Location

The Trenarth Manor estate lies south of Falmouth near the Helford River in south Cornwall.

The North Helford area stretches along the north bank of the beautiful Helford River and separates the Helford River from Falmouth. The area is knitted together by the charming villages of Mawnan Smith, Constantine, Port Navas, Durgan and Helford Passage, together with wooded creeks, rolling farmland, not forgetting the wonderful gardens of Trebah and Glendurgan. Nearby Port Navas has its own yacht club with restaurant and once home to the Duchy Oyster Farm, a historic stone quay sits opposite the house and plays host to the annual Port Navas Regatta.

The Helford River itself has deep-water moorings and an active sailing club. There are two local waterside pubs; the thatched Shipwrights pub on the south side of the river and the Ferry Boat Inn on the nearer north side. Much of the countryside surrounding the Helford Estuary is owned by the National Trust and is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, flush with an endless number of beautiful creek-side and coastal walks.

The nearby village of Mawnan Smith has excellent day-to-day amenities include public house, doctors surgery, garage, convenience stores, village hall and a primary school.

Constantine has also has its own primary school and provides a good range of shops and amenities, including the renowned Constantine Stores wine merchants, whilst the port and university town of Falmouth is close at hand with its sandy beaches and yacht marinas. About an hour’s drive, Newquay airport has regular flights to London while in Truro - approximately half an hour’s drive, there are independent prep' and secondary schools and a mainline station with overnight sleeper service to London Paddington.

Description

A fine Grade II listed country estate with origins in the 13th century, Trenarth sits in a serene, elevated position above the Helford River. Reached via a long private drive, the estate extends to over 35 acres, offering uninterrupted views and seclusion. With its main house, cottages, outbuildings, gardens and extensive land, it is a rare and exceptionally private holding with significant lifestyle and future potential.
Centred around an atmospheric Elizabethan courtyard, the main house spans 10,847 sq ft of beautifully proportioned, character-rich accommodation. Originally a 16th century granite farmhouse, it later received a Georgian southwest facing façade and a series of 18th and 19th century additions, creating a harmonious blend of vernacular and classical architecture. Historic features include sash windows, fireplaces, a fanlight and an elegant staircase. The interiors offer excellent scope for sensitive enhancement while retaining the house’s heritage.
The ground floor provides large and flexible reception areas: an impressive entrance hall, family kitchen, a remarkable 17th century refectory with stone mullioned windows, granite inglenook and slate floor, drawing room, TV room, study, dining room and garden room. Upstairs, a generous landing leads to the principal suite and two further ensuite bedrooms, all with high ceilings and lovely garden views. A secondary staircase rises to the southeast “granny wing” with a further ensuite bedroom and study. The East Cottage, currently a self contained one bedroom annexe with external access, could be reintegrated to provide two additional bedrooms. Below the house are utility rooms, cellars, storage areas and the ground source heat pump.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS
The estate enjoys outstanding privacy within beautifully maintained gardens and grounds. Historically centred on productive horticulture, the 18thcentury listed walls once enclosed fruit and vegetable gardens, with three orchards recorded in the 19th century. Early landscaping survives in a lone Monterey pine and traces of an avenue. By the mid20th century the estate supported a horticultural enterprise growing cut flowers, evidenced by remnants of old greenhouses. In the 1960s the gardens evolved further with new orchards, yew hedged garden rooms, terraces and shelter belts. Over the last 28 years the gardens have expanded to 3–4 acres while retaining their strong structural framework.
Today they include the sheltered 16th century courtyard, formal walled gardens, orchard and vegetable patch, supported by the area’s mild climate which allows abundant and diverse planting. Recent enhancements feature a gravel garden with granite and palms, a bog garden (“Paget’s Puddle”), a beech walk, parkland and children’s play areas, along with imaginative seating and viewpoints. The gardens enjoy far reaching vistas and have long been opened for the NGS and local charities. Their creation is profiled in Secret Gardens of Cornwall (2023).
Beyond the gardens, fields and woodland extend down to Trenarth Bridge on a creek of the Helford River. The grounds measure approximately 33.84 acres (13.69 ha).
COTTAGES AND OUTBUILDINGS
Behind the main house sits a collection of converted barns forming five letting cottages. Stable Wing, The Lodge and Range Cottage occupy a large L shaped 18th century barn, while The Old Piggery and Old Farm Office are detached. All are arranged around a courtyard with a garage and a four bay outbuilding/workshop.
A short distance away, accessed via its own drive, is a disused detached bungalow in a beautiful setting, with recently lapsed planning consent to replace it with a substantial four bedroom home enjoying exceptional views across designated National Landscape (formerly AONB) countryside.
LOT 2
Additional land and woodland extending to 86.24 acres (34.90 ha) is available by separate negotiation.
LOT 3
At the top of the drive, with independent access from Trenarth Lane, is a glasshouse of about 100 ft within 0.43 acres (0.17 ha). In need of renovation, it offers potential for redevelopment into a separate dwelling subject to consents and is also available separately.

Directions

Directions: From Falmouth/Penryn: Follow Hillhead Road for Mawnan Smith and Constantine. After passing through Argal Crossroads and the hamlet of Lamanva, fork left for Constantine just before Treverva. Follow this road for about a mile, turning left at High Cross Garage by the grass triangle. Fork right off this lane after about 50 yards and follow to Trenarth Manor.

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POSTCODE: TR11 5JN