Godolphin

About Godolphin

Godolphin is a Grade I listed Tudor and Stuart house of grey granite near Godolphin Cross, about 5 miles north-west of Helston. It is all that remains of a much larger mansion, the home of the Godolphin family, who made their fortune from tin mining and became one of the leading families of West Cornwall.

The house stands at the heart of a 500-acre estate within the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. Today the house, garden and estate are cared for by the National Trust.

History

Built on tin

The family name began as Godolghan. Alexander of Godolghan appears in court records around 1284 in disputes over tin-rich land, and the family had a manor house on the site in medieval times. In the late 1400s John Godolphin and his son, also John, pulled down the old family home and built a new house facing a different way. It forms the core of the buildings you see today.

As the tin money grew, so did the house. Sir William Godolphin, who served Henry VIII, made major changes in the 16th century, and more were added in the 1630s. At its height the house had three wings around a central courtyard, and by 1689 it had around 100 rooms.

The Lord Treasurer

Sir William's grandson, Sidney Godolphin, was Lord Treasurer to Queen Anne from 1702 to 1710, and was responsible for financing the Duke of Marlborough's wars. He was made the 1st Earl of Godolphin in 1706. He spent very little time at Godolphin, and his son, the 2nd Earl, spent even less.

Decline and rescue

Through the marriage of Lady Mary Godolphin, the 2nd Earl's daughter, to Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds, the estate passed to the Dukes of Leeds in 1786. They never lived here. Around 1805 large parts of the house were pulled down, including the 16th-century hall, and the stone was reused for farm buildings. What was left became a farmhouse.

The land was farmed by tenants until 1920, when the 10th Duke of Leeds sold it to the sitting tenant. In 1937 the Schofield family bought Godolphin and spent decades restoring it, first opening the house to visitors in 1957. The National Trust bought the wider estate in 2000 and the house, garden and farmyard in 2007.

Inside the House

Look out for the 16th-century chimneypiece in the Entrance Hall and the linenfold panelling and early 16th-century carved beams in the Dining Room. Across the yard, the Elizabethan stables date from around 1600.

Garden & Estate

The garden still follows much of its medieval and Tudor layout. On the north and east sides of the house you can find raised walks, walled areas and carp ponds.

Beyond the garden, footpaths cross the estate and climb Godolphin Hill. From the top there are views over West Cornwall to both coasts, past Bronze Age field systems and old tin-mine workings.

Visiting Information

Opening times, admission prices and facility availability change seasonally — please confirm details on the official National Trust site before your visit. Hero image: inner courtyard, Godolphin House — Photo © Derek Voller (cc-by-sa/2.0).