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Just a few miles from Newquay, the UK’s most famous surfing location and home to the lively Boardmasters music festival, is a quaint little National Trust property.
Trerice National Trust
Trerice is a small, peaceful, and pleasant place to visit, often quieter than the larger National Trust (NT) sites around Cornwall, and a world away from places such as Waddesdon Manor.
The house is a well-preserved Elizabethan estate that’s been in the care of the National Trust since 1953.
Several families have had guardianship of the estate.
The estate was inherited by the Arundell family through marriage around 700 years ago, where in 1572, John Arundell V began building the house you see today.
Fast forward to 1675, Trerice saw another transfer through marriage to the Aclands, although they never lived there.
Sir Thomas Dyke Acland only stayed during his political visits into the county and used the Great Hall to entertain his guests around the enormous table.
Initially tenants of the last private owners, the Elton family took over the Trerice tenancy when the NT bought the place in 1953.
John Elton paid to repair the roof and remaining parts of Trerice and rebuilt the fallen North Wing, intending to create a comfortable family home.
What’s at Trerice National Trust?
- The house – you’ll find a well-preserved Elizabethan manor house with a unique character inside and a lovely Dutch gable outside. Although it’s not that big, there are plenty of points of interest, including the Great Hall (and the Great Hall window containing 576 tiles of 16th- to 19th-century glass), the Long Gallery, a 300-year-old longcase clock, fancy decorative plasterwork, and an intricately carved Tudor bed, to name a few.
- Gardens and grounds – the grounds are small, but wonderfully peaceful and well-kept. In the grounds, you’ll find the Elizabethan-inspired knot garden, wooden summerhouse, lawn, apple orchard and meadow, called the mowhay.
- Barn Cafe – a National Trust site wouldn’t be complete without a cafe!
- Shopping – if you fancy some shopping, there’s a well curated shop, selling plenty of National Trust items, along with a few local goodies, and there’s also a second-hand book shop tucked away around the back.
Visitor Information
📍 Trerice National Trust, Kestle Mill, Newquay, TR8 4PG
💷 Paid entry, but free for National Trust members
🕙 Not open year round, check for correct opening times
📞 01637 875404
Photos of Trerice
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