When considering our position in the world, I imagine many of us in the UK like to think that we are leaders in many things. 100 years ago, it was probably the navy, these days, it could be our biomedical sciences, our banking, our financial services, whisky, something like that.
As someone who keeps their ears firmly on the ground of international discourse, I can sadly reveal that arguably what the UK is most famous for is its weird place names, many of which I can’t, or won’t, write here. One that has always fascinated me however, and is printable, is the Lizard, the small village on the tip of the, erm, Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. Why is it called the Lizard? An abundance of reptiles? Sadly not — the name is probably a corruption of the Cornish name ‘Lys Ardh’, meaning high court.
Which brings me to Clahar Cottage, full of character and charm, on said Lizard peninsula. For sale with Cornish agents Lillicrap Chilcott for offers in excess of £600,000, the property was formerly a homestead and stable, housing a donkey that would have transported pilchard from Mullion Cove to the nearby village.
The good news is that it is no longer full of donkeys and fish, and is in fact a Grade II-listed thatched cottage that boasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two reception rooms. Retaining heaps of period charm throughout, in the form of exposed beams, the aforementioned thatched, mullioned windows and exposed stone and brick, the home has also been meticulously modernised, creating that ideal form of contemporary character.
Location-wise, it doesn’t get much better than this, with the property featuring a large garden, while being close to the village of Mullion and within walking distance of several beaches at Poldhu and Polurrian Cove. There is also driveway parking for two cars.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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