Lanhydrock (Cornish: Lannhedrek, meaning "church enclosure of St Hydrock") is a country estate and mansion in Cornwall. The great house stands in extensive grounds (360 hectares or 890 acres) above the River Fowey and it has been owned and managed by the National Trust since 1953. Much of the present house dates back to Victorian times but some sections date from the 1620s. It is a Grade I listed building and is set in gardens with formal areas. The hill behind the house is planted with a fine selection of shrubs and trees.
*** – History – ***
Lanhydrock estate belonged to the Augustinian priory of St Petroc at Bodmin but the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the 1530s saw it pass into private hands. In 1620 wealthy merchant Sir Richard Robartes, of Truro, acquired the estate and began building Lanhydrock House, designed to a four-sided layout around a central courtyard and constructed of grey granite.
Robartes died in 1624 but work on the building was continued by his son John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor, a notable public figure who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. The embattled walls were built of rude (rough), massive granite blocks with years 1636 and 1642 on the walls, indicating when they were built. A barbican gate was added and the house was garrisoned by Parliamentary forces in August 1644 when Sir Richard Grenville took possession.
Most of the current building dates from late Victorian times, when the estate came under the ownership of the Agar-Robartes family. Through a lack of children, by the late 18th century the estate had passed to Anna Maria Hunt (1771–1861) of Mayfair, London, the great-niece of Henry Robartes, 3rd Earl of Radnor and 4th Baron Robartes.
In 1804 she married Charles Bagenal Agar, the youngest son of Irish peer James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden. The couple had three children, but by 1818 not only had her husband died, but also her eldest and youngest sons. Resultantly, over the next 50 years of widowhood, although mainly a remote landlord – she preferred the social life of London – she was known to be a conscientious, benevolent and charitable landlord and employer, who greatly improved the estate.
On the death of his mother in 1822, her surviving middle son Thomas Agar moved his home to the estate, and adopted the Robartes name by warrant. Agar-Robartes was returned to Parliament for Cornwall East in 1847, a seat he held until 1868. In 1869 the barony of Robartes held by his mother's ancestors was revived when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Robartes of Lanhydrock, and of Truro in the County of Cornwall. By 1872 Baron Robartes of Lanhydrock, was listed in the top ten land holdings in Cornwall with an estate of 22,234 acres (89.98 km2) or 2.93% of Cornwall.
Agar-Robartes had had the east wing of the house demolished, leaving the U-shaped plan seen today. In 1880 he commissioned the architect George Gilbert Scott to renovate Lanhydrock House. On 4 April 1881 a major fire destroyed the south wing and caused extensive damage to the central section. The fire started in the kitchen and the near gale-force wind fanned the flames along the south wing and the ″communicating block″. Of the main house only the north wing, with its 116 feet (35 m) Long Gallery, and the front porch building survived intact, along with the original gatehouse which also dates back to the mid-17th century.
The gallery was decorated with old plaster work which was considered to be the finest of its type in the west of England with figures representing the creation in ″bas-relief″. The property was insured for £10,000 in the Royal Standard Office and for £10,000 in the County Fire Office and the damage is estimated to cost £8,000 to £10,000. It was reported in August 1881 that the rebuilding of the house would cost £50,000 and was to be undertaken by Messers Lang and Son of Liskeard.
New sections were built behind the south wing, including a kitchen block, in the style of the original building – which was unusual at the time. Agar-Robartes wife died five days after the fire of smoke inhalation, and he died of a broken heart 12 months later.
Their only son Thomas Charles Agar-Robartes, 6th Viscount Clifden inherited the estate. He appointed local architect Richard Coad – who had worked as an assistant to George Gilbert Scott – to design and supervise the construction of a high-Victorian home from the previous adaptions of a Jacobean house his father had planned. After renovations on the home were completed, Agar-Robartes moved his family there from 1885.
Having been called to the Bar in 1870, in 1880 Agar-Robartes was returned to Parliament as one of two representatives for Cornwall East. He entered the House of Lords on the death of his father in 1882, and on 10 September 1899 succeeded his kinsman as sixth Viscount Clifden. In 1891, as chairman of the Agar-Robartes Bank he took over the ownership of Wimpole Hall, the largest house in Cambridgeshire. Moving his family home there, he later served as Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire from 1906 to 1915.
The Robartes family declined significantly during the First World War, including the heir Thomas Agar-Robartes MP, who was killed during the Battle of Loos in France, while trying to rescue a colleague from no-man's land. Only one descendant survives, living in a cottage on the estate.
