There are lots of small ferries plying the harbour in Plymouth. We decided to catch one to Cawsand and do a 4 mile walk to Edgecombe house, then catch another ferry back to Williams Yard.
It was a pleasant day to be on the water, we could see a some yachts under spinnaker racing in the distance, and there were smaller boats around us.
It was only a 30 minute ferry trip to Cawsand, but there was no pier there, the ferry just ran into the beach and put down a ramp.
This town is so quaint, and you feel you’ve stepped back in time a couple of hundred years, except for the odd car and motorboat.
Wending our way through the narrow streets we found the coastal path to Edgecombe House.
It was a really pleasant walk and we encountered a few friendly people walking their dogs, and they all had time to stop and chat. As per everything else, this place has quite a history, I won’t bore you with all the detail, but the next 50 pages should suffice to give you a good idea.
Henry VIII gave the land to the 1st Earl in 1515, and the Tudor style house was built in blah blah …………
Anyway, by the time of the 7th Earl things had changed. The house had been built to make the most of the views down the hill, over the water and across to Plymouth. It had lots of windows which made it light and airy. This was unusual for the time as most houses were built to be easily defended. It was an impressive building in its day.
Unfortunately it got bombed during the Plymouth blitz when an incendiary burnt the building leaving only the stone walls of the great hall standing.
After the war, the wing containing the great hall was rebuilt in 1958, but the rest of the house could not be restored, so now Edgecombe house is only a third of the size it once was.
The 6th Earl and his wife lived above the laundry during the rebuild period, but they died within a year of each other just before it was finished. Their eldest son had died in Dunkirk and their other son had also died so there was no male heir to take over the Earldom and the estate. After an extensive search they found a male relative who was a sheep farmer in the South Island, Edward Pierce, and he became the 7th Earl. He passed away in 2021 and the title is held by his nephew. A great Kiwi connection to the aristocracy!
Unfortunately because of high death duties, the 7th Earl had to sell the property to the Plymouth council, so now it is open to the public as a stately home.
We were shown around by Brad, a very knowledgeable guide who made it very interesting.
On our walk we came across this small shrine which we sheltered in during a shower. The tower ruin is actually a Folly, something built to look like a ruin which was a common thing in the 1700’s.
They also had dress-ups so you could take some period photos.
If you get the chance, Cawsand and Edgecombe House are worth a visit.
Traveling Further 