The House

An impressive example of a privately owned Victorian house,
with shaped granite quoins and  window surrounds and walls of the attractively coloured Pentewan stone. Situated some 240 ft above sea level in a sheltered position facing due south and overlooking a lake and green fields. It is surrounded by woodlands extending some 20 acres. In the vicinity of the house
there are in season attractive and colourful shrubs, herbaceous borders, flower gardens and lawns.

 

The house was built in 1848 upon the foundation of a medieval house probably built in the 13th century. History records show that the infamous Sir Robert Tresillian who became Lord Chief Justice in the time of Richard 11 was born here in 1340. The old laundry adjacent remains with its listed Tudor open chimney.

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The woodlands were devastated by great storm of January 1990.
In seeking to recreate and replant the gardens and woodlands as
they may have look centuries ago.

 

This unique Garden has survived until today, largely in its original state, and is a superb example of one of the few remaining walled gardens complete with a Victorian greenhouse and potting shed, and planted with the traditional intermixture of fruit, vegetables and flowers.

 

On entering, the first impression of the garden is of warmth and serenity, the scent of herbs and sweet peas and other flowers, in season fills the air and the heat of the sun is retained by the high rose coloured brick walls, which also act as a barrier from the wind.

During the years it has undergone extensive restoration under the direction
of  head gardener John Harris.

 

Rectangular in shape and extending to half ­an acre, it is surrounded by ten foot brick walls, capped with two foot square granite slabs. The walls are constructed of a type of red brick, made only in the early 1700s, enabling us to date the garden. Rumour has it that it was used
as an exerc1s1ng ground for a pack of hounds early in the 1800s.

 

Paths in the form of a cross, through classical wrought iron ogee arches and surmounted by cast iron finials, lead to a bird trough in the center which is surrounded by a herb garden consisting of labelled varieties of culinary, aromatic and medicinal herbs. 

 

The walls, inside and out, support cordons of apples and pears, some of which are over a 100 years old. The garden is surrounded by orchards, a library of 44 individual varieties of Cornish apple trees, interplanted medlars and quinces in the traditional Victoria diagonal patter, was planted the winter of 1993. The apples are grafted or grown from original root stock dating back to 1800.

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