The parish church is dedicated to St Hydroc and stands in the grounds of Lanhydrock House. Parts date back to the late 15th century and the church has a chancel, nave, north and south aisles and three-stage battlemented tower with nine bells. Eight bells date from the late 19th century and are regularly rung. The ninth bell dates from circa 1599 and is only rung infrequently for tolling.
Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded two Cornish crosses and two cross bases (at Tredinnick Cross and Reperry) in the parish. One cross is in the churchyard and the other is half a cross head at Treffry. The cross in the churchyard is ornamented on all four sides of the shaft. In addition to these there is a cross called Bodwen Cross; this cross was recorded in 1850 but was not mentioned by J. T. Blight or Arthur Langdon. It was found again in 1937 near Helman Tor in the parish of Lanlivery. It was taken from there and erected in the new cemetery at Lanhydrock. A request for it to be returned to Lanlivery to a site on the Saints' Way was refused
Today, the public tour of Lanhydrock house is one of the longest of any National Trust house. It takes in the service rooms, nurseries and some servants' bedrooms, as well as the main reception rooms and family bedrooms. In 2004 it was one of the Trust's ten most visited paid-entry properties, with over 200,000 visitors. Parts of the estate have been designated as an Important Plant Area, by the organisation Plantlife, for its ancient woodland and lichens.
*** – Walks – ***
From epic treks to casual rambles there are hidden treasures to discover on a range of walks for all abilities on the Lanhydrock estate. Have you seen the newts in the old Victorian Swimming Pool? Where is the old road to Lostwithiel? Who mined at Jacob's Quarry? Discover more on a Lanhydrock trail.
*** – Lanhydrock Swimming Pool Walk – ***
This short, circular walk is a great way to see some of the estate's best features and can be used as a route between the house and the main car park. Spot wildlife in the Victorian Swimming Pool, take a casual stroll along Lady's Walk and climb the medieval Ha-ha before taking in sweeping views of the parkland and the Fowey Valley.
The walk is classified as Easy. It is 1.6 miles long and should take about one hour to complete. It is dog friendly. This walk contains some uneven terrain across the grass pasture and some moderate gradients. It involves steps down from the Ha-ha to the South Park Field as well as rough, stone tracks up toward the Ranger's yard.
Start: Lanhydrock main visitor reception.
1. Leave the main car park and follow the signs for Lanhydrock House, crossing the road and entering the park by the reception building.
2. Follow the path down the hill towards Lanhydrock House. Continue past the 17th-century gatehouse, towards the woodland.
Gatehouse. The gatehouse was built in 1651 as a hunting lodge. It was constructed in two different architectural styles; Italian Renaissance facing the parkland and traditional Gothic facing the house. The gatehouse has been used as a porter's lodge, a folly, a Sunday school and a Catholic chapel for WW2 evacuees.
3. Go through the unpainted gate to the left of the cattle grid and onto Garden Drive. Take the first path to your left; this is Lady's Walk. Continue downhill.
Lady's Walk. Lady's Walk was designed for casual strolls along the parkland. Dotted beside the path are the mature trees of Great Wood, rhododendrons and clumps of bamboo. It is a great place to see bluebells in the spring months.
4. Eventually, Lady's Walk will come out into a small clearing where the path curves around to the right. Instead, walk in the direction of the field to the top of the boundary wall (known as a Ha-ha). Take the small set of wooden steps down and across the stream.
The Ha-ha. The Ha-ha stops livestock escaping from the park into the woodland and was once part of the deer park. Unlike a fence, it is designed to be invisible from the house, giving the impression of the park merging seamlessly with the woodland. The name comes from the general reaction should some poor person stumble into it accidentally.
5. Walk across the South Park field uphill towards Beech Avenue. From here you have views back up to the house on your left and across the Fowey valley to your right. Note: Part way across you will reach an electric fence, which helps control the livestock. It is safe to lift the red handle and replace it behind you.
Livestock. You may see cows grazing the fields in summer and sheep winter. They help to keep the grassland healthy, the sheep nibbling the shorter grass that the cows have left behind.
6. Once you reach Beech Avenue, turn right and follow it downhill until you see an unpainted gate in the fence to your left. Go through the gate and into the Lower Park field. Walk down towards the copse of trees where you will find the Victorian swimming pool.
Beech Avenue. The magnificent double beech avenue leading away from the gatehouse actually started life as a single avenue of sycamore trees to commemorate the Parliamentarian’s victory in the civil war. In the early 19th century it was converted to a double beech avenue, but a few remaining sycamore trees can be seen in the inner two rows.
