Tehidy Country Park

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Tehidy Country Park is located near Camborne, Redruth and Portreath. It was once part of a created estate that was owned by the wealthy Basset Tin mining family. Covering 250 acres, the estate was purchased by Cornwall County Council in 1983. It is one of four Country Parks in Cornwall.

The Park hosts a variety of facilities including an events field, where a range of activities are held, barbecue hire facilities in a specially designated woodland, a Summer and Winter Events Programme, outdoor education facilities, a permanent orienteering course and a Schools and Youth campsite.

Contents 1 Flora and Fauna 2 Historical Remains 3 Hospital 4 External links 5 References

[edit] Flora and Fauna

The woodland at Tehidy is composed of distinct vegetation layers. Trees such as Ash, Alder, Oak, Beech, Sycamore, Birch, Japanese Maple, Conifers and Chestnut are the tallest, most dominating trees, followed by lower growing shrubs including Holly and Hazel. Typical woodland plants such as Bluebells, Wild Garlic, Daffodils and a range of native ferns inhabit the park as well as many different varieties of Rhododendron. The park is home to, amongst others, swans, geese, rooks, jackdaws, coots , moor hens, grey squirrels, otters, and badgers.

[edit] Historical Remains

Within the boundaries of Tehidy Country Park, evidence of man's activities can be found dating back many centuries. In the North Cliffs area there is an ancient earthwork nestling in the woodland whilst in Oak wood, earth banks that were once field boundaries can still be seen. The Basset family obtained the "Manor of Tehidy" in the middle of the 12th century and much of what we see there today is the result of their activities. Many of the features created by the Bassets have now disappeared, however some relics of this great estate can still be seen.^[1]

[edit] Hospital

In the centre of the park, but now private property, is a large building which was once Tehidy Hospital (sometimes referred to as Tehidy Sanatorium). It was originally converted from the Bassett's home into an isolation hospital for patients with tuberculosis, but in later years also dealt with patients who had strokes, head injuries and various lung disorders. It closed in 1986, and has now been converted into luxury apartments. Several new luxury houses have now been built around the former hospital buildings. There is no public right of way through this section of the park.

[edit] External links

• Official Cornwall County Council Website - Tehidy Park
  
• The National Archives - Tehidy Hospital Admissions Register
• Photographs taken at Tehidy Country Park by Cornwall resident Ian Lewis - 18th July 2007
• Photographs taken at Tehidy Country Park by Cornwall resident Ian Lewis - 15th October 2007
• Photographs taken at Tehidy Country Park by Cornwall resident Ian Lewis - 18th & 19th December 2007

[edit] References

1. ^ _{Tehidy and the Bassets - By Michael Tangye ISBN 1850221634}