A Grade II-listed farmhouse just outside the Cornwall village dubbed 'Hollywood-on-Sea', on sale for the first time in 500 years
In the hills above Mawgan Porth, a wonderful opportunity has come up to take on a Georgian farmhouse, and the 167 acres that come with it.
Julie Harding
The north Cornish village of Mawgan Porth has earned a rather fine nickname: ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’. A whole string of articles, from a piece in the local paper (rather wonderfully named the 'Falmouth Packet' — though we're not sure why a south Cornwall paper is reporting on a north Cornwall town) to write-ups in the national press. At least one of those latter pieces refers rather snootily to the fact that 'the newspapers are calling it Hollywood-on-Sea', as if to make it clear that it's other newspapers who indulge in such wordplay, and not something they would ever do. Their headline, of course, uses the exact phrase.
Anyway, depending on who you believe, and in ascending order of implausibility, Mawgan Porth is now the Cornish home-from-home for Cate Blanchett, Jason Statham, Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan, Stanley Tucci, one or other or possibly both of the Gallagher brothers, the Beckhams, and Chris Martin, the man famed for outing adulterous couples while performing on stage (his band has also done quite well). Blanchett's presence is a matter of public record; as is that of, er, Imogen Stubbs. Most of the other claims seem to be based on celebrity spotting tittle-tattle, and are probably about as reliable as the average UFO sighting. But it's all good fun nonetheless.
Tales of old bungalows being bought for £1 million and more, then demolished to make way for a new home, abound at Mawgan Porth, near Newquay.
What is definitely true, though, is that the village — with its magnificent beach, superb surfing breaks, swish shops and pubs, relatively small population and spectacular sunsets — has become enormously popular. Stories abound of local residents being offered seven-figure sums for modest homes that they've lived in for years; and while there are complaints about locals being priced out, many residents are confident that their strong local community will not be unduly diluted.
Should you wish to become part of that community, an amazing opportunity has come up which will let you live close to the A-list action, but not so close that you'll have to deal with gawping tourists trying to peer through your windows (something that is apparently a concern in many of the best waterfront homes, which are right on the South-West Coastal Path).
The property in question is called Tolcarne Merock, and it's a Grade II-listed farmhouse set amid rolling hills, just over a mile from the beach. And while down at the beach the asking price (of £2.75 million via John Bray Estates) would buy you not much more than a prime plot, this property offers you a Georgian house set in 167 acres of Cornwall which are on the market for the first time in 500 years.
Though the farm has been in the same family since the 16th century, the three-bedroom farmhouse is, relatively speaking, much newer. It dates back to the early 19th century and is set in a historic walled garden, which protects it from some of the wilder weather brought by the Atlantic.
You shouldn't expect too much of what lies within: as the pictures here show, a lot of TLC is needed to return this place to its glory days, although it's entirely liveable.
Those accustomed to carrying out a bit of work may see this as an opportunity, and they'll be delighted to hear that an even greater opportunity awaits. The property has a collection of traditional stone buildings, including one that has previously had permission to be converted into two dwellings. There's vast potential here for those willing to take a chance on that permission being restored, or possibly even extended.
And the rewards at the end of any such work feel like they'll be well worth the effort. ‘Despite its proximity to some of the most prime coastal locations in the country, it feels untouched and unspoilt,' says Josephine Ashby of agents John Bray Estates, 'and yet within a few short miles are Michelin-starred restaurants and some of the country’s best surfing beaches.’
So if the village itself is Hollywood-on-Sea, then this could be Cornwall's answer to Laurel Canyon. We're fascinated to see what happens next here.
Tolcarne Merock in Mawgan Porth is for sale at £2.75 million via John Bray — see more details.
