‘An absolute gem’
After torrential morning rain, a group of St Austell members set off at midday to explore the beautiful Cornish Georgian house at Washaway – Pencarrow House, home of the Molesworth-St Aubyns for nearly 500 years. By the time of the fascinating house tour, where we learnt about history truly in the making, the sun was beginning to make an appearance.
Tour guide Mandy thrilled us with tales past and present, sharing details and anecdotes about the people who have inhabited and developed this beautiful building, whilst explaining about the many notable paintings and the antique artefacts. Members keen on the TV adaptations of Rosamunde Pilcher, the Doc Martin series and the recent Fisherman’s Friends recognised some of the lovely locations.
Perfectly on cue, the wonderful fifty-acre grade 11 listed gardens, full of wild garlic and bluebells, were bathed in bright sunshine just as we started our outside exploration. We admired the formal gardens and the ancient woodlands, the Italian Garden, the grotto, the Iron-age hill fort and, of course, the ancient Cornish cross. Pencarrow has a special link with the Araucana tree. A visitor in the 1850s, noting its prickly leaves, claimed, “It would be a puzzle for a monkey”, thereby giving the tree its common name.
The choice of varying lengths of circular walks was a real bonus for all members.
To cap off a perfect afternoon, our visit ended with a delicious Cornish cream tea served in the garden of the excellent Peacock Cafe.
St Austell OCS would like to send massive thanks to all concerned at Pencarrow for our super visit: those in catering, Linda, Cindy, guides Karen and Mandy – and, especially, to link administrator Tracy.
Report by Roger Larham.