Lanhydrock House
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Lanhydrock House is a large country mansion near Bodmin in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is situated in extensive grounds (3.6 km²) above the River Fowey and is today managed by the National Trust, who market it under the name"Lanhydrock". Lanhydrock has been in the National Trust's ownership since 1953.
Much of the present house dates back to Victorian times, but some sections are more than 200 years older, dating back to about 1620.
The estate belonged to the Augustinian priory of St Petroc at Bodmin, but the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the 1530s saw it passed into private hands. In 1620, wealthy merchant Sir Richard Robartes acquired the estate and began building Lanhydrock House, designed to a four-sided layout around a central courtyard, and constructed of grey granite. Robartes died in 1624 but work on the building was continued by his son John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor, a notable public figure who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council.
During the 18th century, the east wing of the house was demolished leaving the U-shaped plan seen today, but in 1881 a major fire destroyed the south wing and caused extensive damage to the central section. Of the main house, only the north wing, with its 29 m Long Gallery, survived intact, though the original gatehouse also dates back to the mid 17th century.
Most of the current building, therefore, dates from late Victorian times. The second Lord Robartes (later the 6th Viscount Clifden) rebuilt the house to meet the needs of his large family, appointing local architect Richard Coad to design and supervise most of the work, Coad having worked as assistant to George Gilbert Scott on earlier work (1857) at Lanhydrock.
In 1953, the house and approximately 400 acres (1.6 km²) of parkland were given to the National Trust by the 7th Viscount Clifden. The public tour is one of the longest at any National Trust house, and takes in the service rooms, nurseries and some servants' bedrooms, as well as main reception rooms and family bedrooms. In 2004 it was one of the Trust's ten most visited paid entry properties, with over 200,000 visitors.
The house is situated next to a small church, Lanhydrock Parish Church (dedicated to St Hydrock), which in parts dates back to late 15th century. It has an attractive garden. There are formal areas around the house and the hill behind is planted with a fine selection of shrubs and trees.
[edit] Trivia
Lanhydrock was the main setting for a 1996 film film version of Twelfth Night directed by Trevor Nunn, and starring Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia.
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