Battle over headless king's Devon home

Charles the First's garrison could be holiday let

Four million pounds at it's yours! That's all you need for a bit of Devon history: the manorial home to which embattled monarch Charles the First fled when the civil war broke out in 1642.

Canonteign Manor is a majesterial 10-bedroom at Cristow on Dartmoor. The Grade I listed Tudor property comes with formal gardens, its own park, orchard and outdoor swimming pool, as well as spectacular views over the River Teign.

The king, who subsequently lost the war and, with it, his head, in 1649, bedded down there with his troops in 1642 to plot how to beat Oliver Cromwell's rebellious lot.

Now the house is owned by a chap from China called Liqun Peng, but he doesn't get much time to use it. So it's on the market, but there's a stumbling block. And, as Charles I discovered, blocks can be more than a bit of a nuisance. As well as trying to sell it, Mr Peng wants Dartmoor National Park to grant a certificate that would allow the house to be used as holiday lets.

One could argue Charles the First set a precedent when he decamped from London for a break in Devon. And he isn't the only Canonteign Manor resident to have ended up for the chop. In 1549, exactly a century before Charles went to meet his maker, another Canonteign owner was executed for treason after getting mixed up in the prayer book rebellion. This major religious spat centred on Devon, and banned Latin prayers learned by heart by Westcountry people and who couldn't necessarily read. It ended in carnage in Exeter.

Mr Peng's application is for the home to be let to a maximum of 17 guests for periods between two and 14 Knights [is that right?] and for no more than 90 days a year.

That's been turned down by Dartmoor planners. They say it's a material change of use because Canonteign Manor is currently a family home (they must have big families on Dartmoor). When Mr Peng appealed, he was turned down. Just think of the traffic on changeover days, said the planners, and those guests will need to go shopping and they may swim, or play games or music. So no.

Undeterred, Mr Peng's having another stab. He says the house is suffering through lack of use. Him being in China and all that. He says he's conscientious in looking after the place and knows it needs protecting for future generations. But if he could have a change of use, the house would be used more regularly and others will "enjoy its grandeur and beauty, as well as the beauty and attractions of the wider national park." And house rules will be put in place so the holidaymakers don't upset the locals.

Dartmoor National Park Authority planners will make their minds up about the application later.

If you want to put an offer in to buy Canonteign Manor, it's on Rightomove. It last changed hands in 2015 for around £2 million.