It has been almost a year since our last journey to Cornwall and so it seems appropriate to tell you all a bit about that time.

Normally any trip to Cornwall is one of expectation, hope and joy but on this occasion, it was a time of sadness. On the day we arrived in Penzance, my mother-in-law passed away. We were half an hour away from seeing her when we got the call…

It was not an easy time but we did find moments to distract us, Cornwall, after all is a beautiful county filled with fascinating places. There were beach walks, pasty’s, drives down winding lanes, pub lunches, moors and visits to ancient places. Below is just a few of the places we visited in our down time between packing up a life well lived and saying goodbye. We knew it would be a long time before we came back and so we made the most of the time we had.

Getting fresh air and exercise became a part of our daily routine, early mornings sorting the house, followed by appointments with solicitors or funeral directors and then a good walk in ‘the nature’ to soothe the emotions. Cornwall is not short of a good walk. Below are a few photos from these walks.

There were some days when we had more time on our hands and on these days we ventured a little further afield. As members of Heritage New Zealand we are allowed to visit both National Trust and English Heritage sites free of charge – Lanhydrock, Godolphin House, Restormel Castle. Tintagel and the gardens at St Michael’s Mount were all on the list.

The Gardens at St Michael’s Mount

Why just the gardens? We had visited the house on several other occasions and given the time of year and how busy it was we thought a good nosey around the gardens – which are not always open – would be nice on a sunny day.

The gardens are situated on the lower terraces of the mount facing towards the Lizard Peninsula. They were first designed in 1878 for Sir John St Aubyn (later the first Lord St Levan). This part of the island has a microclimate and is able to grow a number of plants you would not expect.

The following are just a few photos of the gardens.

Godolphin House

One of my favourite houses to visit in this part of Cornwall is Godolphin House. Only open to the public a few times a year (the house is let out as a holiday let), although the gardens and estate are regularly open to enjoy for walks and cups of tea in the little cafe. The story of Godolphin House is one ‘enormous mineral wealth, heavy industry, agriculture, high political office, war, decline, ruin and eventual rescue – a living timeline through Cornwall’s history’.

As the above quote would imply Godolphin House has a long and winding story to tell and is perhaps one for an article of its own. For now enjoy the following photos and if you do ever get a chance to visit the house, do so.

Lanhydrock

This particular National Trust House and Estate was much further afield. At the time of our visit the house and its contents were undergoing restoration work. Interestingly rather then block off sections and prevent people from viewing the work, the visitor was granted an opportunity to see what happens when a house of this size needs some love and attention. Our visit coincided with the restoration work on the ceiling of the hall and visitors were able to go onto the scaffolding and get a close look at a space that normally only the eagle eyed could view.

Below are a couple of photos of the ceiling.

Restormal Castle

Our visit to Restormal Castle occurred as we were leaving the county, having done all we could. The castle providing a welcome pit stop and distraction.

The early history of the site is not well understood, there is some evidence for a mid 12th century date but it the history from the 13th century onwards which is better understood. From the mid 12th the land on which the castle stands belonged to the Cardinham’s – a powerful landowning family from central Cornwall. In 1268  Cardinhams’ heiress, Isolda de Tracy, granted to Richard Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans, the town of Lostwithiel – a fishery on the river Fowey – and the castle of Restormel, complementing his castles at Launceston and Tintagel. In 1270 he acquired a fourth castle at Trematon.

Earl Richard died in 1272, only four years after acquiring Restormel, so it seems more probable that it was his son Edmund who built the present castle. Edmund’s work at Trematon Castle is documented and provides a parallel. However, by the 1330s (and after the castle had changed hands a few times) documents refer to the castle being in need of repair. 1337 saw the son of Edward III being made Duke of Cornwall (also Edward – the Black Prince), along with a significant endowment of land and properties – including Restormal Castle.

This was a high point in the history of the castle, with many repairs and improvements being made to it and the surrounding park land. Apparently more time and money was spent on the boundary to the park land than on any other feature, an indication of its importance as a hunting park.

The history of the castle and its surrounding is one of neglect, repair and neglect once again. More can be found on its history here.

These are just a tiny fraction of the many places a person can visit in Cornwall, so I hope you have enjoyed this short meander through the county.

In memory of Christine Rowe and Alan Dalton – gone too soon but never forgotten.