Caerhays Castle South Cornwall

On the hills above the gentle crescent of Porthluney Beach, this crenellated country mansion was originally built for the Trevanions and later remodelled under the guidance of John Nash (who designed Buckingham Palace and Brighton Pavilion). The house is still a private residence, and is open for guided tours in spring, while the gardens are worth visiting for their wonderful displays of camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias. A WWII pillbox can still be seen on the right-hand side of the beach. The house is on a narrow road between Portholland and Gorran Churchtown; it’s reasonably well signposted, but you might find a map comes in handy.