Antony House was built between 1711-1721 for Sir William Carew, whose family had owned the estate since 1492.
The house stands on an isolated peninsular bounded by the estuaries of the Rivers Tamar and Lyner to the east and north and by the sea to the south.
The building consists of a central a two-storey block faced with silver-grey stone and two brick wings joined by colonades. Apart from the addition of a 19th century porch the house has not been altered since.
Unlike many country houses Antony was spared the modernisation of the Victorian period. Antony House is exceptional for the quality of its furnishings.
The rooms are panelled in Dutch oak and some contain the original 18th century furniture. They also display some fine china, tapestries, embroideries and many interesting portraits.
Antony House has paintings and treasures belonging to the generations of the Carew family who lived at the estate before this house was built and those who have lived there since.
The splendid collection of portraits includes work by Reynolds and a painting of Charles I at his trial. A portrait of Richard Carew, a historian and author of the 'Survey of Cornwall' who inherited the estate in 1564 faces Charles across the entrance hall.
Antony's superb 25 acre landscaped garden is partly the work of Humphry Repton who swept away the formal parterres to the north of the house in the late 18th century. The topiary and yew hedges are the work Mr Pole Carew who redesigned the garden in 1800.
Lawns sweep down to the River Tamar. There are many species of indigenous and exotic trees and a collection of camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias and other flowering shrubs.
The garden contains a collection of stone carvings from the North West Frontier of India and a temple bell from Burma brought back to Antony House by General Sir Reginald Pole-Carew. There is also a natural woodland of 50 acres bordering the estuary of the River Lynher.
Antony House was given to the National Trust in 1961 by Sir John Carew Pole. The gardens are in the care of Carew Pole Garden Trust.
2009: House & Garden: 1Apr-28May & Sep-29Oct 13:00-17:00 Tue-Thu; 2Jun-31Aug 13:00-17:00 Tue-Thur & Sun. Woodland garden:Mar-Oct11:00-17:30 Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun. Open BankHol Mons. Last entry 30min before close.
Tel: 01752 812191 Antony House Website
