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Godolphin House & Gardens
Godolphin Cross
Helston
Cornwall
TR13 9RE
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| Contact |
Mrs
Virginia Richardson |
| Enquiries |
01736 763194 |
| Fax |
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| Email |
godolphin@nationaltrust.org.uk |
| Website |
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin |
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Very early gardens, the side garden dates from c.1300
and underwent a major revival in 2003. Compartmented
4.5 acre, nine square garden surrounded by a raised
walk. Walled King's garden c.1500 adjacent to state
apartments.
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Open |
House: During 2011 the house will be open between
10.00 - 16:00 from Sat to Fri on 3 separate
occasions* 2nd - 8th Jul., 3rd - 9th Sep
and the 1st - 7th Oct.
*While the house is closed for refurbishment, "behind
the scenes hard hat tours" providing unique access
to normally hidden areas are available on a regular basis please telephone or
email for further details.
Garden: 12th Mar - 30th Oct. Daily 10.00 - 16:00
Estate: Open all year |
Admission |
House & Gardens Adults: £7.00, Children
£3.50, Family £17.50, (Family 1 adult £10.50)
Gardens only Adults: £4.00, Children £2.00,
Family £10.00, (Family 1 adult £6.00)
Free Admission to the Estate.
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The house is
5 miles north-west of Helston, between Townshend and Godolphin
Cross not far from St Michaels
Mount in a quiet and remote part of ancient Cornwall. The
House at Godolphin is Grade I Listed and is one of Cornwall’s
most architecturally important houses that is built in a very
romantic and quiet setting. Hidden in ancient woodlands, remote
yet only 20 minutes from Penzance, Godolphin provides a wonderful
day out.
The original Castle was demolished c.1475 and along with large
parts of the early gardens which were swept away. A new house
was built using the increasing family wealth. The Godolphins,
who made their wealth from the local tin and copper mining industry
centred on Godolphin Hill which lay within the bounds of the
Godolphin family estate, were a successful family who over the
generations built and improved Godolphin House.
And it is from 1475 that the earliest parts of the current house
date. By the mid-16th century the house consisted of three ranges
of buildings with the courtyard closed off by a wall on the
north side. Sir William Godolphin, made some alterations to
the house and further work was carried out at the end of the
16th century, including the stables (Elizabethan c.1585)
by Sir Francis Godolphin then Governor of the Scilly Isles.
The present north range was probably added in the 1630s by his
son William to replace an earlier wall which closed the 4th
side a courtyard formed from 3 ranges. Within the next few years
Godolphin was at it grandest and by 1689 Godolphin House contained
around 100 rooms.
Sidney Godolphin, William's grandson was Queen Ann's Lord Treasurer
between 1702 - 10 and was responsible for financing the 1st.
Duke of Marlborough's Spanish Wars of Succession and was granted
an Earldom (1706).
His son the 2nd Earl of Godolphin married Henrietta Churchill
daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Their daughter Lady
Mary Godolphin married Thomas Osborne 4th Duke of Leeds in 1740.
Mary inherited Godolphin and the estate passed to the Dukes
of Leeds.
In 1805 a considerable part of the building was pulled down,
including the 16th century hall, and Godolphin became simply
a farmhouse. Godolphin remained with the Dukes of Leeds until
the 11th Duke sold the house in 1929. The Schofield family
bought the house 7 years later and were successful in reacquiring some of the original
contents of the house. In 2000, 555 acres of the Estate were
acquired by the National Trust and more recently the house & gardens.
The National Trust have created many beautiful woodland and
hill walks. There are 400 recorded archaeological features ranging
from Bronze Age enclosures to 19th Century mine buildings.
This very early garden was laid out sometime around 1300 and
was of formal style. In the 1500s a square garden (4.5 acres)
was created in the form of nine compartments with a raised walk
surrounding it. Six new compartments were added to three compartments
from the earlier garden. Within each compartment were different
features such as the bowling green and the orchard. About the
same time the walled King's Garden next to the state apartments
was added..
There were two large rectangular fish ponds created, used for
the breeding of Carp, fed from springs at the top of the garden.
Water from these springs also fed a waterway and formal water
features in the gardens. During the 19th century much of the
garden was lost when the land was returned to farmland.
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