7. When you reach the copse of trees, go through the unpainted gate and follow the grass path. When you've finished exploring, there is a small gate to the left which will take you back out into the Lower Park. From here, continue uphill towards the track.
Victorian Swimming Pool. See if you can spot the changing room foundations and the old diving board stand. What was once a refreshing dip for the Agar-Robartes family is now a haven for local wildlife including Ramshorn snails and Palmate newts, which can be seen basking in the warmer water around the steps.
8. Follow the track up hill, past the Ranger's yard and Regional Office buildings on your right. The tracks will lead you back to the reception building where you can head down toward the house and garden or enjoy some refreshments at the Park Café.
Veteran oak trees. There are large numbers of veteran and ancient trees at Lanhydrock. Just before the swimming pool area there is a tree with a hole through the middle. At around 600 years old, this is thought to be one of the oldest trees on the estate, pre-dating the house.
End: Lanhydrock main visitor reception
You made it !
*** – Great Wood & Avenue Walk – ***
This gentle walk is a great introduction to the mature, mixed woodland and historic parkland of the Lanhydrock estate. A beautiful estate with ancient woodlands and tranquil riverside paths.
Explore part of the 900 acres (364 hectares) of land surround Lanhydrock House and discover parkland full of traditional grassland flowers, bluebell woods, ancient trees, amazing fungi, wildlife and a magnificent beech-lined avenue. The walk is classified as Easy. It is two and a half miles long and should take about one hour and a quarter to complete. It is dog friendly.
Start: Lanhydrock main visitor reception.
1. Leave the main car park and follow the signs for Lanhydrock House, crossing the road and entering the park by the reception building. Delabole slate has been used to roof the octagonal reception building, built in 1990.
2. Follow the path down the hill towards Lanhydrock House. Continue past the 17th century gatehouse. The parkland that surrounds you is managed with the aim of promoting species diversity, which has allowed traditional grassland flowers to flourish. The unusually bumpy ground in the park is the remains of a medieval field system.
Gatehouse. The gatehouse was built in 1651 as a hunting lodge. It was constructed in two different architectural styles; Italian Renaissance facing the parkland and traditional Gothic facing the house. The gatehouse has been used as a porter's lodge, a folly, a Sunday school and a Catholic chapel for WW2 evacuees.
3. Go through the wide, unpainted gate next to the cattle grid, and turn left. This track, running down the edge of Great Wood, is known as Lady's Walk. To the left of Lady's Walk you can see the 1823 ha-ha, a vertical wall alongside a stream. The ha-ha prevented the parkland grazing stock from getting into the woodland, without interrupting the view from the house.
Woodland bluebells. Since the clearance of the invasive rhododendron ponticum from Great Wood, fantastic displays of bluebells can be seen here in the spring. Lanhydrock is also home to kingfishers, dormice and 12 species of bat.
4. Follow Lady's Walk down the edge of Great Wood until you reach a red gate onto Newton Lane. Turn left here and continue past the privately-owned cottages.
Trees. Discover the impressive avenue of beech and sycamore, with just two oak impostors! Great Wood lives up to its name, with a mix of beech, oak, sycamore, ash, sweet chestnut, holly and a number of Scots Pine. Also, look out for the amazing fungi for which these trees provide a home.
5. Turn left through the gates by Newton Lodge into the Avenue. This impressive gateway, marked with the initials of John and Lucy Robartes, is dated 1657.
The Avenue. The magnificent beech trees that line the Avenue are host to an array of invertebrates, fungi, lichen and other wildlife. The Avenue was originally planted circa 1657, with just a single row of sycamore either side of the track.
6. At the top of the Avenue, turn right and follow the path back up through the park to the main entrance and car park.
End: Lanhydrock main visitor reception. You made it!
*** – Lanhydrock Parkland Walk – ***
This moderate difficulty, circular walk is a great way to explore the ancient woodland and riverside paths as well as open parkland and beech avenue. A beautiful estate with ancient woodlands and tranquil riverside paths. Explore part of the 900 acres of land surround Lanhydrock House and discover organic parkland full of traditional grassland flowers, bluebell woods, ancient trees, amazing fungi, wildlife and a magnificent beech-lined avenue.
The walk is classified as Moderate. It is just over three miles long and should take about one hour and a half to complete. It is dog friendly. There are limited toilet facilities open at the Hub - opposite Park Cafe. The Park Cafe is open 10am to 4pm for takeaway snacks and drinks.
Start: Lanhydrock main visitor reception.
1. Leave the main car park and follow the signs for Lanhydrock House, crossing the road and entering the park by the reception building.
