of the 19th century, the house's park land was open to the public on certain days of the week by Peter Arthur Marsham Hoare, however this practice had ended by 1902. The grounds were still regularly opened for events such as fetes, the Dawlish flower show, as well as opening the gardens to the public. During World War II, Luscombe Castle was used as an evacuation point. The evacuees included a boys' preparatory school, whose pupils included the young William Franklyn, and girls in the care of the Barnardo's charity. After the war, the house continued to provide accommodation for girls as a children's home until the house was returned to the Hoare family in July 1948. The Castle and grounds were designated Grade I listed status on 12 August 1987. Luscombe suffered storm damage in the Burns' Day storm in 1990, leading to a management plan and historical survey. Location Luscombe Castle is set close to the town of Dawlish in Devon. The castle's grounds total , of which are formal gardens and pleasure grounds, while the remaining are parkland and ornamental woodland. Situated in the Luscombe and Summercombe valleys, its boundaries are formed by a ridge of high ground at Little Haldon, and by Luscombe Hill. The majority of boundaries are formed by hedging and banks. The boundaries of the estate cover approximately . The house's chosen location meant that the building was not as large as it might have been, had it been moved a short distance and built on terraces. The building is approached from a point on Luscombe Hill, through a gate bordered by rubble-stone walls. There is a 19th-century single story lodge at the entrance, built in gothic carved stone. From there, a drive leads to the north side of the Luscome Castle, where there is a carriage court bordered by yew hedges. Further along the nearby service road is a second 19th century gothic stone lodge. The park can be approached from the south-east, passing two further 19th century lodges on the grounds. House By 1799, the original house at Luscombe had been demolished, and work began on a new house for Hoare in 1800. The house was designed by John Nash, who was a pioneer for the Gothic Revival style. In his early drawings for the house, Repton suggested two sketches to Hoare; one of a more standard house, and the other