Port Eliot House is easily one of the oldest and most fascinating houses in the country. The Grade I listed house, remodelled by Sir John Soane in the 18th century, comprises of 125 rooms ranging from present opulence to past grandeur and everything in between. The property is full of treasures accumulated throughout its long history, from works by world-renowned artists to secret tunnels, as well as furnishings and décor spanning centuries.
The estate encompasses all aspects of a historic, sprawling country pile, with a 200-acre private park, an 18th-century boathouse, a Victorian orangery, a tidal estuary, and even a stone circle, all surrounded by ancient woodland. And the quintessential village of St Germans that is also part of the estate boasts a medieval cathedral, a traditional Cornish pub and a post office.
The estate features prominently in Delicious, the glossy Sky One drama starring Dawn French and Emilia Fox.
“The opportunity to film at Port Eliot for Delicious offered a remarkable range of exteriors from lush grounds to outdoor fifties swimming pool and tidal river,” enthuses producer Phillippa Giles, who has high praise for the estate. “The interiors were no less glorious with the master kitchen and conservatory restaurant providing two of the series’ iconic sets. Not to mention all the truly original nooks and crannies we found in the warren of the house that provided scope for so much else. Port Eliot with its ample space, quiet setting and stately beauty, is an outstanding example of what hidden gems Cornwall has to offer.”
