting. 

Built in 1842 for Maxwell Praed the then family owner of West Cliff House (Now Bitten House). Local craftsmen built it in the Palladian style at 60’L x 20’W x 20’H it is ‘bijou’ compared to contemporaries of Kew and Sheffield. The Orangery was refurbished in 1985 and then opened to the public. Central heating was installed in 1999 (financed by Teignbridge District Council (TDC) and the Ugbrooke Environment Fund) to keep the growing environment at 16°C. The Orangery was nearly ‘lost’ when in 1979, TDC proposed to demolish to use as a car park but local residents petitioned for a successful reprieve. Members were reminded by a 1995 photo of that one of the Orangery’s ‘movers and shakers’ was a Probus Life Member Alf Burgess who died aged 101 as one of our longest serving members.

An interesting potted history with old maps and photos plotted the interesting story of Bitton House and some of its famous occupants (Admiral Sir Edward Pelew Viscount Exmouth battle of Algiers 1816 fame).

Photos of the many exotic species of plants from around the world stimulated an interest to pay a visit to the Orangery managed by a team of volunteers with Stewart being a leading Trustee.

The vote of thanks and appreciation was eloquently proposed by member Keith Underhill.

Posted by Press Officer Rick Purnell