Merthen Manor

Coordinates: 50°05′37″N 5°10′45″W / 50.0937°N 5.1791°W / 50.0937; -5.1791

Entrance to Merthen Manor

Merthen Manor (Cornish: Merdhin, meaning sea fort) is a 16th-century manor house in west Cornwall, England, UK. For the majority of its usage it has been in the ownership of the prominent Cornish family, the Vyvyan family. The house is set in over 100 acres (40 ha) of woodland which, along with the shoreline of the Helford River, is designated as Merthen Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

History

The land of Merthen was originally part of the manor of Winnianton, which was given to Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall by his brother, Henry III, in 1225, who then swapped it with Gervase de Tintagel for Tintagel Castle.^[1] Ralph Reskymer obtained Merthen in the early part of the 15th century, and it became family seat of the Reskymers.^[2]^[3]

The current manor house is thought to have been built in 1575 by John Reskymer and his wife Grace, due to their coat of arms over the entrance, although it may originate earlier and the coat of arms are an indication a remodelling or reduction.^[2] Grace died in 1627, 10 years after her husband, and in 1629 it was sold to Sir Francis Vyvyan of Trelowarren and has remained with the family since.^[3]

In the early 19th century the house was remodelled again, and the interior was renovated in the 20th century.^[2]

Estate

In the early part of Merthen's history it was the prominent place of the parish and had a deer park.^[3]

Merthen Wood

View of Merthen Woods on the Helford River

The woods to the south of the manor house, on the banks of the Helford River, were designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1972 for their biological characteristics. The 72.2-hectare (178-acre) site is of importance due to its population of Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea). Other notable species within the woods include the nationally uncommon Bastard Balm (Melittis melissophyllum) and the nationally rare mosses Fissidens curnowii and Hookeria lucens.^[4]

The woods are home to the largest British population of Anchonidium unguiculare rare weevil, which only exist in woodland along the Helford River within Britain.^[4]

Merthen Manor today

Merthen Manor, now owned by Mary Vyvyan, is a Grade II* listed building and provides bed & breakfast accommodation in the main house and self-catering accommodation in the converted barn.^[1]^[5]

References

1 2 "List Entry: Merthen". English Heritage. 17 June 1988. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
1 2 3 "Merthen". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
1 2 3 "Merthen Manor House, Constantine". Gatehouse. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
1 2 "Merthen Wood" (PDF). Natural England. 1986. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
↑ "Merthen Manor". Merthen Manor. Retrieved 16 January 2012.

External links

Merthen Manor website

Ceremonial county of Cornwall

Cornwall Portal

Unitary authorities	Cornwall Council Council of the Isles of Scilly

Major settlements	Bodmin Bude Callington Camborne Camelford Falmouth Fowey Hayle Helston Launceston Liskeard Looe Lostwithiel Marazion Newlyn Newquay Padstow Par Penryn Penzance Porthleven Redruth Saltash St Austell St Blazey St Columb Major St Ives St Just in Penwith St Mawes Stratton Torpoint Truro Wadebridge See also: List of civil parishes in Cornwall

Rivers	Allen Camel Cober De Lank Fal Fowey Gannel Gover Hayle Helford Inny Kensey Looe Lynher Menalhyl Ottery Par Pont Pill Port Navas Red Seaton St Austell Tamar Tiddy Truro Valency

Topics	History Status debate Flag Culture Economy Places Population of major settlements Demography Notable people The Duchy Diocese Politics Schools Hundreds/shires Places of interest full list...

Penwith North Cornwall

Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Summary	Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)

Cornwall	Aire Point to Carrick Du Amble Marshes Baulk Head to Mullion Bedruthan Steps and Park Head Boconnoc Park and Woods Bodmin Moor, North Borlasevath and Retallack Moor Boscastle to Widemouth Brendonmoor Breney Common Bude Coast Cabilla Manor Wood Caerthillian to Kennack Carnkief Pond Carrick Heaths Carricknath Point to Porthbean Beach Carrine Common & Penwethers Chyenhal Moor Cligga Head Coombe Mill Coverack to Porthoustock Crow's Nest Crowhill Valley Dozmary Pool Draynes Wood East Lizard Heathlands Eglarooze Cliff Gerrans Bay to Camels Cove Godrevy Head to St Agnes Goonhilly Downs Goss and Tregoss Moors Greenamoor Greenscoombe Wood, Luckett Grimscott Gwithian to Mexico Towans Hayle Estuary & Carrack Gladden Kelsey Head Kennack to Coverack Kernick and Ottery Meadows Loe Pool Loggans Moor Lower Bostraze and Leswidden Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal Lymsworthy Meadows Lynher Estuary Malpas Estuary Marazion Marsh Meddon Moor Meneage Coastal Section Merthen Wood Minster Church Mullion Cliff to Predannack Cliff Nance Wood Newlyn Downs Ottery Valley Park Wood Penhale Dunes Pentire Peninsula Phoenix United Mine Plymouth Sound Shores And Cliffs Polruan to Polperro Polyne Quarry Porthgwarra to Pordenack Point Rame Head & Whitsand Bay Red Moor Redlake Meadows & Hoggs Moor Retire Common River Camel Valley and Tributaries Rock Dunes Rosemullion Rosenannon Bog and Downs St Austell Clay Pits St John's Lake St Nectan's Glen Steeple Point to Marsland Mouth Swanpool Sylvia's Meadow Talland Barton Tamar–Tavy Estuary Tintagel Cliffs Treen Cliff Tregonetha & Belowda Downs Tregonning Hill Trehane Barton Trelow Downs Trevose Head and Constantine Bay Upper Fal Estuary and Woods Upper Fowey Valley Ventongimps Moor West Cornwall Bryophytes West Lizard

Isles of Scilly	Annet Big Pool and Browarth Point Castle Down (Tresco) Chapel Down Eastern Isles Great Pool Gugh Higher Moors and Porth Hellick Pool Lower Moors Norrard Rocks Peninnis Head Pentle Bay, Merrick And Round Islands Plains and Great Bay Pool Of Bryher & Popplestone Bank Rushy Bay and Heathy Hill Samson Shipman Head & Shipman Down St Helen's St Martin's Sedimentary Shore Teän Western Rocks White Island Wingletang Down

Neighbouring areas Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

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