ARISTOCRATIC families are renowned for their eccentric behaviour when it comes to owning pets but few, it seems, can match the Edgcumbes of East Cornwall, writes Colin Bradley.

Sir Richard, the 1st Baron of Edgcumbe, was so devoted to his dog that he had none other than Sir Joshua Reynolds paint the two of them together. And when the canine died, its skeleton was mounted in a case, which was kept on display inside the estate's English Garden House.

His distraught master would often visit and talk to the remains of the pooch, but after they were removed – probably to the family's dog cemetery at Fern Dell – ghostly scratching noises were apparently heard, as if the dog was trying to get back to the house.

Years later Emma Gilbert, the wife of Sir George, the 1st Earl, kept a pig called Cupid, whose life of luxury included sharing meals at the dining table with his mistress and even accompanying her on trips to London.

But when her cherished companion died in 1768, the countess is said to have buried the animal in a gold casket beneath an obelisk she supposedly had erected to celebrate his life.

An ode was specially written to help the grieving countess – the daughter of an archbishop – get over the loss. Written by a Kingsbridge man, it read:

Oh dry those tears so round and big

Nor waste in sight your precious wind

Death only takes a little pig

Your Lord and Son are still behind.

That the Countess was devoted to her pet porker there can be no doubt, but exactly where the animal was finally laid to rest is still a mystery, according to Plymouth writer and photographer Derek Tait, whose latest book focuses in on Mount Edgcumbe and the family who lived there for more than 400 years.

The author says it is known that Fern Dell once contained an urn that commemorated Cupid, but the object has since disappeared.

"It is recorded that Cupid was buried there and this was noted by George II and Queen Charlotte on one of their visits to Mount Edgcumbe," he says. "On reportedly seeing Cupid's headstone, the King turned to the Queen and remarked, 'It's the family vault, Charley! The family vault!'

"It would appear that Cupid was buried somewhere where his grave was marked with a plaque. Perhaps he is still there, but Fern Dell was laid out between 1789 and 1820 – and the earlier date is some 21 years after Cupid died."

To add to the confusion, the obelisk was originally sited where the estate's folly – built of medieval stone from the churches of St George and St Lawrence in Stonehouse – now stands and overlooks Drake's Island. But the artificial ruin was erected in 1747 – more than 40 years before Cupid died. And the obelisk had already collapsed when the work to build the folly got under way.

Today the 50ft obelisk stands on a different site on a hill behind the Mount Edgcumbe Arms and has been used by countless captains as a navigational aid over the years. It was moved there around the same time that Cupid died.

"Some sources suggest that the obelisk was erected in its current position by Timothy Brett, a former Commissioner of the Navy, in honour of his friend, George, the 3rd Baron Edgcumbe," says the author.

"But there is no plaque on the monument to say who it is dedicated to and it has probably seen better days. It's hard to imagine now that it once stood where the folly stands.

"The date '1st July 1867' is carved into the base of the obelisk and beside the date is the name 'R F Crowther'. This mystery has been solved for a Richard Crowther was in training during the 1860s on the boy's training ship HMS Impregnable, which was moored off Cremyll.

"One day Richard wandered towards the obelisk from the ship armed with a hammer and chisel and left the inscription and date. He was born in 1853 so would have been 14 years old in 1867 when he left his mark.

"Cupid's remains may or may not be buried beneath the Obelisk, but please don't go looking for them."

The book is an entertaining guide round the great Cornish estate whose history began way back in the early 16th century when the Edgcumbe family of Cotehele were given permission to empark deer on land beside the River Tamar. Soon after – between 1547 and 1553 – they added a new home to the deer park.

Over the years many famous people visited, including Captain James Cook, Dr Samuel Johnson and the actor David Garrick. Samuel Pepys, who came in 1683, described Mount Edgcumbe as " a most beautiful place as ever was seen".

During the Second World War the house was gutted by enemy action and many of the family's possessions were destroyed. It was said that both Adolf Hitler and Herman Goering had earmarked the magnificent property as their country retreat were they to win the war, so neither would have been best pleased when it was bombed in 1941.

The house was left a shell until 1958 when the 6th Earl began the task of rebuilding it. Then in 1971 the house, along with 865 acres, were sold to Cornwall County and Plymouth City Councils and since 1988 have been open to the public regularly.

"It's a wonderful place and there is probably nowhere like it anywhere else in the world," says the author.

"During Victorian and Edwardian times it was open to the public every Monday and proved to be very popular. Boats would be leased from Stonehouse Creek for 6d an hour and people would row across for the day. There was a tea room at Lady Emma's Cottage, which was named after the daughter of the 2nd Earl. It entertained thousands over the years. Today, Mount Edgcumbe is just as popular and beautiful as ever."

Copies of the book can be obtained direct from the author (add £2.50 P&P) at PO Box 7, West Park, Plymouth PL5 2YS.