Country houses for sale

An interior designer’s beautiful home for sale, with exquisite touches — and even better views

Penny Churchill looks at the arrival on to the market of Robert Carslaw's beautiful home on a hillside overlooking the sea in Cornwall.

It’s always fascinating to see within the homes of interior designers, so the arrival on the market of the house of designer Robert Carslaw is a reason for excitement. The property in question is Estray Park, a wonderfully private, small Cornish estate in a sheltered position near the village of Mawnan Smith. It has come up for sale through Falmouth-based agent Jonathan Cunliffe at a guide price of £3m.

The property, which overlooks sub-tropical gardens with panoramic views from the upper fields to Falmouth Bay, is a traditional 16-acre holding. It was once the historic home of the bailiff of Kerrier, who had the right to round up and impound any stray animals found in the area.

The original part of the house is of local golden granite, which glows warm in sunlight and doesn’t turn dull and grey when wet.

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During his 17½-year tenure, Mr Carslaw has progressively improved the interior, adding bathrooms, fireplaces, as well as architectural detailing.

The 3,262 sq ft house has three reception rooms, five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a home office.

The house comes with a separate three-bedroom cottage — the 1,681sq ft Barn House — as well as four timber loose boxes and various outbuildings within the 15 acres,

In 1980, the original cottage garden, market garden and chicken farm were re-landscaped and stocked with rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and magnolias, with planted areas flanked by specimen trees, including a great oak, thought to be the oldest and largest in West Cornwall.

Estray Park is for sale via Jonathan Cunliffe at £3m — see more details and pictures


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