Mount Edgcumbe Country Park
Encyclopedia
Mount Edgcumbe Country Park is one of four designated Country Park
s in Cornwall
. It is 885 acres (3.6 km²) situated on the Rame Peninsula
, overlooking Plymouth Sound
and the River Tamar
.
The Park has been famous since the 18th century, when the Edgcumbe family created formal gardens, temples, follies and woodlands around the Tudor House. Specimen trees such as Californian Redwood, stand against copses which shelter a herd of wild fallow deer
. The South West Coast Path
runs through the Park for nine miles (14 km) along the coastline.
The Park also contains the villages of Kingsand
, Cawsand
, as well as Mount Edgcumbe House
itself. The Formal Gardens are grouped in the lower park near Cremyll
. Originally a 17th Century 'wilderness' garden, the present scheme was laid out by the Edgcumbe family in the 18th Century. The Formal Gardens include an Orangery, an Italian Garden, a French Garden, an English Garden and a Jubilee Garden, which opened in 2002, to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The Park and Formal Gardens are open all year round and admission is free. The Park and Gardens are jointly managed by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council.
Although the park covers a large area, the park has limited formal maintenance. This gives it a rough and ready rural feel in all except the formal gardens. Easily worth a long walk, picnic or children's party.
A sheltered deep water basin anchorage used by the Vikings in 997. Offshore there is a shipwreck
of the Catharina von Flensburg. In 1831, HMS Beagle
set off from here on her second voyage
with Charles Darwin
on board.
c.1200 BC - a Bronze Age
burial mound, re-used as a "Prospect Mound" in the 18th century.
c.1545 - a small fort built on the shoreline in King Henry VIII
's reign, to defend the mouth of the Tamar
and the Edgcumbes' town of West Stonehouse
opposite.
Originally a Lloyds Signal Station, where signalling
was done from passing ships to the station by flags during the day and by lights at night, it became a radio station in 1905, then transferred to the Coastguards c.1925.
c.1204 - a major ferry
crossing between Devon
and Cornwall since medieval times.
In 1515 Sir Piers Edgcumbe was given permission by King Henry VIII to empark deer: the deer of today roam freely on the Rame Peninsula
.
c.1695 - A stone wall with outer ditch to protect the Amphitheatre
from deer.
In early days called the Terrace. A driveway from the House round the coast to Maker Church by 1788, extended to Penlee Point
by 1823.
1747 - an artificial ruin which replaced a navigation
obelisk
. It was built from stone from the churches of St. George and St. Lawrence, Stonehouse.
From circa 1750 to 1820 - gardens in Italian, English and French styles. New Zealand, American (1989) and Jubilee Gardens (2003) have now been added.
c.1747 and 1863 - an 18th century saluting platform, originally mounted with 21 guns to greet visitors. Re-built in 1863 as part of Plymouth's Naval defences, with granite casemates for 7 large guns
18th century - a much damaged ornamental seat also known as White Seat, with a magnificent view north up the River Tamar.
19th century - in the Grotton Plantation the ruins of a two storey fodder store for deer; and the ruined 18th century Pebble Seat facing south.
From around 1800, this ice house is situated under the bridge leading to the House. It is only open on special occasions.
First mentioned in 1186, it was enlarged in the 15th century. This is the family church of the Edgcumbes
.
A circular temple from 1755, with a plaque inscribed with lines from Paradise Lost
; overhead up grew, insuperable heights of loftiest shade......
Situated in the Italian Garden the Orangery is thought to have been built as early as 1760. The building is now a fully licensed restaurant.
1892 - the remains of a Victorian
fort armed with 3 guns in both World Wars. A granite sculpture by Greg Powlesland, (1995), is in the nearby nature reserve
.
A seat made from a doorway and enclosing a small niche with a piscina
at the back. The carved stone comes from the churches of St. George and St. Lawrence at Stonehouse.
18th century cave used as a watch house, enhanced with an arched stone building after Adelaide's visit, 1827.
Rebuilt from a Norman church in 1239, and enlarged in the 15th century.
19th century - a ruinous rest house, sometimes called the Kiosk, which was painted red. Below is another ruined seat known as Indian Cottage or The Verandah.
c.1850 - The stables, dairy, smithy, sawmill and stores, all essential to the running of the estate. The stables are not open to the public.
A very small 15th century chapel and holy well, which was restored c.1890.
14th century - a chapel and simple lighthouse
, with a beacon
site nearby. Across the neck of the headland are the earthworks of an Iron Age
fort.
This goes around the Country Park.
From around 1760, a Doric
pavilion with seats looking across to Plymouth Sound
. Verses from Thomson's "The Seasons" are inscribed on the wall.
