Pentillie Castle

Pentillie Castle was built in 1698 and is surrounded by a 2,000 acre estate, much of the parkland being shaped by famous garden designer Humphry Repton in 1810. The American gardens were designed by Lewis Kennedy in 1813. This area of garden is typical of many Cornish gardens, filled with a wide variety of rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias and azaleas. It is a profusion of colour from early spring.

The gardens were thoroughly neglected for about 30 years until the latest generation of the Coryton’s took over the estate in 2007. Pentillie Castle and the gardens featured on Channel 4's Country House Rescue in January 2009, and the revisit is due to air in May 2010. The host of Country House Rescue, Ruth Watson, compared Pentillie’s undiscovered and neglected gardens to those of the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

While a lot of work has been done to clear dead and dangerous trees, and some of the very invasive laurel, there are still plenty of hidden corners waiting to be discovered. 2010 will be the first Spring since the undergrowth was cleared and it will be interesting to see what, if any, lost plants respond to the light and space!

Any great country estate needs its own kitchen garden and Pentillie’s is testament to a magnificent past. Sadly this historic walled garden is still buried under a tangle of weeds, and the greenhouses are rapidly decaying. However, now that the renovation of the castle is complete, the Coryton family hope to have more time in 2010 to focus on the kitchen garden to prevent it decaying still further.

Having lain dormant and neglected for many years, the Coryton family have now opened the gardens to the public on selected days (see website) from 11am until 4pm. During the garden open days in 2010, refreshments will be available in the castle, and treasure hunts are planned across the estate. The paths are often steep so please wear sturdy shoes. Sorry, no dogs, shaded parking is also limited.

Garden Open Days: 20 March; 3 April; 1-2 May 11am-4pm

20 February – Snowdrop Walk: Starts at 10:30am and finishes approx. 3pm. Entrance £25pp to include guided tour and 2-course lunch. Booking essential.

20 March – In aid of RNLI. 11am-4pm. Entrance £6
3 April – In aid of St Luke’s Hospice. 11am-4pm. Entrance £6
1-2 May – In aid of RNLI. 11am-4pm. Entrance £6

17 May – Bluebell Walk: Starts at 11am and finishes approx. 3pm. Entrance £25 pp to include guided tour and 2-course lunch. Booking essential.

If you belong to a group or club who would be interested in visiting the gardens at a different time of year, please do get in touch with the estate office, as private tours for groups of more than 15 can be arranged.

Please check the website for further opening dates.