Prideaux Place, Padstow, United Kingdom

Prideaux Place is a grade I listed Elizabethan country house in the parish of Padstow, Cornwall. It has been the home of the Prideaux family for over 400 years. The house was built in 1592 by Sir Nicholas Prideaux (1550–1627), a distinguished lawyer, and was enlarged and modified by successive generations, most notably by his great-great-grandson Edmund Prideaux (1693–1745) and by the latter's grandson Rev. Charles Prideaux-Brune (1760–1833). The present building, containing 81 rooms, combines the traditional E-shape of Elizabethan architecture with the 18th-century exuberance of Horace Walpole’s Strawberry Hill Gothic.

The house contains a fine collection of works of art, including royal and family portraits, fine furniture and the Prideaux Porcelain Collection. The recently uncovered ceiling in the Great Chamber is a masterpiece of the art of the Elizabethan plasterer. In 1968 the estate comprised about 3,500 acres, excluding the St Breock estate situated about ten miles away, also in the family's ownership, inherited from the Viell family in the 17th century. The deer park is one of the most ancient in England, containing in 1968 about 100 fallow deer, increased from only about six in 1946 following World War II.

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Palaces, manors and town halls in United Kingdom

User Reviews

Bryn Pudge (2 years ago)
Pleasant enough grounds, didn't visit house. Very long wait for coffee and cake but good when it arrived.

James Minty (2 years ago)
Lovely house and gardens. Not the biggest to look around, but if you're in the Padstow area and have half a day to spare, it's well worth a visit. The tour around the house is very good. Our guide (Carol in think?) was very informative and explained all about the various rooms, paintings and other artifacts. The walk around the garden is pleasant and not to challenging.

Amanda Wildgoose (2 years ago)
First visit to this really lovely house. Did the tour around the house with a guide and looked round the grounds. Well worth a visit

Joy Broderick (2 years ago)
I had a tour of the house today with Henrietta (her first time as tour guide). I heard many present say what an outstandingly interesting speaker she was (in some cases, the best they'd ever heard). She is a relative of the family and therefore has personal knowledge and experience of growing up at Prideaux Place. The visit was so enjoyable and her enthusiasm infectious. I suspect she will be a great asset to the guide team. Thank you.

Wulf Flos (3 years ago)
Very historic place and a must for Rosamunde Pilcher fans. The coffee shop serves great food in a quiet surrounding. Very lovely staff. Parking is great next to the house. The lady who showed us around was nice just a little confused and could have done the tour a bit more exiting.

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