Care home · Barnstaple
Wellesley
Illustrative photo, not of Wellesley- Address
- Landkey Road, Barnstaple, EX32 9BZ
- Run by
- N and L McCowen-Smith
- Service
- Residential care home
- Beds
- 12 (registered with CQC)
- Registered with CQC
- January 2011 (15 years)
- Registered manager
- Nigel McCowen-Smith
- Last CQC check
- 10 Apr 2019
- Typical fees Estimated
- £1,300–£1,590 a week for residential care. Our figure, worked out from published prices in the region; the real price may differ. How we estimate
Regulated activities on its registration: Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care
Open CQC's full report · CQC location ID 1-126415600
Introducing Wellesley
Registered with CQC as a residential care home, Wellesley is based in Barnstaple, run by N and L McCowen-Smith. Its registered specialisms include learning disabilities.
Its latest CQC rating is Good overall (April 2019). It is one of 9 CQC-registered care homes in and around Barnstaple; 8 of those are rated Good or Outstanding.
Inspection findings in brief
- People's experience of using this service: • The care service has been developed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance.
- These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion.
- Some people had been resident for most of their adult lives. • Care and support was led by the registered manager, who was very visible at the service and led by example.
- People said they would go to (the registered manager) with any issue or concern, and this was witnessed throughout the visits.
Inspected 13 March 2019; report published 10 April 2019; supporting 12 people at the time. Taken from CQC's own findings (Open Government Licence). Read the full report.
Track record
CQC registration dates from January 2011, so the service has been operating for around 15 years under its current registration.
CQC has published 2 overall ratings for it (2016–2019), starting at Good and staying Good every time.
The rating is 7 years old. CQC decides when to return based on risk, so age alone is not a warning sign; still, ask who the manager is now.
The CQC website holds 4 reports for it, the latest from 10 April 2019.
Who they support
From the CQC register; ask how each need is met in practice.
What the ratings tell you
Wellesley has an even profile: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led are each rated Good.
For leadership (Well-led), it shares its Good rating with 231 of the 288 other care homes in Devon that CQC has rated.
Choice nearby
There are 8 other care homes within 3 miles, 7 of them rated Good or Outstanding; the nearest is Lawrence House Residential Care Home, under 0.5 miles away.
10 of the 15 nearest rated care homes have a more recent rating than this one.
It sits in Newport ward, classed by ONS as urban (further from a major town or city), among the 30% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. NHS services here are planned by NHS Devon ICB.
Within about a 10-minute walk there is a GP surgery (1 min), a shop (7 min), a park (5 min) and a bus stop (1 min), which matters for residents who can go out and for visiting family.
Costs to expect
We estimate Wellesley at £1,300–£1,590 a week for residential care, based on published prices in the region. Over a year that is roughly £68k–£83k.
Ask how often fees rise and whether they go up if care needs increase.
With savings below £23,250, Devon Council may contribute once it has carried out a free needs assessment.
Safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led
- Safe254 of 289 in Devon
- Effective262 of 289 in Devon
- Caring250 of 289 in Devon
- Responsive251 of 289 in Devon
- Well-led232 of 289 in Devon
Ratings from CQC's most recent report, published 10 April 2019. Under each rating: how many care homes in Devon share it.
Ownership and company checks
Wellesley is the only service its provider, N and L McCowen-Smith, runs, so it is an independent, single-site operator rather than part of a chain.
Ratings over time
- Sep 2016
- Apr 2019
- Today Rating 7 years old
The location's rating record from CQC, from first to latest.
CQC documents
- CQC inspection report 10 April 2019
- CQC inspection report 5 September 2016
- Inspection report 3 January 2014
- Inspection report 12 December 2012
The kitchen's hygiene score
The kitchen has a food hygiene rating of 5 (very good), from an inspection on 12 January 2010 by North Devon. Food is a big part of daily life in a home, so ask about menus, choice and mealtimes.
From the Food Standards Agency (listed as "Wellesley"). Open Government Licence.
Where it is
- Ward
- Newport
- Council
- Devon County Council · paying for care
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Devon
- NHS planning area
- NHS Devon Integrated Care Board
- Urban or rural
- Urban; further from a major town or city
- Neighbourhood deprivation
- Among the 30% least deprived areas in England
- Postcode district
- Care homes in EX32 (8)
Open the full map · Route planner · OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Within walking distance
- Bus stop 30 m (1 min walk) · 3 stops within 600 m
- Railway station Barnstaple, 1.6 km (20 min walk)
- GP surgery Litchdon Medical Centre, 70 m (1 min walk)
- Shop Tesco, 560 m (7 min walk)
- Park 400 m (5 min walk)
- Place of worship St John The Baptist, 440 m (5 min walk)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). These are direct-line distances, so real walking routes, and times, will be longer.
Geography: ONS and NHS lookups (postcodes.io), Open Government Licence.
Family reviews
There are no reviews of Wellesley yet. If you know the service, your experience could help someone else.
Each review is tied to a verified email. We publish both good and bad, and providers may respond but not delete. How reviews work.
Wellesley questions answered
- Who runs Wellesley?
- On CQC's register the provider is N and L McCowen-Smith.
- How many residents can Wellesley take?
- CQC capacity for Wellesley: 12 beds. Ask about current availability and room facilities.
- How did Wellesley score on each CQC key question?
- CQC rates five key questions. For Wellesley: Safe: Good; Effective: Good; Caring: Good; Responsive: Good; Well-led: Good. Start with Safe and Well-led when reading the report.
- How much does care from Wellesley cost?
- Wellesley's prices aren't on our site yet. Residential care home typically costs £1,349 a week (average 2026 self-funder fees in South West). Ask for written prices covering weekends, bank holidays and any travel or set-up charges.
- Is Wellesley regulated by the Care Quality Commission?
- Yes. Wellesley is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a care home (location ID 1-126415600) and was rated Good overall in April 2019.
- What is Wellesley's address?
- It is at Landkey Road, Barnstaple, EX32 9BZ.
- What type of care does Wellesley provide?
- Registration for Wellesley covers: residential homes. Check which of these it offers today.
- When did CQC last rate Wellesley?
- The latest rating is dated 10 April 2019, 7 years ago; ask whether there have been changes since.
- Is Wellesley registered for dementia care?
- It is not registered with dementia as a specialism, so confirm with the provider whether it can meet that need.
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Register data from the Care Quality Commission, refreshed Oct 2026, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Provider-written text is labelled as such. We are an independent directory, not a care provider.