Falmouth-based Jonathan Cunliffe is handling the sale of that rarest of beasts, a waterside house in a prime location on the Helford River, one of Cornwall’s most beautiful and unspoilt rivers, historically renowned as a haven for pirates and the inspiration for Daphne du Maurier’s novel Frenchman’s Creek.
Today, the Helford River still offers wonderful boating and a second natural harbour from which to explore the coast, much of it an AONB owned and protected by the National Trust.
For sale for the first time since 1975 at a guide price of £1.35m, Quay House at Helford was the treasured home of its late owners for more than 40 years.
Set within a large private garden with views across to the sailing club and down the Helford estuary, the house, which dates from the early 1970s, shares a rare and wonderful position with a handful of other houses on an exclusive private peninsula that juts out from Helford village, effectively separating Helford Village Creek from the Trust-owned Penarvon Cove.
Helford’s famed Shipwrights Arms is an easy stroll from the shoreline below Quay House.
As Mr Cunliffe points out, ‘the house, which currently offers a kitchen and open-plan living/dining room, four/five double bedrooms, three shower rooms and an attached garage/workshop, is dated by current standards, but it has been lovingly maintained and, being unlisted, offers huge scope for remodelling, enlargement or, indeed, a complete rebuild, subject to the necessary consents.
Unusually for a house in Helford village, Quay House is set in generous gardens of about one-third of an acre, with a variety of mature trees and shrubs providing a high level of privacy and seclusion’.
Quay House is currently on the market via Jonathan Cunliffe at a guide price of £1.35 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Helford: What you need to know
Location: On the south bank of the River Helford, just five miles south of Falmouth and approximately 15 miles from the Lizard Peninsula. The nearest train station is located in Falmouth and there is an international airport in Newquay, approximately 35 miles away.
Atmosphere: One of 'the most unspoilt rivers in Cornwall' the surrounding area is home to two excellent restaurants: Ship Wright’s Arms in Helford Village and Ferry Boat Inn on the banks of the Helford Passage. Mawnan Smith has a number of shops including and green-grocers, post office, hairdressers, cafe, doctors surgery and four churches.
Things to do: This really is the spot for water babies, whether you explore the many beaches and coves that run along this stretch of river by boat, kayak or paddle board. The Helford River Yacht Club provides sailing courses for all ages, and there are many smaller villages to be explored. Falmouth is just a short distance away and is a bustling university town. Bird watching in the area is excellent and there are several National Trust Gardens including Trebah and Glendurgan.
Schools: Mawnan C of E VA Primary School, Manaccan Primary School and Constantine Primary School are all rated ‘good’ by Ofsted. For secondary there is Penryn College.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attachedUpper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
-
Five beautiful homes, from a barn conversion to an island treasure, as seen in Country LifeOur pick of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in recent days include a wonderful thatched home in Devon and a charming red-brick house with gardens that run down to the water's edge.
-
The finest interiors in Edinburgh? A seven-bedroom townhouse furnished by Robert Kime comes to marketSituated on one of the New Town's grandest terraces, this four-storey property is a collector's dream.
-
A Grade II*-listed country manor with one of the most beautiful drawing rooms in EnglandIf Old Manor Farm in Somerset is good enough for Pevsner, it's good enough for you.
-
An eight-bedroom home in Surrey where an army of robots will look after your lawnsDo not fear the bladed guardians of Monksfield House. They are here to help.
