Prideaux Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prideaux Place |
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South front, remodelled c. 1810–33 in Strawberry Hill Gothic style
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| Location | Padstow, Cornwall, England |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 24 April 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1212008 |
| Designated | 22 November 1992 |
| Reference no. | 1001249 |
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Prideaux Place is an amazing old country house in Padstow, Cornwall, England. It's a "Grade I listed" building, which means it's very important and protected. The house was built way back in 1592 and has been the home of the Prideaux family for over 400 years!
It was first built by Sir Nicholas Prideaux. Over the years, different family members added to it and changed its look. Today, it has 81 rooms and mixes the old "E-shape" style from the Elizabethan era with a more fancy 18th-century style called "Strawberry Hill Gothic."
Inside, Prideaux Place is like a museum. It has beautiful paintings, including portraits of kings and queens, and lovely old furniture. There's also a special collection of porcelain. A recently found ceiling in the Great Chamber is a true work of art from the Elizabethan period. The house also has a very old deer park, which is home to about 100 fallow deer.
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The History of Prideaux Place
Before the 1500s, the land where Prideaux Place now stands belonged to a religious group called Bodmin Priory. When King Henry VIII decided to close down many religious houses, the head of Bodmin Priory, Thomas Mundy, made a plan. He leased the land to his niece and her husband, William Prideaux, for a very long time (99 years) at a low price.
Later, William's uncle, Nicholas Prideaux, bought the land outright. This meant the Prideaux family officially owned the estate.
The Prideaux Family
The Prideaux family is thought to have come to England from Normandy after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They first lived at Prideaux Castle in Cornwall before moving to Devon and then back to Cornwall.
William Prideaux (died 1564)
William Prideaux received the long lease of the Padstow land in 1537 from his uncle-in-law, Thomas Munday. William lived in a nearby place called Trevose, as the grand house at Padstow hadn't been built yet.
Nicholas Prideaux (died 1560)
Nicholas was William's uncle. He bought the land of Padstow, making the family the full owners. He didn't have children, so he chose his nephew, Roger Prideaux, to inherit his estates.
Roger Prideaux (c.1524–1582)
Roger was an important person in his time. He was a Member of Parliament (a kind of lawmaker) and served as the Sheriff of Devon, which meant he was in charge of law and order in the county. He bought many lands in different parts of England.
Sir Nicholas Prideaux (1550–1627)
Sir Nicholas was Roger's oldest son. He also became a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Cornwall. In 1592, he built the main part of the house we now know as Prideaux Place. He moved there after 1600. An old historian named Richard Carew wrote that Sir Nicholas could see the whole town and harbor from his "new and stately house."
John Prideaux (1583–1649)
John inherited Prideaux Place. He didn't have children, so the house later passed to his half-nephew, Edmund Prideaux.
Edmund Prideaux (1606–1683)
Edmund inherited Prideaux Place from his uncle. During the English Civil War, a time of great conflict in England, he supported the Parliamentarians. After the king returned to power, Edmund was still in favor, partly because his sister was married to Sir William Morice, who was a very important government official to King Charles II.
There's a famous ghost story about Prideaux Place! Edmund's mother, Honor Fortescue, is said to have jumped from the staircase. Her ghost, known as "The Green Lady," is believed to still be in the house.
Edmund Prideaux (1693–1745)
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This Edmund Prideaux was a big fan of art and architecture. He traveled to Italy on a "Grand Tour" to learn more about art and culture. He also drew many famous country houses, and his drawings are kept at Prideaux Place today. He made big changes to Prideaux Place, adding a beautiful staircase and a wood-paneled room, which he brought from another grand house that was being taken down.
Humphrey Prideaux (born 1719)
Humphrey was Sheriff of Cornwall. He had many children, and his eldest son from his second marriage would continue the family line at Prideaux Place.
The Prideaux-Brune Family
Rev. Charles Prideaux-Brune (1760–1833)
Charles was the oldest son from Humphrey's second marriage. In 1799, he added "Brune" to his last name to honor another family whose estates he inherited. He made many changes to Prideaux Place between 1810 and 1833, giving it the "Gothic Revival" style that you can still see today. This style was inspired by Horace Walpole's famous Strawberry Hill House.
Charles Prideaux-Brune (1821–1907)
This Charles was also Sheriff of Cornwall and an important local official.
Col. Charles Robert Prideaux-Brune (1848–1936)
He was a Colonel in the Rifle Brigade and also served as Sheriff of Cornwall. He added more service rooms to the house in 1907.
Fulke Knatchbull Prideaux-Brune (1887–1939)
Fulke was badly hurt while serving in World War I and was a prisoner of war in 1918.
John Charles Prideaux-Brune (1916–1988)
John was a musician. During World War II, in 1944, Prideaux Place was used by the US Army as a base before the D-Day Normandy landings.
Peter Prideaux Brune (1944–)
Peter is the current owner of Prideaux Place and lives there with his wife, Elisabeth.
Prideaux Place on Screen
Prideaux Place has been a popular spot for filming!
- In 1975, it was used for an episode of the TV series A Ghost Story for Christmas called The Ash Tree.
- In 2006, the BBC filmed Antiques Roadshow at the house, where people bring their old treasures to be valued.
- The house has also appeared in many German TV films based on novels by Rosamunde Pilcher.
- It was also featured in an episode of Quest TV's 'Salvage Hunters'.
See also
- Padstow Coastal Gun Battery
