Full Description

DESCRIPTION St Pirans is a truly unique historic Grade II* 16th Century house with a later Victorian extension, 6 bedrooms, outhouses and own former chapel. It is in good decorative order and has been extensively rewired in recent years. St Pirans is believed to have medieval origins and was rebuilt over time. It has always been thought locally to have been a former monastery and there are several aspects of the property that appear to point in that direction, however there is no documented proof. The Domesday Book does record that the monks of St Piran owned lands close by. A rough slate ledge juts out from the larger bathroom wall and is reputed to have been a Penance Bed where monks would contemplate their sins, watched by the Abbott through a now blocked hole in the wall. Also, in the dining room is the remains of what appears to have been a Dole Hole through which the monks would feed the hungry travellers and pilgrims on their path to the 'sacred' waterfall in St. Nectan's Glen. In addition, a local historian has mooted the idea that St. Piran himself, the patron saint of Cornwall, once lived in Trethevy and perhaps in an earlier version of the house itself! As if that was not enough history, the garden is also home to a Roman inscribed pillar, one of only five in Cornwall, a scheduled monument dated 251-253AD.

The 6 bedroom property is located in a particularly enviable, elevated position overlooking the coastline and sea, beside a private no through lane. The house and gardens are surrounded by a high stone battlemented wall which distinguishes it from any others for many miles around and affords it great privacy. The property perhaps has additional potential, it could make an ideal Bed & Breakfast or tea garden subject to planning and part of the gardens used to be run as a small nursery garden.

The hamlet of Trethevy is set in an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' and known for its Holy Well of St. Piran, its small medieval Church, and of course St. Nectan's Glen with its Hermitage and spectacular waterfall.

Tintagel, close by, offers a good selection of shops, a primary school, doctors surgery, a chemist and various restaurants, hotels and public houses. Tintagel is also world famous for its castle ruins, legendary birthplace of King Arthur. The picturesque village of Boscastle is two miles away. The spectacular North Cornish coastline and the renowned Coastal Path are within sight from Trethevy. The nearest beach at Bossiney Cove is about a mile away while larger beaches such as Trebarwith, Polzeath and Bude are a short car's journey. Rock and Padstow are also not far.

The A39 Atlantic Highway is about 5 miles away, giving good access to Wadebridge to the south or Bude to the North. Launceston, and access to the A30, is approximately 16 miles away. Newquay Airport is 28 miles away.

The accommodation comprises (with all measurements being approximate and for guidance only)

Side door with Norfolk latch to:

SCULLERY 3.18m max x 3.15m max (10' 5" max x 10' 4" max) Slate flagstone floor. Small granite framed window with leaded lights to outer porch & sash window to side lane. Beamed ceiling. Storage heater. Butlers sink with wood drainer & plumbing for washing machine plus a dishwasher. Stairs to 1st floor. Understairs cupboard housing water pressure tank, & UV filters. Door, with Norfolk latch, to kitchen. Door to:

PANTRY/STORES 3.68m max x 3.44m max (12' 1" max x 11' 3" max) Slate flagstone floor. Currently divided into two areas by wooden partition (door between available to replace). 2 large granite troughs, originally for salting meats. Slate (cold) shelving. Two casement windows to front.

KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM 4.35m max x 4.14m max (14' 3" max x 13' 7" max) Step down to stone composite tiled floor. Beamed ceiling. Sash window to side lane. Mullioned window with leaded lights to rear with window seat. Oil fired Rayburn, set in chimney breast alcove, supplies hot water & radiators. Immersion heater/hot water tank in built-in cupboard. Wall cupboard houses fuses & electricity meters. Range of kitchen floor units and work surface. Stainless steel sink with double drainer. Wooden seating with built-in storage and large matching table (optional).
Door and step down to:

