Photo: Gerd Eichmann CC BY-SA 4.0 Source Cropped to fit
Cotehele is a Grade I listed historic building in Cornwall, cared for by the National Trust. Read about its history, architecture and gardens, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Cotehele
Cotehele is a granite and slate-stone manor house built above the River Tamar near St Dominick.
The National Trust cares for the house, its mill on the historic quay, and the wider estate.
Sir Richard Edgcumbe rebuilt the property after his support for Henry Tudor at Bosworth in 1485, and the house grew around its medieval core over the following century.
Little has changed in five hundred years, giving the rooms a settled, unrestored feel.
The garden descends through formal terraces into a wooded valley toward the river and is worth visiting on its own.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Cotehele
The Edgcumbe family rebuilt Cotehele after Sir Richard Edgcumbe was rewarded with land and money for supporting Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The house developed around its medieval core over the following century, and the family retained it for generations before establishing their main residence elsewhere. Cotehele passed to the National Trust in 1947, accepted in lieu of death duties, making it one of the Trust's earlier acquisitions in Cornwall.
Architecture of Cotehele
The house is built of granite and slate-stone in a rambling, additive style typical of a medieval hall extended piecemeal through the Tudor period, rather than rebuilt to a single plan.
Worth knowing
Sir Richard Edgcumbe's support for Henry Tudor at Bosworth in 1485 directly funded the rebuilding of the house, tying its fabric to the outcome of that battle.
Gardens & grounds at Cotehele
The garden descends through formal terraces into a wooded valley with views toward the Tamar, giving it a more dramatic setting than most Cornish house gardens.
Plan your visit to Cotehele
Address: St Dominick, PL12 6TA
Part of the Tamar Valley National Landscape: see all the National Trust places there, with a map and day-trip routes.
Check official National Trust website for current opening times; garden and house have seasonal opening patterns.
Places to visit near Cotehele
Cotehele Quay
View Cotehele Quay on heritage mapCotehele Mill
View Cotehele Mill on heritage mapDupath Well
View Dupath Well on heritage mapBuckland Abbey
View Buckland Abbey on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Cotehele (PL12) there are 5 historic properties, including 2 historic houses, across National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Cotehele (PL12) there are 9 historic properties, including 4 historic houses, across National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Within 20 miles of Cotehele (PL12) there are 21 historic properties, including 6 historic houses, 6 archaeological sites and 3 landscapes, across English Heritage, National Trust and Historic Houses sites.
Stay nearby
Make more of your visit with an overnight stay near Cotehele.
Find places to stay nearby Affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.Facts
A Tudor house on the Tamar barely altered in five hundred years, funded by the winnings of Bosworth Field.
- Type
- historic building
- Location
- Cornwall, England
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