100 girls, 100 years of suffrage

Exmouth guides celebrate at house left for "unmarried female kinswomen"

A summer holiday family trail, created by nearly a 100 girl guides and brownies is now in place at an Exmouth house at the centre of campaigning for women's rights.

The National Trust's A La Ronde, created by artistic cousins Jane and Mary Parminter more than a century before women's suffrage, itself a century ago, was for many years handed down only to "unmarried female kinswomen", as prescribed in Mary Pariminter's will. The cousins challenged perceptions of women by not only going on a Grand Tour which was typically for men, but were also the first women to climb Mont Buet in the Alps. Their sixteen-sided house is an unusual shape to follow the sun to gain best natural light.

Alison Hazel who is a volunteer for both Girlguiding and A la Ronde says: “Girlguiding is celebrating the Centenary of Votes for Women and at A la Ronde we are focussing on Women and Power, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity for the girls."

Their trail is open through the school holidays, and costs £2 per child, in addition to normal A La Ronde entry fees.