HISTORIC Powderham Castle is celebrating its 700th anniversary.

To mark the milestones the doors to the estate, owned by the Courtenay family for seven centuries, will be open to the community this Friday, August 1 to explore the castle and grounds.

There will be 700 specially made cream teas by the lake - with cream first.

Admission is donation-based so people are asked to pay what they can.

A spokesman said: ‘All contributions will support our 700 Trees Fund, a charitable project aiming to plant 700 trees at Powderham as a living tribute to our anniversary, and a legacy for the years to come.

‘We’ve loved sharing the last 700 years with you, and we can’t wait to share the next 700 too.’

The Grade I listed fortified manor house was named after the ancient Dutch word polder which means the hamlet of reclaimed marshland.

Now a popular venue for concerts and festivals, the castle structure was built sometime after 1390 with the present castle expanded and altered extensively in the 18th and 19th centuries.

It is the seat of the Courtenay family, the Earls of Devon.

Powderham Castle has been a Grade I listed building since 1952 and recognised as an internationally important structure.

The staircase, hall, music room and master bedroom of the house were used as locations for the 1993 film The Remains of the Day.

The house was also used as a setting for the film comedy Churchill: The Hollywood Years.

In 2017 Dame Mary Berry visited and filmed an hour-long programme as part of a four-part series, Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets.

It has also hosted concerts by celebrities including Sir Elton John, Sir Tom Jones, Coldplay and Little Mix.

For the last five decades, the castle grounds have hosted Classic Car Shows, Family Adventure Festivals, Garden Festivals, Food Festivals, Dog Shows and Sporting Events.

For more information, and to pre-book your visit, follow this link: https://www.powderham.co.uk/visit/tickets/