Trengwainton

Trengwainton is a spectacular garden in the Penzance region positioned overlooking Mount’s Bay, with fantastic views of St. Michael’s Mount and the Lizard Peninsula. Trengwainton is the Cornish name for “the settlement of spring” as the warm Gulf currents and sheltered environment make it perfect for cultivating a wide variety of plants.

The garden consists of a long and thin 98 acres full of Rhododendrons, Camellias, and Azaleas flanking the drive that leads up to the house. There are also running streams and still ponds, as well as a series of walled gardens housing a variety of unique plants and vegetable crops.

There has been a dwelling at Trengwainton since the 16^th century, and the estate belonged to the respected Cornish family Arundell during the 18^th century. In 1814, Rose Price, son of wealthy Jamaican sugar planter purchased the estate. He was soon made a baronet and began to make improvements to the house. He also began planting trees on a considerable scale and built the brick-walled gardens with their unusual sloping beds for growing food crops. The year after his death, William Wilburforce’s Emancipation Act freed the slaves working his Jamaican plantation. Since this was his only source of income, Price’s heirs were force to sell Trengwainton to pay off his debts.

T.S. Bolithos, a wealthy banker and descendent of an ancient Cornish family, bought the property in 1867. Several generations later, Sir Edward Bolitho was the first to truly transform the gardens along with his head gardener Alfred Creek. Three great Cornish plantsmen (JC Williams of Caerhays, PD Williams of Lanarth, and Canon AT Boscawen of Ludgvan) helped his efforts with advice and gifts of Rhododendrons and other shrubs.

In 1926, GH Johnstone of Trewithen and Lawrence Johnston of Hidecote Manor offered Bolitho a share in Frank Kingdon-Ward’s 1927-1928 plant-hunting expedition to north-east Assam and the Mishmi Hills in upper Burma. The seed collected from this trip provided much of the new plant material for Trengwainton, and it was through the skill of the head gardener (Creek) that these tender seedlings were raised to specimen quality. Rhododendron macabeanum, R. elliottii, R. taggianum, and R. concatenans flowered for the first time on the British Isles at Trengwainton.

Trewithen

The house at Trewithen was originally built by Philip Hawkins in 1715, and included a much smaller and older dwelling first recorded in the Doomsday Book. The Doomsday Book was completed in 1086 for William I of England (William the Conqueror) and included large scale surveys to determine how much land and livestock was owned by each individual landowner. The book became absolute law and was used to determine levels of taxation. The House was later enlarged and remodeled for Philip’s heir by the famous architect Sir Robert Taylor. The Estate has remained, through marriage, in perpetual ownership by one family for over 280 years.

At the front of the house there is a small museum housing a number of historical curios - including the only full set of horse boots in Cornwall. Horse boots were made of leather and were worn to stop hooves cutting up the lawn. As if horse boots weren’t interesting enough (ahem), the museum also houses the ‘Travelling Trees' Exhibition that details the gripping history of the Plant Hunters. Much more to my liking.

The gardens at Trewithen boast 24 Champion trees, and are renowned for their collection of Magnolias and Camellias. Also found throughout the garden is the wildflower meadow, woodland glades, exotic fern collections, treetop viewing platforms, a peaceful woodland walk, and the Sycamore Avenue. The avenue is one of the original parts of the garden, and is rumored to have a carriage horse (from the Hawkins coach which travelled between Trewithen and Trewinnard) buried under each of the trees. In 2007, the avenue was planted with 3000 Cornish bred daffodils, crocus, and scillas for a breathtaking spring display.

The nursery and plant center at Trewithen has attained international recognition due to the release of some wonderful cultivars, including Camellia ‘Trewithen Pink’, Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’, and the ever popular Ceanothus ‘Trewithen Blue.’ Many of these beautiful “Trewithen” cultivars are scattered throughout the gardens. Sadly, my camera battery died early in my tour, so to see some of these amazing displays, you will all have to come visit the gardens for yourselves!

St. Michael's Mount

During my time in the Penzance region, I toured the small town of Marazion and its wonderful island fortress, St. Michael’s Mount. The Mount has served many roles throughout its long history; it has been a port, a monastery, and a private home with the oldest parts of the building dating to the 12^th century.

When I arrived for my visit, the Mount was shrouded in dense fog, and it was not until I started my pilgrimage across the causeway and up the steps that the grandeur of the site was revealed. The surrounding mist added an ethereal quality to the experience, and hopefully made for some interesting photographs. Around every corner, the Mount was teeming with history. Most notably, the monks of the Mount lit the first signal fire warning of the invasion by the Spanish Armada in 1587. Several painting lining the hallways of the Mount beautifully detailed this historic event.

For a broader history, the “Castle Guide” gives a nice summary: “After the Norman invasion, Robert, half brother of William the Conqueror, was made Earl of Cornwall and in 1070 granted St. Michael’s Mount to the Benedictine Abbey of Mont St. Michel. In 1135, Abbot Bernard founded a church on the summit of the island. The bond between Mont and the Mount continued until 1414 when St Michaels’s Mount was appropriated as an alien property by King Henry V during the Hundred Years War with France. A small community of monks remained until 1548 and the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII.”

“As well as being a religious centre, the Mount saw sporadic military action – notably when it was captured at the end of the twelfth century, under siege during the War of the Roses, and again during the Civil War. Many of the defensive structures and gun batteries seen on the way up the Mount were built between 1642 and 1646. Following its ultimate surrender to Parliamentarian forces, Colonel John St. Aubyn was appointed Governor of the Mount. Twelve years later, he was able to buy it and his descendents live in the castle to the present day.”

“In 1954, Francis St. Aubyn, third Lord St. Levan, gave most of the island to the National trust, but retained a 999 year lease for the family to live in the castle and to show the most historic rooms to the visiting public. Today, his grandson, James St. Aubyn, lives at the Mount with his wife Mary and their four children.”

Many thanks to the former McLaren Scholar, Michael Harvey, for your friendship and for your efforts in the gardens at St. Michael’s Mount. The gardens look absolutely amazing. Also, many thanks, to Gilbert and Helen McCabe for your hospitality and friendship during my time in the Penzance region.