Pencarrow House and Garden

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Explore the timeless charm of Pencarrow House and Gardens this year!

Discover the charm of Pencarrow House and Gardens in Cornwall, the welcoming family home of the Molesworth-St Aubyns for nearly 500 years. Unlike many historic estates, Pencarrow is not part of the National Trust, adding to its unique appeal.

Nestled on the edge of Bodmin Moor, this captivating Georgian estate offers a variety of activities for all ages. Explore the Grade II listed garden, an Iron Age fort, a children's play area, a café, and a gift shop. The gardens are a delight throughout the seasons, showcasing nature's beauty year-round.

Highlights of your visit:

  • The House: Guided tours reveal the secrets of this historic home, including hidden passageways, portraits with eyes that seem to follow you, and statues wearing top hats. Pencarrow is far from your typical country house.
  • The Gardens: The gardens are beautiful year-round, starting with Snowdrop Sundays in February. March brings over 400 varieties of camellias and rhododendrons, followed by bluebells and wild garlic in May and June. The Memorial Garden shines in summer, and autumn features hydrangeas and vibrant ancient trees!
  • The Art: Admire an impressive collection of fine paintings, including family portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds and riverscape views of London by Samuel Scott. A family favourite is a tableau of the Four Misses St Aubyn in front of St Michael’s Mount by Sir Arthur Devis. Other notable artists featured include Richard Wilson, Henry Raeburn, and Charles Brooking.
  • Peacock Café: Enjoy light lunches, homemade cakes with gluten-free options, and the quintessential cream tea. The café prides itself on using locally sourced Cornish produce. Adjacent to the café, children can enjoy a charming play area with an enchanting Wendy house complete with a slate roof.

Plan your visit to Pencarrow House and Gardens for a day filled with history, art, and natural beauty. Get your tickets here and have them delivered instantly via email and SMS!

Location
Pencarrow House & Garden,
Washaway,
Bodmin,
Cornwall,
PL30 3AG
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Facilities
  • Toilets
  • Café
  • Accessible
More Info
Is Pencarrow House fully accessible?
  • Parking – they have disabled parking available just outside the house entrance. There are also places to park very close to the café. Please call into the gift shop situated in the main car park and they will direct you.
  • The Peacock café, gift and plant shop are fully accessible.
  • Toilets – they have a unisex disabled toilet.
  • House tours – ramps are available for wheelchairs access into the main house. There are seats in most of the rooms on the tour for those who cannot stand for long periods of time. For those who cannot manage the stairs, they are able to offer access to a film of the upstairs part of the tour, which visitors can watch downstairs.
  • Gardens – the paths are hard, gravelly and mostly level but as the gardens are listed and old they ask for your understanding that some of the walkways are uneven. There are gentle slopes on the walk to the American Gardens but wheelchair users with strong arms or motors have said it is worth the effort!
  • They have two ramps onto and off the grass on the East Lawn. There are steps around the garden; but they have a map in the Gift Shop which shows you where these are. The more robust mobility scooters may be able to access the slopes to the lake, however the smaller less sturdy scooters may struggle to cope with the terrain.
Can I bring my dog to Pencarrow House?

Your furry friend is most welcome to explore the gardens. The team just ask that in the area around the outside of the house and the café you keep them on the lead as they have free range chickens and peacocks, but for the rest of the grounds feel free to let them run off some steam.

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