The Arch may have been built to mark the creation of the Viscount in 1781.
The Zig-Zag walks were from the 1760s, and became famous in the 19th century as The Horrors. Intricate paths on a dramatic cliff, surrounded by exotic shrubs. The lower cliff paths and some stone seats have been lost to cliff erosion.
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
s in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. It is 885 acres (3.6 km²) situated on the Rame Peninsula
Rame Peninsula
The Rame Peninsula is a peninsula in south-east Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. The peninsula is surrounded by the English Channel to the south, Plymouth Sound to the east, and the estuary of the River Lynher to the north...
, overlooking Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England.Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point on Devon, a distance of about 3 nautical miles . Its northern limit is Plymouth Hoe giving a north-south distance of nearly 3 nautical miles...
and the River Tamar
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
.
The Park has been famous since the 18th century, when the Edgcumbe family created formal gardens, temples, follies and woodlands around the Tudor House. Specimen trees such as Californian Redwood, stand against copses which shelter a herd of wild fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
. The South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
runs through the Park for nine miles (14 km) along the coastline.
The Park also contains the villages of Kingsand
Kingsand
Kingsand and Cawsand are twin villages in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom. The villages are situated on the Rame Peninsula and in the parish of Maker-with-Rame....
, Cawsand
Cawsand
Cawsand and Kingsand are twin villages in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the Rame Peninsula and is in the parish of Maker-with-Rame....
, as well as Mount Edgcumbe House
Mount Edgcumbe House
Mount Edgcumbe House is a stately home in south-east Cornwall. It is a Grade II listed building and the gardens are listed as Grade I in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England....
itself. The Formal Gardens are grouped in the lower park near Cremyll
Cremyll
Cremyll is a coastal village in south-east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately one mile west of Plymouth.Cremyll is on the Rame Peninsula facing Plymouth Sound. The Cremyll Ferry carries foot passengers and cyclists from Cremyll to Plymouth...
. Originally a 17th Century 'wilderness' garden, the present scheme was laid out by the Edgcumbe family in the 18th Century. The Formal Gardens include an Orangery, an Italian Garden, a French Garden, an English Garden and a Jubilee Garden, which opened in 2002, to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The Park and Formal Gardens are open all year round and admission is free. The Park and Gardens are jointly managed by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council.
Although the park covers a large area, the park has limited formal maintenance. This gives it a rough and ready rural feel in all except the formal gardens. Easily worth a long walk, picnic or children's party.
Features of the Park
- Barn Pool
A sheltered deep water basin anchorage used by the Vikings in 997. Offshore there is a shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
of the Catharina von Flensburg. In 1831, HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
set off from here on her second voyage
Second voyage of HMS Beagle
The second voyage of HMS Beagle, from 27 December 1831 to 2 October 1836, was the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy who had taken over command of the ship on its first voyage after her previous captain committed suicide...
with Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
on board.
- Barrow
c.1200 BC - a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
burial mound, re-used as a "Prospect Mound" in the 18th century.
- BlockhouseBlockhouseIn military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
c.1545 - a small fort built on the shoreline in King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's reign, to defend the mouth of the Tamar
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
and the Edgcumbes' town of West Stonehouse
Stonehouse, Plymouth
East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...
opposite.
- Coastguard Station at Rame HeadRame HeadRame Head is a coastal headland, southwest of the village of Rame in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom.-History and antiquities:The site was used for a hill fort in the Iron Age. The headland has a prominent chapel, dedicated to St Michael, accessible by a steep footpath...
Originally a Lloyds Signal Station, where signalling
International maritime signal flags
The system of international maritime signal flags is one system of flag signals representing individual letters of the alphabet in signals to or from ships...
was done from passing ships to the station by flags during the day and by lights at night, it became a radio station in 1905, then transferred to the Coastguards c.1925.
- CremyllCremyllCremyll is a coastal village in south-east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately one mile west of Plymouth.Cremyll is on the Rame Peninsula facing Plymouth Sound. The Cremyll Ferry carries foot passengers and cyclists from Cremyll to Plymouth...
Ferry
c.1204 - a major ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
crossing between Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall since medieval times.
- Deer
In 1515 Sir Piers Edgcumbe was given permission by King Henry VIII to empark deer: the deer of today roam freely on the Rame Peninsula
Rame Peninsula
The Rame Peninsula is a peninsula in south-east Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. The peninsula is surrounded by the English Channel to the south, Plymouth Sound to the east, and the estuary of the River Lynher to the north...
.
- Deer Wall
c.1695 - A stone wall with outer ditch to protect the Amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
from deer.
