Powderham Castle is situated within the parish and former manor of Powderham, within the former hundred of Exminster, Devon, about south of the city of Exeter and mile (0.4 km) north-east of the village of Kenton, where the main public entrance gates are located. It is situated on flat, formerly marshy ground on the west bank of the River Exe estuary where it is joined by its tributary the River Kenn. On the opposite side of the Exe is the small village of Lympstone. At some time after 1390 the mediaeval core of the present structure was built by Sir Philip Courtenay (d.1406), the 5th or 6th son of Hugh Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon (d.1377). The Earls of Devon were seated at Tiverton Castle until 1556, and their cousins of this cadet line known as "Courtenay of Powderham" continued to exis