The history of Porthcothan House is unclear. It is also not known who built and extended what Cornwall Life describes as “a small manor house” in size and style on top of the hill overlooking Porthcothan Bay with nothing between it and America over 3,000 miles away but the Atlantic. What is certain is that it is inextricably linked from the mid 18th Century with two noble Cornish families – the Peters of Harlyn and Hoblyns of Colquite (as shown in photo above) and the marriages over two centuries between these families and the Peters and Hoblyns of Porthcothan.
The Peters of Harlyn acquired Harlyn House (2 miles north) by the marriage in 1632 of Thomas Peter to Elizabeth Michell, daughter and heir of Henry Michell of Harlyn (the last surviving male of his line, whose ancestor had accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his voyage round the world). It was held by them until 1856 when John Peter, having no heir, sold the 1,300 acre estate to the Helyer family. The manor house was sold in 2017, restored and is now a luxury 5 Star hotel and restaurant managed by the Pig group.
John Peter of Harlyn (b 1659), grandson of Thomas Peter of Harlyn and Treator (imprisoned by Cromwell for many years) inherited ‘Percothen’. He died in 1733 and left three sons: Henry, William (whose father-in-law was chaplain to Queen Anne) and Jonathan Peter of Porthcothan.
In 1747 Jonathan Peter’s son, Samuel Peter of Porthcothan, married Sarah Hoblyn of Colquite, his cousin. Sarah was the only child and heir of Edward Hoblyn of Penhargard & Colquite which had been acquired in 1656. Thus the manor of Colquite, owned in the Domesday survey by Robert Count of Mortain (William the Conqueror’s half brother), passed into the families of Peter of Harlyn and Porthcothan.
When Sarah Hoblyn of Colquite died in 1803 she left her estate to her second son Deeble Peter of Porthcothan. In his will dated 19th July 1832 he left Colquite to his nephew Deeble Peter, youngest son of Hoblyn Peter of Percothen, with a direction that any beneficiary should include the surname of Hoblyn as well as Peter. Deeble Peter died unmarried in 1864 and the manor went to his nephew John Harris Peter who also assumed the name and arms of Hoblyn and died in 1871. Colquite then passed to his second son Cyril Onslow Peter-Hoblyn and, on his death in 1896, to his brother H. G. Peter-Hoblyn (d 1956), father of the present owner. Little remains of the original manor house today.
Porthcothan House was bought by the present owners in 1999. It had been neglected for over 70 years and was in a very sad state throughout. Its proximity to a family beach in a popular part of Cornwall, views, proportions and character were exceptional and over the following 5 years it was painstakingly restored using traditional materials and reinstating or replicating as many of original features as possible. During the process a number of hidden features were uncovered such as a concealed bedroom window, an inglenook fireplace and a water well in the back hall. An extension was built at right angles to the original building to make the most of the light and wonderful views and leave all of the front facing first floor rooms as bedrooms. The result is “a house with a lovely atmosphere, space and light that makes the most of its prominent position” (Cornwall Life 2011 “Rescued and Restored”).
