Earl of Devon bans gay marriages

The Earl of Devon has caused outrage among the gay community by banning same-sex wedding ceremonies from his stately home, Powderham Castle, claiming that such unions are at variance with his Christian faith. Explaining his decision yesterday, Lord Devon said: "I am a Christian and therefore it [homosexuality] is objectionable."

It is a costly move. In order not to breach the 2007 Sexual Orientation Regulations, the Earl has been impelled to ban all civil marriage ceremonies at the castle whether they are gay or straight. The decision will mean the loss of £200,000 a year in revenue. Lord Devon now faces an investigation by the Treasury, which has granted Powderham Castle "conditional" exemption from inheritance tax because it is open to the public.

Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of the gay rights organisation Stonewall, said: "We shall certainly be asking the Treasury about Lord Devon's inheritance tax exemption. The inheritance tax regulations appear to suggest clearly that it should be withdrawn if his premises are not accessible to all members of the public without exception."

Lord Devon, however, says this is wrong, as he is not banning gays from visiting the 14th century house or its grounds, only from celebrating their civil partnerships under his roof. The Devon family hasn’t always been straitlaced about gays - the ninth Earl fled to France in 1811 after being accused of sodomy. ·