Lanhydrock is a late Victorian Gothic pile deep, deep down in the West Country, near Bodmin in Cornwall. But turns out it’s an easy drive from West Dorset along the A30 (at least it is out of season), skirting the top of Dartmoor and going across Bodmin Moor.
The main reason for visiting Lanhydrock is for the kitchens. The posh parts of the house are fine enough, with some lovely plaster ceilings. To be honest it’s much like many other similar grand houses.
But the kitchens are something else – if you’re into old kitchens you’re in seventh heaven from the moment you get a peek through the serving hatch.
The first, main kitchen is all high ceiling, giant ranges, enormous dressers and arrays of copper pans.
And that’s just the start, this leads deep into the inner workings of scullery, bakeroom, pastry kitchen, cold store, etc. Every thing a grand house needed to cater on a grand scale.
Scullery, with fantastic plate rack. Leading to….
Lovely blue washed walls in the bakeroom…..
…and cavernous dough bins for kneading a lot of bread.
Liking the taps and sink in the corner!
Pantry – and another lovely dresser. There’s plenty of cupboard love to be had at Lanhydrock.
And a whole room for the preparation of fancy desserts, which feels quite modern, what with those pendant lights over the central island.
Then, after a quick scoot back into the ‘upstairs’ parts of the house….
….via another fine storage solution in the Estate Office….
…there’s a peek into the servants quarters.
Which don’t seem too bad at all.