Work, rest or let rare freehold on Scilly

Work, rest or let rare freehold on Scilly

Clive Pearce Property, the Experts in Property estate agency in Truro, is thrilled to offer for sale a utopian lifestyle with a handsome, double-fronted cottage in its own slice of enchanting archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean just under 30 miles off the south-westernmost tip of Cornwall.

Inglenook sits in a historic location in the heart of Hugh Town, the main settlement occupying a narrow isthmus joining The Garrison peninsula with the rest of St Mary’s, the largest of the five inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly.

Unlike the rest of the Isles of Scilly, the freehold title to land in Hugh Town is not held by the Duchy of Cornwall – the ‘strip’ was released for sale in 1949, so the opportunity to buy a freehold property on the islands is a rare one. Indeed, the average annual number of house sales on the islands has recently increased from 19, to 27. The sale of Inglenook represents one of these rare opportunities.

Built in the 1830’s, the traditional granite Scillonian cottage is one of the oldest houses on Scilly and comes with a rich history. It is thought that, in Victorian times, it was Scilly’s first police station; a fireplace features perfect granite blocks bound for the construction of Bishop Rock Lighthouse in 1858; and built on the front of the cottage in the 1950’s was a shop that sold photographic equipment and then books, which has more recently been removed to reveal the beautiful granite stone frontage we see today. Opposite Inglenook is the old Elizabethan well, where, it is said, sailors sourced the water to re-stock their steam-powered vessels many years ago – hence the name ‘Well Lane’.

Tucked away just off the main street and within a short stroll of shops, cafes, pubs, the harbour and beaches, Inglenook is set back from the lane with a pretty front garden. The cottage has been owned by two generations of the same family as a permanent home, a summer escape and for holiday lettings, and has been updated with new wooden sash windows and a traditional Cornish scantle slate roof.

Inside is an exceptionally spacious, fantastically flexible living space with two lovely reception rooms, a study which could be used as a fourth bedroom, a garden room leading to the private walled rear garden, kitchen in a contemporary style with cream cabinetry, three very generous double bedrooms, large family bathroom and second WC/cloakroom. Outside is a handy store, ideal for hobbies or storing beach kit.

Inglenook also comes with superfast broadband as the islands are some of the best-connected in the world, thanks to a £3.7m subsea fibre optic cable project.

Access to the islands is easier than ever before with the seasonal Scillonian ferry service from Penzance and the Skybus air service from Exeter Airport, as well as regular year-round Skybus flights from Lands End and Newquay, and now also a reliable scheduled service aboard a state of the art, 15-seater AW139 helicopter taking up to 17 flights per day, six days a week from the new Penzance Heliport. For those who don’t want to drive to Cornwall, BA operates a seasonal flight from Heathrow to Newquay in under an hour, and GWR’s Night Riviera Sleeper train runs six nights a week between London Paddington and Penzance.

Miranda Pearce said: “We all dream of escaping to a beautiful island and those lucky enough to have visited the Scillies will know the magical feeling you get the moment you step out onto the islands. Inglenook is a much-treasured family property that would suit those looking for a good-sized home on the island, those seeking a change of lifestyle – either full or part time, as a summer retreat or as a lucrative holiday let. With the excellent internet connection, working from home would be plain sailing and the easier access makes it feasible to commute to the mainland. It is rare to find such a centrally located freehold property.”

For further information or to watch the fully guided video tour, get in touch with Clive Pearce Property on 01872 272622 or click here.

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