VIEW OF HOLNICOTE HOUSE, SOMERSET, WITH HARVESTERS RESTING IN FOREGROUND

THIS VIEW SHOWS HOLNICOTE HOUSE WITH NORTHHILL BEHIND, THE BRISTOL CHANNEL IN THE DISTANCE AND THE HAMLETS OF ALLERFORD AND SELWORTHY TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE HOUSE. THE LARGE ESTATE OF HOLNICOTE CAME TO THE ACLAND FAMILY IN 1745, THROUGH THE MARRIAGE OF SIR THOMAS ACLAND, 7TH BT., (1722-1785), MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR DEVON AND LATER SOMERSET, TO ELIZABETH, SOLE DAUGHTER AND HEIR OF THOMAS DYKE OF TETTON IN SOMERSET. SITUATED ON THE EDGE OF OF EXMOOR AND INCLUDING THE HIGH TORS OF DUNKERY AND SELWORTHY, THE ESTATE COMPRISED SOME OF THE FINEST STAG HUNTING GROUND IN THE COUNTRY. THE 7TH AND 8TH BARONETS WERE KNOWN AS THE 'HUNTING SQUIRES' AND BRED NORTH DEVON STAG HOUNDS, ONE OF WHICH IS SHOWN IN SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS'S PORTRAIT OF SIR THOMAS ACLAND, 7TH BT. (KILLERTON, DEVON, THE NATIONAL TRUST). THE HOUSE SHOWN IN THIS PICTURE WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE IN 1779 AND A NEW HOUSE WAS BUILT IN ANOTHER POSITION.

SIR RICHARD ACLAND, 15TH BT. GAVE THE HOLNICOTE ESTATE ALONG WITH KILLERTON TO THE NATIONAL TRUST IN 1944.
WILLIAM TOMKINS WAS A POPULAR PAINTER OF VIEWS OF COUNTRY SEATS AND OF PICTURESQUE VIEWS IN THEIR PARKS. TOMKINS WORKED EXTENSIVELY IN THE WEST COUNTRY AND THIS VIEW IS COMPARABLE TO THE WORKS WHICH TOMKINS COMPLETED FOR THE PARKERS OF SALTRAM AND THE CLIFFORDS OF UGBROOKE, TWO OF HIS PRINCIPALS PATRONS.