Cornwall’s finest historic houses

Away from the breathtaking beauty of Cornwall’s beaches, the county is home to a wide variety of visitor attractions, including many striking and impressive historic houses.

Our Cornwall holiday park is only a short distance from some of the county’s finest period properties, many of which are still in the ownership of same families, centuries after they were built. In the next of our series of Cornish Adventure blogs, we showcase just a few of our favourite historic houses which are a great family day out…

St Michaels’ Mount

We simply have to start this post by talking about St Michael’s Mount. This amazing island home and garden is hard to miss and is only a 10 minute drive from our park. Here you can explore this island which is steeped in history, legend and myth.

Access is either via the granite causeway at low tide or by boat when the tide is in. Stray from the mainland on foot or by boat and get up close to the beguiling beauty of the castle-topped isle standing proud in Mount’s Bay. Well worth a visit!

Trelissick House & Gardens

Located between Truro and Falmouth, Trelissick is one of the county’s most popular historic houses, and boasts stunning views of the Fal Estuary.

It is home to a welcoming house and varied garden with incredible spring blooms and mixed borders with bright summer and autumn flowers. Access to Trelissick is easy by car but you can also take the ferry, with the 40-acre garden meandering right down to the water’s edge and noted for its camellias, rhododendrons and a collection of photinia and azaleas.

Trelissick is set on a 300-acre estate and is therefore ideal for walkers and those who want to stretch their legs (or paws).

Godolphin House

In complete contrast to Trelissick, which can often be busy (especially in the summer months), Godolphin is much more manageable – but no less enjoyable. It’s one of our favourite places to visit, especially in the winter months when the historic house opens its doors to visitors over the Xmas period.

It’s a beautiful estate with walks that lead off from its grounds and into nearby woodlands, formal gardens and a lovely café that serves up some rather tasty cakes.

Lanhydrock House & Gardens

Admittedly, this one isn’t exactly on our doorstep but, if you don’t mind a drive, then it’s well worth the effort. Located just outside Bodmin (with easy access from the A30) Lanhydrock is one of the National Trust’s flagship estates in Cornwall – and it’s easy to see why.

This magnificent late Victorian country house has the feel of a wealthy but unpretentious family home. The kitchens, nurseries and servants’ quarters offer a thrilling glimpse into life ‘below stairs’, while the spacious dining room and bedrooms are truly and deeply elegant. The house is set in wooded parkland of 1,000 acres and encircled by a garden of rare shrubs and trees.