- Earl's Drive
In early days called the Terrace. A driveway from the House round the coast to Maker Church by 1788, extended to Penlee Point
Penlee Point, Rame
Penlee Point is a coastal headland to the southeast of the village of Rame in southeast Cornwall, England, UK. The point lies at the entrance to Plymouth Sound.-Historical locations:...
by 1823.
- FollyFollyIn architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
1747 - an artificial ruin which replaced a navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
. It was built from stone from the churches of St. George and St. Lawrence, Stonehouse.
- Formal Gardens
From circa 1750 to 1820 - gardens in Italian, English and French styles. New Zealand, American (1989) and Jubilee Gardens (2003) have now been added.
- Garden Battery
c.1747 and 1863 - an 18th century saluting platform, originally mounted with 21 guns to greet visitors. Re-built in 1863 as part of Plymouth's Naval defences, with granite casemates for 7 large guns
- Harbour View Seat
18th century - a much damaged ornamental seat also known as White Seat, with a magnificent view north up the River Tamar.
- Higher Deer House
19th century - in the Grotton Plantation the ruins of a two storey fodder store for deer; and the ruined 18th century Pebble Seat facing south.
- Ice House
From around 1800, this ice house is situated under the bridge leading to the House. It is only open on special occasions.
- MakerMakerMaker is a village between Cawsand and Rame Head, situated on the Rame Peninsula, in Cornwall, United Kingdom.The name means a ruin in Cornish, but another Celtic name is Egloshayle, which means, the church on the estuary, a very apt description of the church's location.The village and its...
Church
First mentioned in 1186, it was enlarged in the 15th century. This is the family church of the Edgcumbes
Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
Earl of Mount Edgcumbe is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1789 for George Edgcumbe, 3rd Baron Edgcumbe. The Edgcumbe family descends from Sir Piers Edgcumbe of Cotehele in Cornwall, who acquired the Mount Edgcumbe estate near Plymouth through marriage in the early 16th...
.
- Milton's Temple
A circular temple from 1755, with a plaque inscribed with lines from Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
; overhead up grew, insuperable heights of loftiest shade......
- The OrangeryOrangeryAn orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
Situated in the Italian Garden the Orangery is thought to have been built as early as 1760. The building is now a fully licensed restaurant.
- Penlee BatteryPenlee BatteryPenlee Battery is a nature reserve lying on the coastal headland of Penlee Point on the Rame Peninsula, in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom....
1892 - the remains of a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
fort armed with 3 guns in both World Wars. A granite sculpture by Greg Powlesland, (1995), is in the nearby nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
.
- Picklecombe FortPicklecombe FortFort Picklecombe stands on the extreme south eastern coast of Cornwall, a couple of miles west of the city of Plymouth. The fort has been a residential complex since the early 1970s but has a history dating back 150 years.-Founding:...
Seat
A seat made from a doorway and enclosing a small niche with a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
at the back. The carved stone comes from the churches of St. George and St. Lawrence at Stonehouse.
- Queen AdelaideAdelaide of Saxe-MeiningenPrincess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
's Grotto
18th century cave used as a watch house, enhanced with an arched stone building after Adelaide's visit, 1827.
- Rame Church
Rebuilt from a Norman church in 1239, and enlarged in the 15th century.
- Red Seat
19th century - a ruinous rest house, sometimes called the Kiosk, which was painted red. Below is another ruined seat known as Indian Cottage or The Verandah.
- Stables
c.1850 - The stables, dairy, smithy, sawmill and stores, all essential to the running of the estate. The stables are not open to the public.
- St. Julian's Well
A very small 15th century chapel and holy well, which was restored c.1890.
- St. Michael's ChapelRame HeadRame Head is a coastal headland, southwest of the village of Rame in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom.-History and antiquities:The site was used for a hill fort in the Iron Age. The headland has a prominent chapel, dedicated to St Michael, accessible by a steep footpath...
14th century - a chapel and simple lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, with a beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
site nearby. Across the neck of the headland are the earthworks of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort.
- South West Coast PathSouth West Coast PathThe South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
This goes around the Country Park.
- Thomson's Seat
From around 1760, a Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
pavilion with seats looking across to Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England.Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point on Devon, a distance of about 3 nautical miles . Its northern limit is Plymouth Hoe giving a north-south distance of nearly 3 nautical miles...
. Verses from Thomson's "The Seasons" are inscribed on the wall.
- West Lodge and Arch
The Arch may have been built to mark the creation of the Viscount in 1781.
- Zig-Zags
The Zig-Zag walks were from the 1760s, and became famous in the 19th century as The Horrors. Intricate paths on a dramatic cliff, surrounded by exotic shrubs. The lower cliff paths and some stone seats have been lost to cliff erosion.