Discover Antony: Antony House, Gardens and River Views

Antony combines a historic mansion with extensive gardens, parkland and landscapes along the Lynher Estuary. Those wishing to combine culture and nature on their holiday will find a variety of impressions here: interiors retaining the character of the early 18th century, garden areas with changing forms, and river views where the landscape and its wildlife can be observed.

Antony House and its Historic Rooms

The interior of Antony House retains much of its early 18th-century character. The hall and the main rooms on the ground floor are panelled in oak, giving the visit a distinct historical atmosphere. The rooms contain 18th-century furniture and tapestries, miniatures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, family portraits and mementoes. There is also 18th- and 19th-century pottery from the J. P. Morgan Collection.

There are also notable reminders of the past outside the house. The round stone dovecote at Antony is an early 18th-century building and is listed Grade II*. It was formerly used to supply the kitchen and decorate the garden. The history of the estate goes back further: the land on which Antony House stands has been owned by the Carew family since the 15th century. In 1718, master mason John Moyle agreed to construct the shell of Antony House. In 1792, Humphry Repton was commissioned to prepare a landscape design for Antony.

Gardens, Parkland and the Lynher

The registered landscape at Antony includes approximately 30 hectares of gardens and pleasure grounds, as well as around 100 hectares of parkland and woodland. This creates not one uniform garden space, but an interplay of different garden scenes. Formal terraces and lawns lie beside the house, while informal pleasure grounds and woodland gardens create different perspectives and moods.

The landscape garden includes a formal garden with topiary, modern sculptures and a historic daylily collection. Antony Woodland Garden runs along the edge of the Lynher Estuary and is recognised as an International Camellia Garden of Excellence. Along the Lynher, there are river views where herons, cormorants, brent geese and oystercatchers can be observed. Riverside paths and higher ground such as Jupiter Point also offer views across the river to the keep of Trematon Castle and to Ince Castle.

A Day Trip Destination with Different Rhythms

Antony can be experienced in different ways depending on your interests. Visitors interested in culture can focus on the interiors, collections and historic buildings. Those who prefer being outdoors can shape their day around the gardens, parkland and landscape along the Lynher. For children, there is a natural play area with branches and collected natural materials for building dens, as well as a storytelling area. This allows shared discoveries outdoors to alternate with quieter moments and cultural impressions.

When looking for a holiday let or holiday home, you can therefore keep Antony in mind as a destination for a trip centred on culture and gardens. The key consideration is whether you would mainly like to include the rooms of Antony House, the garden landscape, the river views or the facilities for children in your stay.

Visitor Information

The main car park for Antony House is 250 yards from the Welcome Point. Antony House is also approximately 2 miles on foot from the ferry terminal in Torpoint. These two details help you plan your arrival and organise your day as you wish, without treating the different areas of the estate as a single circular route.

More Local Pages

For additional travel ideas, you can also look at Mawnan Smith, Polperro, Lostwithiel, Pendeen, Saint Cleer, Probus, North Tamerton and Porthallow.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cornwall.