This house and garden isn't usually open to the public but today there was an Open garden at Trenarth in support of www.cornwallheritagetrust.org.
We had a fascinating (if VERY wet!) garden group tour with the owner, Lucie Nottingham, who bought the property over thirty years ago. During her tour, she said that she had designed the gardens to have little 'jokes' and humorous spots hidden away for explorers to find.
This old postbox is in the tiny sheltered walled courtyard garden. The wall opposite is part of the oldest building in the property. Above the arched door is a lead plaque dated 1658 with the motto 'GOD GIVETH STRENGTH' together with the Trenarth and Trefusis family arms.
Under the building is the cellar, doorway open to the courtyard, and they have protected Lesser Horseshoe bats, rare Natterer's bats and swallows all nesting there. So only the expert 'carer' can enter at this time to check that they're all OK.
It was a fascinating place to visit but we will have to wait another year before we have a chance to visit on the next open day.
It is and made all the more special by the fact that it's a private garden and house so public visits are very rare. I wish we could have spent longer there but the rain was coming down steadily, we were getting very wet and the temporary tea room in the conservatory was already packed :-\
