A Cornish gentleman's life

Tuesday 29 October 2013


I recently visited Lanhydrock House, a Jacobean stately home in Cornwall.


In some ways it was your typical grand house, with all the pre-requisites: a perfect little chapel, a stunning library with an intricate plasterwork ceiling, incredible huge kitchens with separate sections for dairy, fish, bakery etc. But what made it really special and unique was the lifestyle it conveyed.


A lost Victorian and Edwardian lifestyle of grand dinners on tables trailed with ivy, picnics on tiger rugs, and funny gentleman's clubs with name like 'The Beefsteak club'.


Lanhydrock was also interesting as it was almost completely masculine. Above is one of the few rare corners of the house that showed a rather more feminine touch.


It perfectly conveyed an Edwardian gentleman's life: bezique and whisky, Eton societies and cricket matches, hunting and billiards, and the military.


Captain Tommy was clearly a very sporting gentleman who wasn't adverse to the odd tipple. We think these Anzu cards hangover cure, and cricket would suit him perfectly.






Above Captain Tommy's dressing room. You can learn more about the house here

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