Visit the Castles & Stately Homes in Cornwall

Cornwall is the southwestern country of England. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, it’s a unique county with stunning nature and you will also find stately homes and castles in Cornwall.

Cornwall has always been a popular holiday destinations for British people. But since the television series Poldark it has gained popularity all over the world.

In this post you will find the stately homes and castles in Cornwall that you can visit.

Caerhays Castle

Caerhays Castle is a semi-castellated manor house just south of St. Michael Caerhays. The current castle (in Norman style) was built between 1807-1810 by John Bettesworth-Trevanion after a design by John Nash.

The garden has the largest collection of magnolias in the United Kingdom and contains one of four National Magnolia Collections under the auspices of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens.

Trerice House

Trerice House is an Elizabethan manor house in the little hamlet of Kestle Mill. From the 14th century to 1768 the estate was owned by the Arundell family. And in 1572 the built of the current house started by John Arundell V. When the Arundell family died out in 1768 the estate transferred to the Aclends, a nobel family from Devon. The last tenant – John Elton – restored the remaining parts of Trerice.

Trerice visitor information: The house is opened from Spring-Autumn by the National Trust.

Address: Kestle Mill, near Newquay, Cornwall, TR8 4PG

Lanhydrock House & Gardens

Landhydrock House is a Victorian country house in the parish of Lanhydrock. Though some parts of the house date back to the 1620s, the majority was built in Victorian times in Tudor style. The estate belonged to the Agar-Robartes family, though only one family member survives, the family was greatly affected by the First World War.

The estate is now owned by the National Trust. When visiting the house you’ll get an extensive tour of the house. The estate also includes a shop, bookshop, cafe, plant centre, and bicycle hire.

Lanhydrock visitor information: The house and garden are open March-October but you can visit the estate all year round.

Address: Treffry Ln, Bodmin PL30 5AD

Prideaux Place

Prideaux Place is an Elizabethan country house in Cornwall with neo-Gothic elements. The house was built in the late 16th century and has been the home of the Prideux family for 400 years.

Prideaux Place has a strong connection with “Poldark”. Not only have the grounds been used as a film location. But the writer of the Poldark Books; Winston Graham has visited Prideaux Place many times. It is here that he partly wrote the last Poldark novel “Bella Poldark”. Prideux Place is aslo mentioned in the Poldark books.

Prideux Place visitor information: Guided Tours of the house are available. The estate also houses a café.

Address: Prideaux Place, Padstow PL28 8RP, United Kingdom

Cotehele

Cotehele is a meideval country house with Tudor additions in the parish of Calstock. The manor house was built by the Edgecumbe family in 1458. Sir Richard Edgecumbe was gifted the property after fighting for Henry Tudor in the Battle of Bosworth.

Cotehele is one of the least altered Tudor houses in England. The house also contains many textiles and furniture from Mount Edgecumbe House. The expansive estate also includes a working mill on an historic quay and a beautiful garden with valley views.

Cotehele visitor information: The garden is open daily. The house is open March-October.

Address: St Dominick, near Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6TA

Antony House

Antony House is an 18th century country house between Torpoint and Antony. The estate has been in the Carew family since the 16th century. But the current house was built between 1718 and 1724 for Sir William Carew, 5th Baronet. Though the house is now owned by the National Trust, the Carew family still lives at Antony House.

The rooms are panelled in Dutch oak and decorated with fine 18th century furniture and textiles. The house also has a large portrait collection including a portrait of Charles I of England. But also a portrait of Rachel Carew, which may have inspired Daphne du Maurier’s novel My Cousin Rachel.

The estate is also used as a filming location for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and a Rosamunde Pilcher TV movie.

Antony House visitor information: The house and gardens are open April-October.

Address: Ferry Ln, Torpoint PL11 2QA, United Kingdom

Mount Edgcumbe House

The original Mount Edgcumbe House was built between 1547 and 1553 by Sir Richard Edgcumbe. The original Tudor house was completely destroyed by German bombs in the Second World War. After the war the 6th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe restored the house, with the interiors being restored in 18th century style.

Next to the house and gardens, the estate also offers adventure trails, shops, café’s, as well as rental cottages and glamping facilities.

Mount Edgcumbe House visitor information: The house and Earl’s garden are open April-September; on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The country park is open all year round.

Address: Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park, Cremyll, Torpoint, PL10 1HZ

Trewithen House and Gardens

Trewithen House is a Palladian style country house, built in 1723. The house is constructed from granite worked from the Pentewan quarries that were owned by the Hawkins family (the family who built the house). In the rain this granite gets a subtle pink hue.

Inside you will find the grand Rococo Dining Room with Ionic columns, arcading, plasterwork and carved and painted wooden candle brackets. And also the gardens are special with Champion Trees, rare shrubs, exotic fern collections, woodland glades, wildflowers and the longest lawn in Cornwall.

Fun fact: Trewithen House was also used as a filming location for two Rosamunde Pilcher films.

Trereife House

Trereife House is an 18th century manor house west of Penzance. The house was built by the Nicholls family in Queen Anne style, though there are parts dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I. In 2011 the house appeared in a Channel 4 program called Country House Rescue. After the show Trereife became a wedding venue and it also offers several Bed and Breakfast rooms.

Trelissick

Trelissick House was built in 1750 after a design by the paternal grandfather of Humphry Davy. Though the house has been extending in the 1820s, and the late 19th century. Trelissick is now best known for its gardens which includes rare shrubs, rhododendrons, a large park, woodland walks, and views over the estuary of the River Fal and Falmouth.

Godolphin House

Godolphin House is a mansion built in Tudor and Stuart times. It was originally the seat of the Dukes of Leeds and the Earls of Godolphin. The estate has formal gardens dating back to around 1500 and Elizabethan stables. Since the late 18th century it was the propery of the Duke of Leeds, who only visited the house twice. It is now owned by the National Trust.