Bucolic beauty in a Cornish setting
THERE are many Cornwalls. There’s the one of Celtic myths, Arthurian legends, castles and runes; the one of bohemian creativity, of Barbara Hepworth and Tate St Ives; the Cornwall of surfing and beach parties; and the Cornwall of lonely landscapes, remote fishing villages and, er, pasties.
Nowadays there’s Cornwall for the modern sophisticate too: designer hotels, fashionable restaurants and gorgeous spas have been opening there at a rate of knots.
All of which means that, as a rural place to live, it’s as varied and amenable as you want it to be, and as beautiful as anywhere in the British isles. You just have to find the right property.
Hamatethy, a south facing manor house on the North Cornish coast, is a pretty spiffing sort of place – a rambling country estate where the pleasures of its bucolic setting come with considerable potential for extra revenue, from farming to setting up a small sporting estate. Or you can just enjoy it to stroll around – with almost 550 acres, including 72 acres of woodland, you’re unlikely to get bored of it.
The house was built at the start of the 19th century, though the estate is much older – the name is derived from the old Cornish word for a summer dwelling, and the original manor house was built here in the 12th century. It’s mentioned in the Domesday book, and was once owned by Count Robert of Mortain, who fought at the Battle of Hastings.
The house itself is a thing of old-fashioned beauty, with plenty of wood panelling, stone fireplaces and beamed ceilings, and plenty of rooms: there are nine bedrooms, as well as a library, pantry, wine cellar and large reception hall.
Outside, things are just as interesting. In the immediate vicinity, you’ve got a number of outbuildings to make use of – a double courtyard is adjoined by traditional granite barns, while there’s also stables, kennels, a carriage house, a Mill House and grain store and further farm buildings. There are also a couple of agriculturally tied cottages on the estate.
It’s a place with beauty, history, class and an awful lot of potential –like Cornwall.
Offers invited in excess of £4m. Call Chesterton Humberts on 01823 331 234 or visit
www.chestertonhumberts.com.