James Tillie, who served as land agent to the nearby estate of Sir John Coryton, built Pentillie in 1698. When Sir John died in mysterious circumstances, Tillie married his widow, joining the two estates and considerably improving his wealth. He had grandiose ideas of himself and commissioned a statue of his likeness to stand outside the castle.
When Tillie himself died he asked to be interred in a purpose-built mausoleum at Pentillie so he would be ready for his resurrection.
A statue of him still remains in the mausoleum. In 1809 William Wilkins remodelled Pentillie into a commanding castle fit for its location over the Tamar Valley, see picture on right of the imposing castle.
Today the estate is managed by the latest generation of the Coryton family who are keen to preserve the magic of Pentillie for centuries to come. During the most recent restoration of the mausoleum, the Coryton have
uncovered even more of the fascinating history.
