An idyllic Cornish farmhouse with 700 years of history

First mentioned in 1337 as part of the manor of Tybesta, handsome, Grade II-listed Nantellan House sits in five and a half acres of glorious gardens and grounds in a quiet rural hamlet, three-quarters of a mile from Grampound, roughly half-way between St Austell and Truro.

Now for sale at a guide price of £1.95 million through Falmouth-based Jonathan Cunliffe, Nantellan has also been the much-loved family home of its present owners for the past 27 years.

While its history stretches back seven centuries, the house that stands here today is newer than that — but not by much. According to local records, the house was rebuilt in 1551 on the ruins of an earlier manor by the historian John Vincent, scion of a family that was influential in Cornwall from the 14th century onwards.

Later the building became a farmhouse, and was extended in 1748, then again in 1795, with the addition of a new Georgian south front housing the three main reception rooms. The snug/study at the rear of the house is thought to be the original living room.

Approached along a private gated driveway bordered by yew trees, the house offers 4,217sq ft of bright and cheerful living space, including a grand staircase with a stairwell window, five well-proportioned reception rooms and six double bedrooms, two of which have en-suite bathrooms.

Outside, the landscaped gardens — a mix of formal lawns and richly-planted borders framed by splendid specimen trees — provide an impressive backdrop to the main house.

Also within the grounds is an outdoor heated swimming pool and a collection of useful outbuildings, including a small cottage, a car-port, a potting shed and chicken coop, some or all of which could be suitable for conversion, subject to the usual consents.

Nantellan is for sale via Jonathan Cunliffe at £1.95 million — see more details.