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.
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.
-
The Talented Monsieur Mille: The haute horologist who stopped time is celebrated in a new bookA new coffee table book by Assouline celebrates one of today’s most daring and innovative watch brands.
-
Sir Michael Caine's former home on the Thames is a testament to idyllic living and good tasteAt Rectory Farm House, luxury and modern convenience blend seamlessly with rural England. Is this the house that Jaws 4 built?
-
Sir Michael Caine's former home on the Thames is a testament to idyllic living and good taste
At Rectory Farm House, luxury and modern convenience blend seamlessly with rural England. Is this the house that Jaws 4 built?
-
How to stand out from the crowd in the most British of outfits — morning dressMorning dress has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, but breaking with convention can be chic.
-
White sand beaches, smuggler's coves, teeming wildlife and a ruined castle in a Scottish island that's on the market for the first time in almost a centuryJust off the west coast of Scotland lies Shuna Island, a true playground of open spaces, natural beauty, wildlife, beaches and — yes — a castle. And it's looking for a new owner.
-
'One of the 10 most perfect houses in Britain' has come to the market at £9.5 millionPenny Churchill looks at the magical Maperton House.
-
17 outstanding homes for sale across Britain, from under £250k to £6.5 million, as seen in Country LifeSomething for every budget in this week's round up of homes across the country that have come to market via Country Life.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country LifeAn Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
