In the grand scheme of things, it’s far easier to renovate a run-down house in a glorious setting than it is to change the scenery of a turn-key property. Anyone who has seen Grand Designs knows the perils of earthworks and, chances are, if you try and plant any trees these days, a deer will wander along and eat them all. Deer don’t eat bathroom tiles or kitchen islands.
I bring all this up because I have been alerted to the presence on the market, for the first time in more than 40 years, of Grade II-listed Mine Captains Cottage, which one would assume used to belong to the captain of a mine. With Lillicrap Chilcott for £799,950, the property offers three bedrooms, three bathrooms and just under an acre of gardens and ground. It also comes with the only blowing house still in existence in Cornwall, should you feel like smelting your own tin.
There’s no doubt the interiors could do with some love, but, as mentioned, that’s the easy part. Thankfully, the setting is already taken care of, with the property nestled within the National Trust’s idyllic Godolphin Estate and surrounded by the Trust’s managed woodland. Total peace and tranquillity is almost guaranteed.
The property sits on the northern edge of the village of Godolphin Cross, which offers the holy trinity of a post office, pub and primary school within walking distance. While inland, Mine Captains Cottage is situated equidistant between the north and south coasts of Cornwall, meaning that when the inevitable trip to the beach is required, you can choose depending on which way the wind is blowing.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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