In the heart of Penzance, an artist's paradise comes up for sale that's quite unlike anything we've seen before
Rosemary Cottage is the home of master plaster caster Peter Hone. It blends the boundary between accommodation and expression.


Not everything is about the price, or the space. Sometimes it’s about the story. Born in 1941 and orphaned as a baby, Peter Hone grew up to become, among other things, a pastry cook, a museum attendant, a garden-ornament salesman and, eventually, a master plaster caster (try saying that after a few beers).
His works turned his one-bedroom flat in London’s Notting Hill into an extraordinary museum. He held two auctions — one in 2016 and another in 2023 — raising more than £1 million. Those proceeds were used to buy somewhere special to him: Rosemary Cottage in Penzance.
Rosemary Cottage is now for sale with Lillicrap Chilcott for £315,000 and it is perhaps one of the more unusual and intriguing houses we’ve featured on this site. He had long been a fan of Rosemary Cottage and Penzance, holidaying at the home each September for several years. In the seven years he’s owned it, he’s made it quite special.
The exteriors and indeed the interiors of this two-bedroom retreat on New Street are, and I think this is one of the rare times I can get away with using the word, unique.
The property itself is tucked away in a walled courtyard garden in Abbey Place, behind the Abbey Hotel and mere moments away from the harbourside and the town centre. It’s a gloriously artistic little bolthole in one of Cornwall’s best towns.
When does a house itself become art? It’s hard to say for sure, but this Hone Stone covered cottage must be as close as we’ve seen for some time.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
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
This Scottish island costs the same as a garage in suburban London, and it's everything that's crazy about the property market
One of the easier games of 'Would you rather' we've ever played.
James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
A remarkable $100 million numismatic collection reappears after being buried for more than 50 years
A collector hid his treasure from the Nazis, his widow kept it secret for decades, but now Roman aurei, Greek staters and British pounds so rare that some have never been sold at public auction have resurfaced and will go under the hammer.
By Carla Passino Published
-
The Hollywood legend with an even more famous daughter: Country Life Quiz of the Day
From buns to bubbly in Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A £1.5 million flat on the street where wig and pen once met
It doesn't get more central London than Fleet Street.
By James Fisher Published
-
A spectacular coastal estate in Dorset set on its own private peninsula
This 160-acre estate is part nature reserve and part country home, with a beautiful Arts-and-Crafts home at its heart.
By Arabella Youens Last updated
-
A converted bothy on the shores of Loch Tay from which to enjoy the fresh tastes of Spring
Waterfall Cottage offers four bedrooms and a garden that stretches right down to the lapping waters.
By James Fisher Published
-
An idyllic home in Hampshire that's perfect for the musical mind
Lyewood House sits in 3.5 acres and comes with a purpose built recording studio and an outdoor heated pool.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National Park
Old House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
From a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A converted monastery for sale where the chapel has become the most incredible swimming pool we've seen in years
You can't help but wonder what the Trappist monks who once owned this 80-acre site in Devon would make of how the place has turned out.
By James Fisher Published
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in Dorset
With 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
By James Fisher Published