When Donna Ida Thornton celebrated her half-century final 12 months, it marked a turning level in her life. “Every thing main as much as this was my coaching floor, and now I am executing every little thing I learnt within the first 50 years,” the Australian designer tells HELLO! as she and her husband Robert Walton open the doorways to their magnificent Sixteenth-century manor home in Devon.
“I am armed and harmful now, and I really feel superb,” provides the businesswoman, now 51, whose denim empire Donna Ida has earnt her the nickname ‘Jean Queen’ and a star fanbase together with Amanda Holden, Jodie Kidd, Anthea Turner and Millie Waterproof coat. A part of Donna’s new chapter in life resides out her dream of establishing residence within the English countryside at Langdon Courtroom.
© DAVID VENNIAlong with her inventive aptitude and Robert’s standing because the godfather of hospitality, counting high cooks Raymond Blanc and Heston Blumenthal amongst his inside circle, the couple had all bases coated when it got here to overseeing a multimillion-pound restoration of the attractive grade II-listed Jacobean manor home they purchased in 2021. And as they welcome us for this unique photoshoot, it is clear to see that their labour of affection has paid off.
“We’re dwelling a modern-day Good Life”, says chef and restaurateur Robert, 68, who was awarded an MBE in 2007 for companies to the hospitality business. A classically trendy oasis nestled within the coronary heart of the South Devon countryside, Langdon Courtroom is not only a house for Donna and Robert – who married in London in 2012 – after assembly in after assembly in certainly one of Donna’s boutique shops – however an opulent private-hire venue that performs host to weddings, photoshoots and wellness retreats.
© DAVID VENNIThe 16-bedroom residence, which encompasses a jungle-inspired area named Palm Courtroom, a movie room and even a comfortable tea-and-toast area, sits in ten acres of land and is residence to a menagerie of animals together with chickens, guinea fowl and geese – to not point out Donna and Robert’s eight canine…
Donna and Robert, you got Langdon Courtroom in 2021. How did you discover this hidden gem?
© DAVID VENNIDonna: “We have been wanting and sooner or later, we noticed a really fairly home. Bobby Dazzler [her nickname for Robert] mentioned: ‘Really, that’’s a resort.’ That is once we obtained the concept that as an alternative of on the lookout for an enormous home, we must always search for a small resort. As a result of Bobby Dazzler is in hospitality, he put his feelers out and we discovered Langdon Courtroom fairly rapidly.”
Robert: “I wish to say that we didn’t discover Langdon – Langdon discovered us. Its persona is addictive. The home was in a poor state, however we did not see that – we cherished it and it appeared to like us. Now, right here we’re.”
© DAVID VENNIYou rapidly set about returning the manor to its former glory. Inform us concerning the work you probably did…
Donna: “Individuals tried to cowl its magnificence through the Sixties and Seventies. The Victorian tiles in Palm Courthad been boarded over, an enormous inglenook within the kitchen had been painted over and the flagstones within the kitchen hallway had lino protecting them.
“It is insane, however trend did undergo that interval when no person wished something previous. Thank God, all these unique options have been nonetheless there – we simply needed to reveal them. We completed work in September 2023 and had our first company quickly after.”
© DAVID VENNIRobert: “We renovated each inch, together with the gardens. We rewired the place with 15 miles of wire. There are 500 years of historical past on this home and a few superb folks have been via its doorways.
“Prince Albert Edward, who turned Edward VII, got here right here partying and taking pictures. If you look again at its historical past, you realise you’re simply right here for a brief time frame in the home’s life.”
© DAVID VENNIHas dwelling right here reworked your life-style?
Donna: “Undoubtedly. Dwelling within the English countryside is a dream come true for me. It is stunning; I adore it right here. It’s very inexperienced and really restful. We nonetheless journey forwards and backwards to London for work as soon as per week or so, and I nonetheless love going to London, however I actually love coming residence. We have gotthe better of each worlds.”
© DAVID VENNIThe rose backyard is a spotlight of the grounds…
Donna: “Our rose backyard is unbelievable; I completely adore it. It is so good to look out and revel in it each single day. David Austin Roses very kindly offered us with roses to match the age of the home.”
© DAVID VENNIRobert: “The gardens are in all probability probably the most historic a part of Langdon; they’re the primary a part of the home that turned listed. We’ve attractive old style rose varieties like Emily Brontë, Olivia Rose Austin and Gertrude Jekyll. The scent is mind-blowing. Donna has additionally planted a lavender financial institution and we have got 60,000 bees, so quickly we’ll have our personal lavender Langdon honey.”
