Historic Cornish manor house sold to the National Trust

Savills have announced that Godolphin House, near Helston, Cornwall, has been sold to the National Trust. Savills acted on behalf of the Schofield family, who have lived at Godolphin since 1936.

Godolphin House is a unique historical treasure, built on the site of an earlier castle or fortified manor house in 1475 and later altered in 1630. The wealth of the Godolphin family was founded on nearby tin and copper mines which enabled them to build a house of unique standing in this part of Cornwall. The surrounding area today is designated as the: ‘Cornish Mining’ World Heritage Site and contains evidence of the earliest tin and copper mines on the country.

During the 16th and 17th centuries Godolphin was regarded as the most fashionable house in Cornwall. The gently terraced gardens, laid out in ‘compartments’, are miraculous survivors from the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is extremely rare to find gardens that have not been radically altered over the centuries due to changing fashions and the gardens at Godolphin must be considered of international importance.

Godolphin is one of Cornwall’s most romantic old houses, with elements from the late fifteenth or early sixteenth centuries. The particular fine and unusual north front is dominated by massive granite pillars and is an iconic image of Cornish architecture.

Mark Syrett, director of Savills in Cornwall, who acted for the Schofield family, said: “The sale represents a very fair and reasonable solution for the Schofield family who are delighted that the National Trust has acquired Godolphin House so that both the house and surrounding land are now in the trust’s ownership”.

Mark Harold, Regional Director for Devon and Cornwall, said: “Today is a historic day for the Trust as it takes on the care of this beautiful old property from the ownership of the Schofield family, who have sensitively nurtured Godolphin through much of the twentieth century. In terms of the property’s historical significance, the Trust has not acquired such an important building or garden in Cornwall since the 1960s".

The National Trust is launching an appeal for £500,000 to help them maintain and continue with restoration and conservation work at Godolphin.