I remember holidays in Cornwall. I remember the bad weather, the surfing, the Cornish Rattler, the drive, the traffic. I also remember looking at houses that surrounded the beaches, thinking 'gosh wouldn't that be a nice place to live', as I trudged through the merciless rain, carrying a surfboard, heading towards a carpark.
One such house, that I feel I almost certainly did see and certainly did think 'that would be a nice place to live', would have been Constantine Cottage, on the more easily accessible north Cornish coast, a few miles west of Padstow. Sitting on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the whole of Constantine Bay, the traditional stone-and-slate property was originally a fisherman’s cottage. It has been tastefully extended over the years since it was built — in 1824, according to a plaque. It is for sale with Savills for £5 million.
On the open market for the first time, the property has been a labour of love for the current owners, who commissioned an interior designer and architect to 'realise their ambition to create a bigger, lighter, more modern and efficient interior'. That they certainly did, with the 2,680sq ft of living space a symphony of Cornish contemporary comfort and modern touches.
Decorated and arranged as a holiday cottage with a dining table to seat 10, four double bedrooms and a bespoke fitted kitchen, the whole house has been cleverly updated by the current owners, resulting in a large, light and modern interior. Outside is a single garage and beach paraphernalia can be stowed in a lockable surfboard-and-wetsuit store. Mature hedging, shrubs and wooden fencing protect the garden from the Atlantic winds and a sandy cove is accessible via steps installed by the vendor.
Padstow and its various amenities are within three miles, while the nearby village of St Merryn offers shops, a primary school and two pubs. Trevose Bay Golf and Country Club is at the end of the lane, providing high-end dining and a very challenging but well-rated golf course.
Additional reporting by Arabella Youens
Credit: Knight Frank
An island retreat with 27 bedrooms and a swirling staircase on the Queen of the Hebrides
Islay House on the Isle of Islay is a hotel with enormous potential to become an awe-inspiring home.
Credit: Hamptons
A contemporary Sussex home with a cinema room taken from the First Class section of a Jumbo Jet
The aviation-themed cinema room is not the only stand-out feature of this £3.5m property. We lift the lid on why
Credit: Savills
A gorgeous old rectory which featured in a Thomas Hardy Novel, for sale in one of Dorset's most deliciously-named villages
Melbury Bubb House is up for sale in a tiny village in Dorset. Penny Churchill takes a look.
From organic pools to £100k huts, the seven trends defining the housing market today
From natural swimming pools to shepherd's huts with six-figure price tags, there are all sorts of things which are getting
-
How Harper Beckham created the perfect gardener's birthday present for her father's 50th — with a little help from David Austin RosesWhen Harper Beckham wanted to commission a rose for her father’s birthday, there was only one man for the job, says Charles Quest-Ritson, as he takes a closer look at the science behind creating a new David Austin bloom.
-
Oh, my gourd, it’s Hallowe’en: How best to decorate your home with pumpkins, squashes and moreAs the feast of All Hallow’s Eve approaches, Debora Robertson advises how best to decorate your home with autumn's edible bounty.
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
-
A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
-
The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the HighlandsSprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
-
The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in EnglandPenny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
-
Five superb country homes, from under £1 million to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in the past week includes a Wiltshire dream home and a vast Kent mansion that's an easy commute to the City.
-
Rock stars and the country house: Liam Gallagher's life in the Cotswolds is in the finest tradition of music A-listers, from The Beatles to BeyoncéWhat is it about the British countryside that draws A-listers from every walk of life? With Liam Gallagher's Cotswold former home on the market, Toby Keel takes a look.
-
Life on Portugal's Coast of Kings, where Ian Fleming met the triple-agent whose gambling inspired 'Casino Royale'Once a quiet fishing village west of Lisbon, Cascais became an unlikely hive of activity during the Second World War, attracting regal refugees and intelligence operatives in equal measure. Russell Higham investigates its enduring glamour — and its connection to Casino Royale.
