A visit to Cotehele house in Cornwall. The house was built between 1485 and 1560. The Cotehele estate was the home of the Edgcumbe family for nearly 600 years from 1353 until it came into the care of the National Trust in 1947. Follow this link to the NT site for more information.
The courtyard and south range with the entrance arch. No sun today so very grey pictures!
The western aspect of the courtyard with the chapel window in the right.
This view is of the Tower taken from the gardens to the north of the house.
The eastern aspect of the house and formal gardens.
Looking east from the gardens towards Calstock with the railway viaduct over the River Tamar.
Another view of the eastern side of the house and gardens.
A springtime visit to this picturesque NT property in Cornwall.
The view from the garden towards Calstock. Magnolia in flower.
The house and terraced gardens.
The daffodils were probably a week away from being at their best. But still very colourful.
This was my favourite shot of the day.
The dovecote in the valley garden.
Cotehele quay.
March 2016
Cotehele House and the terraced garden.
A very old plate dating from 1673.
Every room was decorated with flowers from the garden.
Fine colourful details in the drapes around an old four poster bed on the top floor of the house.
The courtyard entrance. On the right is a marquee ready for the daffodil festival in a few days time.
It really is the daffodils that make this place so special in the spring.
The Living apple hand sculpture in the Mother Orchard.
I think this is a camellia.
Exiting via the courtyard.
December 2016
A special visit to see the floral Christmas garland for the first time. This year is the 60th anniversary of the first garland.
This doorway is decorated with mahonia foliage.
A display of the many different dried flower types used in the garland.
There was mistletoe hanging in this doorway.
A detailed look at all the different flowers in the garland.
During our visit a local choir sang carols. The hall was packed out for the performance.
The formal garden terraces on the northern side of the house.
Prospect Tower Folly. This was built around 1789.
The view from the top of the tower looking north towards Calstock viaduct.
Looking south east from the tower. This view shows how misty it was in the valleys.
December 2017
A return visit to see the Cotehele Garland. A stop off on our way to Penzance.
The end of the garland and a display of all the different dried flowers used in its construction.
There is a quite a lot more colour this year.
The light was nice this year.
Flag and garland
This year there are roughly 32,000 flower stems in the garland.
December 2018
This is now becoming an annual event for us. However, each year the garland is slightly different. This year the theme was one hundred years since the end of the great war.
It must take thousands of hours to prepare all this.
A close up of the main garland showing the red white and blue theme with ribbons.
A closer look at the flowers around the doorway.
Cotehele house and gardens on a bright winters day.