Cotehele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cotehele |
|
|---|---|
| Native name Cornish: Kosheyl |
|
Courtyard of Cotehele House
|
|
| Type | Country house |
| Location | Calstock |
| OS grid reference | SX4224068618 |
| Area | Cornwall |
| Architectural style(s) | Medieval & Tudor |
| Owner | National Trust |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Official name: Cotehele House | |
| Designated | 21 July 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1140255 |
| Official name: Cotehele | |
| Designated | 11 June 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1000648 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Cotehele (which means Kosheyl in Cornish) is a really old house in Cornwall, England. It's a mix of medieval and Tudor styles. This amazing house is located near Calstock and is now looked after by the National Trust.
Cotehele is a large manor house made of granite and slate stone. It sits right by the River Tamar. What's cool about it is that it hasn't changed much in over 500 years! The Edgcumbe family built it in 1458. Sir Richard Edgcumbe started building Cotehele after fighting for Henry Tudor in the Battle of Bosworth. He was given money and the land to build this grand home.
Contents
A Look Back at Cotehele's History
The Edgcumbe family got Cotehele when William Edgcumbe married Hilaria, who owned the house. Cotehele is one of the best-preserved Tudor houses in the United Kingdom. It even has old stone buildings like a dovecote (a home for doves) that are still in great shape!
For many years, Cotehele was a second home for the Edgcumbe family. King George III even visited in 1788! Later, Cotehele was the first property the government accepted instead of cash for inheritance taxes. Today, the National Trust takes care of the house and its beautiful grounds. Inside, you can see special items like the Cotehele cupboard and the famous Cotehele clock. Many tapestries and furniture pieces came from Mount Edgcumbe House.
Exploring the Cotehele Estate
Cotehele House is a very important historical building, officially called a Grade I listed building since 1951. The first parts of the house were probably built around 1300. Sir Richard Edgcumbe worked on the house from 1486 to 1489. His son, Sir Piers Edgcumbe, continued the building work from 1489 to 1520.
The estate goes all the way down to a quay (a dock) on the River Tamar. Here, you can find a part of the National Maritime Museum. The grounds also have lovely formal gardens and a beautiful valley area. You can see a medieval dovecote, a stewpond (a pond for keeping fish), a Victorian summerhouse, and the 18th-century Prospect Tower. The gardens and park are also very important, listed as Grade II* on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
The Morden stream runs along one side of the estate and flows into the River Tamar at the quay. This stream also powers the estate's old mill. The mill used to grind grain that was brought up the river on a barge called Myrtle. It also powered a sawmill and even generated electricity! This historic mill has been fixed up and now works again. It produces flour for the restaurant and for visitors to buy.
In 2008, a special "Mother Orchard" was planted. It has over 250 apple trees, mostly old varieties from the West Country. This 8-acre orchard is divided into sections for eating apples, cooking apples, and cider apples.
Cotehele's Chapels
There are a few chapels connected to Cotehele, each with its own story.
Cotehele House Chapel
Inside Cotehele House, on the west side of the Hall Court, you'll find the chapel. It's connected to the main house by a small hallway leading to the dining room. This chapel is dedicated to St. Katharine and St. Anne. It's one of the oldest rooms in the house, just like the Great Hall. A very rare and original clock from the Tudor period is still working in this chapel today!
Cotehele Woodland Chapel
Hidden in the grounds of Cotehele, close to the River Tamar, is a simple and peaceful chapel. Inside, there are benches along the walls, two minister's seats, and a fancy table. This chapel is dedicated to St George and St Thomas Becket. Sir Richard Edgcumbe (died 1489) built it between 1485 and 1489. He built it to give thanks for escaping from enemies of Richard III in 1483.
Cotehele on the Big Screen
Cotehele has even been a star in a movie! It was used for filming parts of Trevor Nunn's 1996 film of Twelfth Night. The house and quay were used for scenes in a tavern by the water and inside Orsino's castle.
Gallery
-
Main building and garden
-
Flower garlands at Cotehele
-
Flower garlands at Cotehele
See also
- Mount Edgcumbe House
- Cotehele clock
- List of topics related to Cornwall
