Tehidy

Coordinates: 50°14′31″N 5°18′18″W / 50.242°N 5.305°W / 50.242; -5.305

Tehidy House, Illogan, near Camborne, Cornwall, depicted circa 1900. This is the neo-classical house re-built 1861–63 by John Francis Basset (1831–1869). Collection of Cornish Studies Library, Cornwall Centre, Redruth

Tehidy House photographed circa 1916

Tehidy House photographed circa 1916

Tehidy House, Palladian building started in 1734 by John Pendarves Basset (1713–1739) and completed in about 1740 by his brother Francis Basset (d.1769). Demolished c. 1861 for re-building in neo-classical style by John Francis Basset (1831–1869)

Tehidy, depiction of a public celebration circa 1800

Tehidy Country Park is located on the north coast of Cornwall about 2 miles north of Camborne, 2 miles west of Redruth, and about 1 mile south of the small harbour of Portreath. It was once part of an ancient manor owned by the Basset family which later gained much wealth from local tin mining.

Covering 250 acres (1.0 km²), 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.

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 (Allium triquetrum), 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.

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]

House

The Basset family owned the estate since Norman times and obtained the manor of Tehidy in the middle of the 12th century when William Basset married Cecilia, the heiress of the great house of de Dunstanville. Tehidy was originally known as 'Tehidin' in the 12th −13th centuries, derived from the Cornish language 'ti', meaning house, followed by a personal name. By 1330 a substantial building existed under William Basset but during the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 it was dismantled by a group of rebels under Richard Pendyne of Pendeen in revenge for John Basset's (then Sheriff of Cornwall) loyalty to the Crown. In 1734 a large mansion was commenced by John Pendarves Basset and in 1739 Francis Basset took possession of the estate and the almost completed house. The old mansion remained until 1861 when John Francis Basset commenced a rebuild from vast income from mining and land rents (during 1860–61 his income from Dolcoath mine and the Basset mines amounted to £20,000) and the new house was complete by 1863. By 1882 Arthur Basset had inherited the estate but due to diminished income from the mining industry it was becoming increasingly difficult to finance the estate. In 1915 the mansion was vacated and after 700 years of Basset ownership, the estate was sold in 1916. In 1918 the house became a hospital for tuberculosis sufferers. On 23 February 1919 the house was destroyed by fire but by January 1922 had been completely rebuilt.^[2]

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 Bassets' home into an isolation hospital for patients with tuberculosis, but in later years also dealt with patients who had strokes, head injuries and various respiratory disorders. Like many old TB Hospitals there were several wards distributed throughout the extensive grounds and the operating theatre was refurbished in the early 1980s although was never reopened. Over the years most of the wards closed and finally the hospital shut completely in April 1988, 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.

Basset family lineage

Senior line

The Heraldic Visitations of Devon gives the Basset lineage thus:^[3]

• William I Basset of Ippesden, Oxfordshire, was the son of John I Basset of Ippesden.^[4] He married Cecilia de Dunstanville^[5] and obtained Tehidy Manor c. 1150^[6]
• Alan I Basset (son), married Lucia Peverell, from whom he inherited the Devon manor of Whitechapel^[7]
• Alan II Basset, (son) married the daughter of Sir Andrew Haccombe.^[8]
• Sir Lawrence Basset, (son) married Hawisia Mallet, daughter of Sir Ralph Mallet.^[9]
• William II Basset (d.1304) (son) of Tehidy, married Alice Wallis, daughter of Sir John Wallis.^[10]
• Sir William III Basset (1300–1340) (son). Sheriff of Cornwall 1312, 1332 and 1334.^[11] On 23 July 1330 a licence to crenellate Tehidy was granted by the king to Willielmus Basset.^[12][13] He married Johanna de Bottreaux, daughter of Sir William de Bottreaux.^[14]
• Sir William IV Basset (d.1384) (son), married Margaret Fleming, daughter of Sir Simon Fleming.^[15]
• John II Basset (1374–1463) of Tehidy, (son), Sheriff of Cornwall 1449, married Johanna Beaumont, daughter of Sir Thomas Beaumont and heiress of Umberleigh and Heanton Punchardon in Devon.
• Sir John III Basset (1441–1485) (son) of Tehidy, married Elizabeth Budockshyde, daughter of Thomas Budockshyde.^[16]
• Sir John Bassett (1462–1529) (son) of Umberleigh, Sheriff of Devon 1524.^[17]
• John Basset (1520–1542) (eldest son)
• Sir Arthur Basset (d.1586) (son) of Umberleigh. He gave the manor of Tehidy to his uncle George Basset (d.1580), MP for Bossiney^[18]
• Sir Robert Basset (d.1641) (son) of Umberleigh
• Arthur Basset (1598–1673) (son)
• John Basset (1630–1660) (son) of Umberleigh and Heanton Punchardon
• John Basset (1653–1686) (son), of Umberleigh
• John Basset (d.1721) (son) of Umberleigh and Heanton Punchardon
• John Basset (1714–1758) (son)
• Col. Francis Basset (c.1740–1802) of Heanton Court. Last in the male line. The name and arms of Basset and the family estates were adopted and inherited by the descendants of his sister Eleanor's husband John Davie of Orleigh.

Junior line

• George Basset (d.1580), 2nd son of Sir John Bassett (d. 1529) of Umberleigh and Tehidy. He was MP for Bossiney in Cornwall and was given the manor of Tehidy by his nephew Sir Arthur Basset (d.1586) of Umberleigh, eldest son of his elder brother John Basset (d. 1541) of Umberleigh and Tehidy.
  • James Basset, died 1603 (married Jane, daughter of Sir Francis Godolphin)
• Sir Francis Basset, died 1645 (married Anne, daughter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny)
• John Basset, died 1656
• Francis Basset
• Francis Basset, died 1721
• John Pendarves Basset, died 1739
• Francis Basset (1715–1769) MP for Penryn
• Sir Francis Basset, died 1835 – (son was John Basset – MP for Helston)
• Frances Basset, 2nd Baroness Basset, died 1855
• John Francis Basset
• Arthur Basset
• Gustavus Lambert Basset – in 1872 Gustavus Basset of Tehidy Park was quoted as the fifth largest landowner in Cornwall with 16,969 acres (68.67 km²).^[19]
• Arthur Francis Basset, born 1873 – moved to Crewkerne in 1915, then to the Lodge House of Hatfield House and later to London

See also

• Baron Basset
• Great Cornish families
• Basset family

References

External links

• Official Cornwall County Council Website – Tehidy Park
• The National Archives – Tehidy Hospital Admissions Register