A Rich Heritage: Celebrating 70 Years

Whitehill Country Park sits on land with a story far older than the park itself—land once belonging to the Primley Estate of Herbert Whitley, the visionary conservationist who founded Paignton Zoo.

Where It All Began

Born in 1886, Herbert Whitley grew up fascinated not by people, but by living creatures. His mother first sparked his passion when she gave him a pair of canaries, a simple gift that grew into a lifelong obsession with breeding rare birds and animals. After the family moved from Liverpool to Paignton in the 1890s, Herbert and his brother William took over the running of the vast Primley Estate—stretching from Primley to Whitehill and all the way to the coast.

In those days, the land that is now Whitehill Country Park formed part of a thriving agricultural enterprise. Shire horses were bred here and shipped across the world to support farming and transport throughout the British Empire. But the Whitley brothers had bigger ambitions: a world-class centre for pedigree livestock. And, true to Herbert’s curiosity, “livestock” soon included far more exotic arrivals.

By 1910 monkeys were settling into the estate. In 1911 a pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos joined them—the first of what would become one of the world’s finest bird collections. Over the years, crates containing ever-stranger animals arrived at Paignton railway station, fuelling local gossip and wonder.

The Birth of a Zoo

In 1923, Herbert opened his private collection to the public. For the price of a shilling, visitors could see bears, monkeys, bison, zebra, hyena, baboons and a breathtaking array of birds. Herbert had a particular love for blue animals and plants—from peacocks to rare, blue-flowered cultivars. Today, Paignton Zoo still carries on his legacy, with peacocks roaming freely as living reminders of his passion.

A New Chapter Begins

Herbert passed away in 1955, and the Primley Estate was divided and sold. After Whitehill Farm began welcoming its first campers in 1956, it was later purchased at auction in 1958 by Mr Tennyson Mosse. At the same auction, our family patriarch, Joseph Jeavons, purchased the land where Beverley Park stands.

Nearly half a century later, in 2003, the two families’ paths converged once again when Tennyson’s son, Lewis, offered Whitehill Farm for sale to the Jeavons family. Renewing the historic connection between the properties, it was renamed Whitehill Country Park.

Four Generations of Family Stewards

Since 2016, Whitehill has been independently run by Michael Jeavons and his children, Tim and Faye. Today, the fourth generation of the Jeavons family is joining the team, helping to care for this cherished corner of Devon.
From the office to the fields, housekeeping to the craft room, you’ll often find family members working across the site, keeping the warmth and spirit of a truly family-run park alive.

Honouring the Past, Growing for the Future

As the park has grown, we’ve worked hard to preserve the stories embedded in the landscape. From the lime kiln to horseshoes built into the walls, you’ll spot reminders of the farm’s past. When we created our indoor pool, for example, we kept the original stable wall intact—an echo of the farm that once stood here. The  pool’s striking stone façade was crafted from stones recovered, cleaned, and restored from a ruined farm building found on the grounds. It’s our way of ensuring that, even as the park evolves, its history is never lost.

70 Years On…

From a Victorian farm to a family-run countryside retreat, Whitehill Country Park has followed an extraordinary journey. Today, as we celebrate 70 years since campers first pitched their tents here, we honour the generations who shaped it—and the visitors who continue to make its story worth telling. Here’s to the next chapter!