Prideaux Place

Hidden away above the lively village of Padstow, Prideaux Place commands stunning views across the Camel estuary. This fantastic example of living history is home to the Prideaux family — an ancient Cornish clan, descendents of William the Conqueror, who can trace their origins back to the 11th century. The house is not to be missed with its accompanying tales of ghosts, political intrigue, piracy and even a ‘murder’ that never was!

But it’s the setting which makes Prideaux Place truly extraordinary. The extensive grounds include a deer park (thought to be the oldest in the country), a Victorian sunken garden and plenty of Italian influenced architecture— the Temple being an example that you may well recognise from the film Twelfth Night.

The grounds at Prideaux had become somewhat neglected but are now being re-established; they have been designed with reference to the style of the original Edwardian gardens but also to be harmonious with the Cornish landscape. Tom Petherick, instrumental in the restoration of the ‘Lost gardens of Heligan’, and currently assisting with the regeneration at Prideaux, describes why he believes the place is so special: ‘I do think the atmosphere here is an ancient one, filled with history and you can feel the aged quality it has…you can hear the buildings talk’.

Prideaux Place, Padstow, Cornwall. PL28 8RP

Opening Times:
Open Sunday to Thursday from 16 to 20 April and from 14 May to 5 October.