DINING/SITTING ROOM 5.33m max x 4.2m (17' 6" max X 13' 9") Parquet flooring. Ceiling beams. Granite Inglenook fireplace with original cloam oven and nearly new Jotul multi-fuel woodburner/stove, wooden panelling and shelf above. Storage heater. Mullioned window to rear with leaded lights and deep slate sill reputedly reclaimed from Minster Church in C19th. In the front bay, 3 windows and glass door to small C20th conservatory/greenhouse which also boasts a mature grapevine. Wood panelling with shelving to one wall. C16th wall safe with original door. Door to:

INNER HALL 3.87m max x 2.08m max (12' 8" max x 6' 10" max) Parquet floor. Beamed ceiling. Mullioned window with leaded lights to front with window seat below. Night storage heater. Stone winder stairs with slate steps to 1st floor. Under stairs storage area
Door to:

HALLWAY 3.9m max x 2.15m max (12' 10" max x 7' 1" max) C19th Wooden front door with single glazed insert. Slate stone floor. Beamed ceiling. Storage Heater. A fascinating C17th door to the rear is studded with original strap hinges and ornamented with fleur de lys and leads to the Rear Lobby.
Door and step down to:

DRAWING ROOM 5.62m max (into French Window) x 4.6m max (18' 5" max (into French Window) x 15' 1" max) A beautiful dual aspect room with high ceiling, rebuilt in the C19th Victorian era. Two pairs of French windows lead to the side gardens. Good sized sash window to front. Black slate open fire surround and mantle. Radiator. Wall lights and picture rail shelf.

REAR LOBBY (POTENTIAL DOWNSTAIRS WC) 2.65m max x 2.57m max (8' 8" max x 8' 5" max) Slate flagstone floor. Beamed Ceiling. Door to rear garden. (potential partial use for a downstairs WC/shower room subject to planning permission.)


FIRST FLOOR - WEST WING CORRIDOR WITH SASH WINDOW TO REAR

Stone stairs from Inner Hall wind past a striking narrow lancet window with leaded lights and a splayed slate sill. Door to East wing corridor.

BATHROOM 2 2.75m max x 2.67m (9' max x 8' 9") Vaulted ceiling with beams. Wood floor. Mullioned window to rear. Bath, WC and wash basin. Heated towel rail/radiator

BEDROOM 4 3.37m x 2.9m (11' 1" x 9' 6") Vaulted ceiling with beams. Wood floor. Mullioned window to front with deep slate sill, overlooking the front garden and pool. Radiator.

BEDROOM 5 3.23m x 2.35m (10' 7" x 7' 9") Sash window to front. Wood floor. Radiator

BEDROOM 6 4.49m x 2.66m (14' 9" x 8' 9") Two large sash windows to side with sea views and capturing beautiful evening sunsets. Radiator.


EAST WING CORRIDOR FROM TOP OF STONE STAIRS

Mullioned window and window seat to front with panoramic garden views and countryside beyond. Built in cold water tank cupboard with slatted shelves below. Built in wardrobe.

Door to

MAIN BATHROOM L Shaped 4.2m max x 3.98m max (13' 9" max x 13' 1" max) Magnificent vaulted ceiling with beams. Wood floor. Stone mullioned window to rear with deep wooden sill. Two skylights. One high borrowed light window into corridor. Platform raised double ended cast iron roll-top bath on feet. WC and wash basin. Two wall heaters. Radiator. Stone ledge -The Monks Penance Bed.

At end of corridor door with Norfolk latch to

BEDROOM 1 (Master) 4.33m x 4.25m (14' 2" x 13' 11") Stone mullioned window to rear overlooking the secret garden. Skylight to rear. Vaulted ceiling with beams. Low level storage unit along one wall. Wood floor. Radiator. Door with Norfolk latch to

SMALL LANDING doors to bedrooms 1, 2 & 3. Second staircase to ground floor scullery. Sash window to the side. Large double fronted storage cupboard built above the stairs and accessed by a retractable 'gang plank'.

