Penhallam is the site of a fortified manor house near Jacobstow in Cornwall. There was probably an earlier, 11th-century ringwork castle on the site, constructed by Tryold or his son, Richard fitz Turold in the years after the Norman invasion of 1066. Their descendants, in particular Andrew de Cardinham, created a substantial, sophisticated manor house at Penhallam between the 1180s and 1234, building a quadrangle of ranges facing onto an internal courtyard, surrounded by a moat and external buildings. The Cardinhams may have used the manor house for hunting expeditions in their nearby deer park.

By the 14th century, the Cardinham male line had died out and the house was occupied by tenants. The surrounding manor was broken up and the house itself fell into decay and robbed for its stone. Archaeological investigations between 1968 and 1973 uncovered its foundations, unaltered since the medieval period, and the site is now managed by English Heritage and open to visitors.

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Jacobstow, United Kingdom
See all sites in Jacobstow

Details

Founded: 1180s
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in United Kingdom

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Alex (15 months ago)
Only issue was the bridge that has still yet to be repaired to cross the moat to the manor.
Lunch With Lloyd (21 months ago)
The manor was great unfortunately the access bridge was closed due to maintenance, however it would have been nice if I could I access the island. But I visit the Penhallam manor again in the future when the bridge has reopened. Another great thing about the manor is it has free admission which is always nice.
David Foster (2 years ago)
Good walk through woods which leads to the ruins of the De Cardinham Family residence which was built sometime around the Norman Conquest and lasted about 300 years. It was reclaimed by nature as the owner had no heirs and was only rediscovered in the 1960's . Unfortunately access to the ruins was closed on my visit due to repairs of the bridge which spans the small moat and was not accessible. Lots of photo opportunities. Not particularly wheel chair friendly as the access paths are typical forestry gravel. On my visit our dogs were off lead and as you approach the ruins there is a small stream dogs can access, which was great. More adventurous dogs can find themselves in the moats black, stinky sludge which was NOT so great. So you might want to keep dogs on a lead as you approach the ruins. There are no dog waste bins. The car park was free. What 3 Words to car park typical.goat.riverbank
Roy Sirl (2 years ago)
Pleasant ten minute walk by woods to get to grass covered remains of manor house. Small free car park, a little muddy this time of year so have suitable footwear. Bridge is awaiting repair so you can't cross the moat. Several information boards showing what it may have looked like.
Carl Gamble (3 years ago)
A nice stroll to the Manor with a small gated carpark (free) if the gate is closed then just open it, no problem. Just close on exit if it's closed when you arrive. There are no bins or toilets here. Information boards are dotted around the grounds of the Manor but unfortunately the bridge was still out of action so I couldn't really see much of it, however, there are plenty of other interesting things to find if you look. Bluebells were still showing when I came and many others were putting in an appearance plus a small stream running by. There's also an eerie dark wooded area on the left of the track as you walk down with trees seemingly hanging in silence and cloaked in moss. Enjoy your walk!
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