I’m enchanted by old, historic houses and abandoned buildings that are ivy-covered and crumbling. I always felt a romantic vibe in already forgotten, lost things. In many of my beloved, favorite books there is a building like this. For example, Eve Chase’s Black Rabbit Hall is set in Cornwall, which inspired me to check out some historic houses in that area. Here are 5 of them which I put on my must-visit list
1. Cotehele
Cotehele is a Tudor house that has medieval origins and became the property of the Edgcumbe family through a marriage in 1353. In the 18th Century, the family moved closer to Plymouth and the estate was a second home to them. Around this time the interior was romanticized and royal visitors: King George III and Queen Charlotte came for a brief royal party. The Edgcumbe’s lost their son in WWII and the house has become a memorial to them. Due to this, there is a great collection of armor and weapons in the building and the lost son’s sword can be seen as well. On the 1300-acre estate, there is a large selection of flora and fauna and also a Victorian Mill.
2. Antony House
It was built in the 18th Century for Sir William Carew and since then it has been in the hands of the Carew family. The house is full of portraits, tapestries, and period furniture. It is a complete treasury for those who love the arts and history. A huge garden also belongs to the building where you can find sculptures and a great amount of daylilies. The place also inspired Tim Burton because he chose Antony House as the location for the Alice in Wonderland movie. Just imagine that Johnny Depp walked in between those walls!
3. Prideaux Place
Similarly to Antony House, this Elizabethan manor house is still lived by the family to whom it was built. The manor was completed in 1592 by Sir Nicholas Prideaux. The family tree is very diverse and it is said that William the Conqueror and King Edward I are ancestors. There is a relation to Jane Austen as well. On the estate, we can find one of the oldest deer parks in the country and another resident of the estate is a Teddy Bear. This bear belonged to Peter Prideaux-Brune and it was a childhood friend to him, now it sits under his portrait in the library and people bring more teddy bears from all over the world.
4. Trerice
Trerice is another Elizabethan house, with a fairly smaller garden but still, it has a lot to show. There is an orchard of apple trees and a wooden summerhouse from which you have a view of the knot garden, where marjoram and lavender are planted. Due to this, many local bees and butterflies visit the estate and to support them eco hives have been installed on the site. Regarding the house one thing that is definitely worth mentioning is that the Elton family were tenants of Trerice. Elton John invested in restoring the North Wing of the house and paid to repair the roof. There is also a ghost story connected to the house. One of the servants got pregnant by the lord of the house who abandoned her and the girl committed suicide. It is said that visitors often experience a presence or a chill in the air.
5. Trewithen House and Garden
The meaning of Trewithen is ‘house of trees’ which perfectly describes what we can expect. Visitors mostly go there to see the garden rather than the building. The garden has a wide variety of trees and 18 Champion trees. Champion trees have been measured and they are officially the highest or widest of their species. You can also find a walled garden which has a pretty exciting atmosphere. There is also a bird-hide spot from where you can easily catch a glimpse of woodland birds. This planted woodland is said to be the best example of landscape gardening in England.
With the exception of Prideaux Place and Trewithen Garden, the other estates are now under the care of National Trust and are open to the public. On their website you can find more pictures and see all the details regarding visiting hours, prices, and much more: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall.
I used National Trust’s website for gathering information.