BEDROOM 2/Office 3.57m max x 3.13m max (11' 9" max x 10' 3"max) Sash window to front overlooking garden with far reaching countryside views and distant sea views to the side. Exposed beams.

BEDROOM 3/Dressing Room 3.12m max x 2.34m max (10' 3" max x 7' 8" max) Window to front overlooking outbuildings, countryside. and distant sea views to the side. Beams. Radiator.

OUTSIDE In total the gardens and house cover approximately 1 acre.

SIDE ENTRANCE PORCH The covered side entrance is approached from the adjacent private lane. There are two slate steps down to double gates and the main entrance door to the enclosed porch. Also in the porch wall is the Post Box for letters. This door is used by most visitors and deliveries alike. To be found in the garden border, which runs alongside the lane, is the Roman Pillar with wall plaque.

OUTBUILDINGS Adjacent to the porch is a stone building which is divided into five outhouses. Large store room with external fuse box, coal shed, wood shed, smaller store shed and swimming pool pump house. Each of the above has electric light and power.

GARDENS The impressive and mature gardens within the battlemented walls are particularly interesting as they could be viewed as five distinct areas:
1. The swimming pool garden and patio to the front of the house is the perfect place for relaxing and sunbathing. There is a very old slate Monks Settle built into the wall from which you can look out over the pool to beautiful sea views
2. The lawn, fish pond and huge stone built barbeque area to the front are perfect for parties. From the lawn the sea and cliff views are particularly far reaching for miles.
3. A series of pathways leading to a contemplative stone seating circle. Once again the sea and cliff views are far reaching.
4. A jungle area with tall palms and exotic plants
5. An inner walled garden, known as the 'Secret Garden'. This garden is completely enclosed and has a delightful atmosphere. Here can be found
an impressive old cloam oven, recently restored, built into the walls. There is also a striking heart shaped stone wine or cider press complete with its weight.
The garden is even more enhanced by the view of the rear of St. Pirans which is especially unspoilt. There is a gate within the wall that opens to the side lane.
Within this garden is

THE FORMER CHAPEL 4.37m X 2.9m (14'4" x 9'6") Six skylights. Within the stone walls inside are various recesses which may or not, at one time, have had doors. Their purpose has been lost over the centuries. Opposite the door, high up in the wall, is a beautiful stained glass round window depicting King Richard II. The original sunken floor has been boarded over for convenience. Light and power. The Chapel is currently used for storage.

ADDITIONAL GARDEN There is a large area beyond the walls with sea views which, in the past, was used as a public retail plant nursery but would make an ideal additional garden area. It has a separate entrance from the lane, four large greenhouses, a shed, and summerhouse style former shop. The former sales area, which has attractive sea views, consists of slate paths between gravelled bays and wooden plant display structures.
This area could be converted to any number of alternatives subject to planning eg a tennis court?

Beyond the nursery is more land which leads out to a lane. There is an irrigation reservoir and pumps in this area.

A further small field of approximately a quarter of an acre is available by separate negotiation.

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N.B. Please note with regard to the Nursery land and Additional Small Field, if purchased, there will be a common uplift clause. If a purchaser has no plans to build on the land then an uplift clause need not concern them. However, if in the, unlikely, event purchasers obtain planning permission and decide to build on it in the future, there would be an uplift clause of 25%. A solicitor can provide more information on this.

Note re Grade II* - The definition by English Heritage is 'Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest' and it is said represent only 4% of all listed buildings.

Council Tax Band: E Cornwall Council.

Freehold property (vendor informs us)

SERVICES

Mains Electricity. Also benefits from extensive re-wiring within recent years together with garden lights & power points.

Private Water supply and septic tank. Fresh UV filtered well water. No Water Rates.

Oil tank in grounds supplying Rayburn, with internal 'Watchman' fuel gauge.

If an viewing appointment has been booked please bring outdoor shoes for the viewing.