Washaway

In the opposite direction to Lanhydrock, and near Washaway village, the mile-long drive at Pencarrow House might suggest something on the same scale, but this country house has a very different, more intimate feel. The Georgian building was erected in the 1770’s by the Molesworth-St Aubyn family and, still living here, they have over the years remodelled the house on two separate occasions. Of the many beautiful items to be seen on a visit to this award-winning house, the series of family portraits, many by eminently fashionable painters of the time, are particularly superb.

A guide will give you the lowdown on the family’s history and encourage you to tinkle the piano on which Sir Arthur Sullivan, a guest here in 1882, composed much of the music for Iolanthe. Excellent furniture and exquisite porcelain are also on show, along with a collection of antique dolls. It was Sir William Molesworth, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who, during Parliamentary recesses in the mid 19th century, began the ambitious remodelling of the gardens and grounds. Today’s visitors benefit from his splendid plans as this internationally renowned garden contains over 700 different species of rhododendron, camellia, blue hydrangea and specimen conifers. Leave plenty of time to explore these beautiful wooded grounds.

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