Our Story
At Kingswear Park, we pride ourselves on creating a “home away from home”. We are a small, friendly and professional team who work hard to make sure your stay is as calm and relaxing as possible. The resort sits on 5 acres of what was once a civil war redoubt and includes a woodland and landscaped gardens to explore to your hearts content. To see more about our history, scroll down to the timeline below.
Kingswear Park club is operated on a not for profit basis, managed by a voluntary board of directors elected by the members. Most directors own one or more weeks themselves and are subject to exactly the same rules and obligations as others members. Day to day business at the Resort is undertaken by a carefully chosen team of management and staff in order to provide the best customer experience possible for members and guests.
Below you can find out a bit more about the Office Team
Scroll down through our history to find out how Kingswear Park came to be and what came before us.
1645 - Kingswear Fort is Built
Also known as The Redoubt, it was built by the Cavaliers atop the hill above Kingswear to help protect Dartmouth from assault by the Roundheads.
1646 - The Fort Falls
The fort is "attacked" by the Roundheads but the underpaid and underfed soldiers gave in without a fight. The fort is left to fall into disrepair but is never fully dismantled. An original wall from the groundworks is still visible in our Visitor's Car Park.
1886 - The Redoubt Mansion
The land is purchased by a wealthy gentleman from Bristol, Mr A. H. Wansey; possibly the President of the Bristol Law Society from 1891 – 91. He built a seaside holiday home for his family known as Redoubt Mansion (The old part of the house as it stands on site today).
Unknown - Tobacco Barron
At some point, the mansion is sold to tobacco baron Colonel John Dane Player of Imperial Tobacco who employed an extensive staff but ironically banned all smoking on site. Photo Credit: 1936 Great Western Railway Staff Magazine
1939 - 1945 - Second World War
During this period, the Redoubt Mansion was owned by Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Davies. It appears he often hosted the crews of the Coastal Forces Patrol Boats and the Free French Navy for some much-needed R & R.
1947 - Post War
By 1947, the Redoubt Mansion was owned by Mr Stanley Hearn and his wife Gertrude. As the image shows, the house and gardens had fallen into disrepair with broken windows and overgrown plants in abundance.
Unknown (1963) - The Redoubt Hotel
At some point, the mansion was sold and converted to The Redoubt Hotel where it ran successfully for a number of years. We have a photograph, by our main staircase, of the hotel which is dated 1963.
1984 - River Dart Timeshare
The Redoubt Hotel is bought by Mr & Mrs Bonvoison and converted to a self-catering timeshare under the name River Dart Timeshare.
1997 - Kingswear Park Club
The freehold is gained by the timeshare owners and, although the name had been used congruently with River Dart Timeshare, Kingswear Park Club in the structure it has today is born.
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