Speak us via your menagerie…
© DAVID VENNIRobert: “We have got 5 chihuahuas, which we name our Mexican military: Gonzalo, Rodrigo, Fernando, Eduardo and Emilio. We additionally rescued three shiba inus; the mum is known as Queen of Shiba and the 2 little ladies are Coco and Momo.
“We’ve 30 birds, together with ten geese, which we rescued from a farmer who was going to promote them for Christmas, in addition to geese, chickens that produce our eggs, guinea fowl, pheasants, partridges…”
© DAVID VENNIDonna: “And now we have 4 lovebirds who dwell in Palm Courtroom. They’re known as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Jodie Kidd. Oh, and we might like a few donkeys!”
The canine have their very own house…
© DAVID VENNIRobert: “We name them the chihuahua stables.”
Donna: “They’re on the identical ground as us, in order that they get to be with Mummy and Daddy. It’s so cute.”
© DAVID VENNIWhat are your plans for Langdon Courtroom?
Robert: “It feels extra of a house than a resort. We love the concept of individuals taking it over, so it’s very a lot a private-hire venue. It may be a taking pictures weekend, a photoshoot or a celebration; it’s a venue for every little thing.”
© DAVID VENNIDonna: “I host a pyjama occasion each three months. I just lately launched our Langdon Courtroom Manor home-inspired assortment: now we have pyjamas, kimonos, physique scrubs, bathtub milk, fudge, strawberry jam, our personal unique candle created by Rachel Vosper – and it’ll proceed to develop.
“Devon may be very a lot about group spirit and now we have immersed ourselves in native life. We might like to host charity occasions at Langdon sooner or later, elevating funds for native causes akin to faculties, homeless shelters, hospitals and the RNLI.”
© DAVID VENNIHow would you describe the decor of the home?
Donna: “We went for design that evokes a snug, trendy nation home. All of the rooms are individually styled, so there are completely different moods in every one.”
Donna, how’s it going at your model Donna Ida?
© DAVID VENNI“Trend is my old flame, so it’s nice that now Langdon’s full, I may be again working full-time on Donna Ida and persevering with to increase. Final 12 months, we launched a basic males’s form known as Jack, named after my grandfather.”
The model was impressed by your grandmother Ida. Is her reminiscence nonetheless part of every little thing you do?
“Very a lot so. She used to make all her personal patterns out of newspapers and make garments for the household. She was a tremendous housewife in rural Australia. She was very a lot a can-do girl.”
© DAVID VENNIYou celebrated your fiftieth birthday final 12 months. Are you feeling higher than ever?
“Sure, undoubtedly. Every thing main as much as being 50 was my coaching floor, and now I’m executing every little thing I learnt within the first 50 years. I’m armed and harmful now, and I really feel superb.”
“It was a great factor, turning 50 – you may have that feeling of being at a midway level. Carry on the second half.”
© DAVID VENNIIt has been 14 years since your lavish wedding ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral, which concerned helicopters, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a cake from The Ritz and a room devoted to desserts. What is the secret to your blissful marriage?
Donna: “I am very, very unbiased and I feel Bobby Dazzler letting me do no matter I need to do might be the key [laughs]. I simply crack on and do no matter I would like after which Bobby tries to include me slightly bit.”
Robert: “I gave that up! I feel the key is that we’re each pushed and inventive. We’re collectively once we’re collectively, however we each do our factor. Neither of us tries to outdo the opposite. And Donna’s straight-talking, so you realize the place you might be.”
© DAVID VENNIRobert, as president of the Restaurant Affiliation and chairman of the Younger Chef Younger Waiter competitors, you are the godfather of hospitality…
“I need to make Langdon Courtroom the house of hospitality. I am planning to organise an occasion the place I invite legendary cooks like Raymond Blanc and Gordon Ramsay to take a seat round my desk and discuss.
“We’re in talks to make the Younger Chef YoungWaiter competitors right into a TV collection, which might be superb. It goes all world wide, so between that and working Langdon Courtroom, I am all the time zipping off someplace. There’s zero downtime if you dwell with Donna Ida.”
© DAVID VENNIYou had tongue most cancers seven years in the past. How are you doing now?
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“I had radical therapy and what occurs shouldn’t be very nice, as a result of your style buds get killed. It’s a must to study to style once more. There are issues I haven’t got now, like wine and spirits, as a result of they do not style good any extra. The humorous factor is, I can solely drink champagne, as that also tastes good!”
© DAVID VENNIINTERVIEW: EMILY HORAN
PHOTOS: DAVID VENNI
STYLING: EMMA LANE AT THE ONLY AGENCY
HAIR & MAKE-UP: GIA MILLS
For extra info, go to langdoncourtmanor.com or observe @langdoncourtmanor on Instagram.
