Tregothnan Estate // Truro

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Tregothnan Gatehouse - Tresillian
Tregothnan Gatehouse - Tresillian

England's only tea estate, the Tregothnan Estate has been growing tea in the Cornish countryside since 2005. It now plants a staggering 20,000 new tea bushes each year, taking advantage of Cornwall's extraordinary climate to produce the nation's favourite drink, and one usually more closely associated with the tropics. Their tea has been served to the presidents of France and the United States, as well as the British Prime Minister and other diplomats.

The Tregothnan Estate's knowledge of the tea bush – part of the camellia family – goes back much further than 2005, at least two centuries in fact. As a result, it is home to not one but two Royal Horticultural Society National Collections of ornamental camellias.

Come and see all their hard work for yourself with a tour of the gardens, before sitting down to an indulgent Cornish cream tea. Alternatively, head to the state-of-the-art tea bar for a tasting comparison of some of the world's greatest teas – including that grown just a few meters away in Tregothnan itself.