2. Follow the path down the hill towards Lanhydrock House. Continue past the 17th-century gatehouse, towards the woodland.
Beech Avenue. The magnificent double beech avenue leading away from the gatehouse actually started life as a single avenue of sycamore trees to commemorate the Parliamentarian’s victory in the civil war. In the early 19th century it was converted to a double beech avenue, but a few remaining sycamore trees can be seen in the inner two rows.
3. Go through the wide, unpainted gate next to the cattle grid and continue straight ahead up Garden Drive. Keep going until the path forks ahead of you. Take the left-hand path into the woodland.
Woodland Garden. The Lanhydrock woodland garden extends up the hill to your right. From here, paths wander through a woodland landscape planted in in a semi-formal, Cornish fashion with stands of mature rhododendrons and Himalayan magnolias, wreathed in green lichen. The woodland garden offers superb views down over the house, garden and the Fowey valley landscape.
4. Follow the winding path through the woodland, until the path forks again. Take the right-hand fork.
Lanhydrock Plant Nursery. Through the trees to your right, you will be able to see the Lanhydrock Plant Nursery. The buildings were originally constructed in 1840 when the walled kitchen garden was moved further from the house. Today the Lanhydrock plant nursery provides plants to 43 National Trust properties across the South West, South East and Midlands.
5. Continue along the path as it curves through Great Wood. Eventually it reaches a junction with another path. Turn right and head downhill. Go though the gate and out onto the old Lostwithiel road. Turn right.
Roe Deer. Deer were kept at Lanhydrock hundreds of years ago; you can still spot the old deer wall in places around the estate. Although the herds are long gone, you might still spot the occasional roe deer here in the woods.
6. Follow the lane past the Cornish hedge steps, until you see a gate ahead of you. Take the curved path around the corner to your left and follow it downhill towards the river.
Cornish hedges. Cornish hedges have stone faces and a core of soil. They make a great home for wildlife; large trees growing from the hedge are a good sign that it is very old.
7. Cross the little stream and take the gate on the left. Follow the path alongside the river and up the hill until you pass through the gate and reach the crossroads again. Turn right and follow the lane toward Newton Lodge.
Bats. Lanhydrock is home to eleven of the UK's fourteen bat species. You can see bats in the evening, swooping and hunting insects over the River Fowey.
8. Walk until you can turn left through the gates by Newton Lodge. Carry on up the hill along Beech Avenue until you see a unpainted wooden gate in the fence on your right.
Horse Trough. This spring-fed feature is thought to be an eighteenth-century horse trough. The quiet lane where it sits was once the busy main road to the town of Lostwithiel.
9. Enter the gate and head across the field towards the Victorian swimming pool. The pool is located in a small copse of trees; you can choose to enter the wooden gate and explore, or you can follow the path as it curves around to the left and head up the field towards the track.
Victorian swimming pool. The swimming pool was installed in 1873; the foundations of the covered changing room can still be seen near the shallow end. Today it is a haven for wildlife including palmate newts, which can often be seen in the warm, shallow water near the steps.
10. Follow the track up hill, past the Ranger's yard and Regional Office buildings on your right. The tracks will lead you back to the reception building where you can head down toward the house and garden or enjoy some refreshments at the Park Café.
Veteran oak trees. There are large numbers of veteran and ancient trees at Lanhydrock. Just before the swimming pool area there is a tree with a hole through the middle. At around 600 years old, this is thought to be one of the oldest trees on the estate, pre-dating the house.
End: Lanhydrock main visitor reception. You made it!
*** – Facilities – ***
General:-
• The NT are sorry but their house, shops, cycle hire and playground are currently closed. Places open are the garden, countryside, cycle trails and main car park.
• Park Cafe is open and will initially be serving a limited range of takeaway hot and cold drinks and some light snacks.
• A ticket for a car park space costs £8 – you’ll need to go to click here to book a visit.
• Limited toilet facilities available: Harness Block Toilets closed until further notice. Main car park toilets open.
Family:-
• Baby changing facilities.
Access:-
• Accessible toilet.
• No buggy service available until further notice.
• Access to estate and garden from main car park only; no shuttle service or drop-off facility. Access to garden for wheelchair users is limited due to narrow paths.
• Please click here for the full access statement.
Location : Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5AD
Transport: Bodmin Parkway (National Rail) then taxi. Bus Routes : 75 stops 1.25 miles away.
Opening Times : House closed; Garden 10:00 to 17:00.
Tickets : Adults £12.65; Child £6.30
Tickets : Currently Car Park £8.00
Tel: 01208 265950
