From the one-time home of a legendary novelist to former post offices on remote islands, here is this month’s round-up of cracking coastal homes to buy now.
ST BURYAN, CORNWALL – GUIDE PRICE £3,000,000
Out of all coastal homes to buy, this one is a gem! The former home of the late novelist, John le Carré, has been brought to the market. The author is perhaps best known for his Cold War espionage novels featuring the iconic George Smiley, and this house was his creative sanctuary from the late 1960s on, and novels such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley’s People and The Constant Gardener were conceived and written there.
Originating from three former fisherman’s cottages, Tregiffian Cottage is a stunning coastal home, occupying an outstanding position on one of Cornwall’s most beautiful stretches of coastline between Lamorna and Porthcurno.
John le Carré purchased the original cottages and outbuildings in the late 1960s. Over the years he and his wife restored and adapted them to create a single family home in which he lived until his death in 2020.
“Available for sale for the first time in over 60 years, Tregiffian Cottage will be a hugely exciting prospect for someone,” comments Chris Clifford, who is marketing the property for Savills. “John le Carré brought the original fisherman’s cottages together with great sensitivity, retaining character and charm, while creating an impressive 5,000 sq ft home that makes the most of its glorious location.”
The main house benefits from a flexible layout, including a self-contained guest wing. The library is of particular note, with bespoke floor to ceiling bookcases and a feature window at one end, glazed with what is believed to be part of the canopy from a Second World War fighter plane. Another highlight is its seaward-facing conservatory, which provides panoramic views of the ocean.
John le Carré’s former writing room sits on the first floor of a detached studio building, which offers great flexibility as secondary accommodation, a home office or studio as required.
There are a variety of adaptable chalet-style timber outbuildings within the grounds, including an office building, an indoor swimming pool and plenty of further amenity space for an artist’s or yoga studio, home gym or further accommodation, subject to the usual consents. (Savills Cornwall, 01872 243200, search.savills.com/property-detail/gbtrrstrs210037)
PORT OF NESS, ISLE OF LEWIS – OFFERS OVER £180,000
This is a three-bedroom detached cottage situated in this delightful beachside fishing village, within minutes of the stunning white sandy beach. It has well maintained and enclosed garden grounds with a summerhouse. There is an off street parking area for two cars. Bell Ingram LLP (01463 717799, bellingram.co.uk)
Check out the latest coastal properties on sale.
SALTHOUSE, NORFOLK – GUIDE PRICE £1,300,000
Springholes is a spacious family house believed to have been built around 1934 with later additions. Set in an enviable, elevated position the property has unrivalled coastal views to the front and open country views from the south facing rear garden.
The property also features a one-bedroom annexe constructed in materials to harmonise with the existing brick and flint main house. The accommodation comprises of a 30ft sitting room, dining room leading into a cedar wood conservatory, kitchen/breakfast room, 20ft master bedroom with adjoining bathroom, three further bedrooms and large family bathroom. The annexe has its own entrance and access to the garden. The vendors have been successfully letting this as a holiday home.
A driveway winds up to the house with a lawned seating area looking out across to the coast with a gravelled parking area for several cars, the double garage and a good-sized front lawn. The views are wonderful. Jackson-Stops Burnham Market (01328 801333 jackson-stops.co.uk/properties/17759886/sales/burnham-market)
VENTNOR, ISLE OF WIGHT – GUIDE PRICE: LOT ONE – £995,000; LOT TWO – £695,000; WHOLE -£1,690,000
This is a wonderful coastal holiday business and development site situated on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight in the sought-after area of St Lawrence, enjoying uninterrupted sea views.
It includes two three-bedroom holiday cottages, a substantial glasshouse (with positive pre-application for a residential dwelling), commercial buildings providing useful income (with a positive pre-application for two residential dwellings), campsite, woodland, grounds and lake, in all extending to 6.12 acres. BCM, Isle of Wight (01983 828800, bcm.co.uk)
NOSS MAYO, DEVON – GUIDE PRICE £795,000
Beautifully presented and finished to an exceptional standard, this characterful three-bedroom cottage is deceptively spacious with a private, hidden roof terrace, charming low maintenance coastal garden with parking, stone outbuilding, and wood store in heart of this prime waterside village.
In a quiet tucked away location, the cottage has off road parking opposite on a paved courtyard area in front of an immaculately kept low maintenance coastal garden. Located just across from the cottage, this well stocked seating and dining out area can be enjoyed all year round – it benefits from a large stone store and log shed adding useful outside storage for boating, leisure, and gardening assets.
The cottage is positioned a very short walk from Noss Hard, giving easy access to the water. Marchand Petit (01752 873311, marchandpetit.co.uk/properties/17893725/sales)
WEST CORK, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – €1,250,000
This imposing property occupies one of the best waterfront positions in West Cork. The house was designed in a classic Bauhaus style and all the principal rooms open to a terrace running the length of the house and overlooking the sea.
There is a rooftop gallery and a west-facing terrace ideal for evening barbecues. It comes with an 18th century two-bedroom cottage and about an acre of private gardens and grounds with steps to the shore. Charles McCarthy (+353 (0)28 21533, charlesmccarthy.com/property/traharta-house-cottage-castlehaven-castletownshend-p81-kx36/)
THORPENESS, SUFFOLK – £975,000
Dormy House is in the centre of Thorpeness, which until about 100 years ago was a small fishing community which was transformed into a holiday village by an Edwardian entrepreneur. He created a shallow boating lake known as The Meare which was inspired by J M Barrie’s Peter Pan.
The house is close to the beach and the village is known for it’s distinctive ‘House in the Clouds’ which started life as a water tower for the village. This four-bedroom house has planning permission to extend. Bedfords (01728 454505, bedfords.co.uk)
ST KEVERNE, CORNWALL – OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £525,000
This bungalow is set within a large plot, offering superb views over the village and parish church and beyond to Falmouth Bay, St Mawes Lighthouse and all the way along the coastline to Dodman Point, within this popular village.
It has been modernised and extended by the current owner, and the views and setting are impossible not to fall in love with! The property is flooded with natural light, with great room sizes and laid out to meet the demands of modern family living, providing incredible space for the family to get together but also great entertaining space, inside and out.
There are three double bedrooms which are generous in size and have good storage space. The third bedroom is currently utilised as an office but is a large double bedrooms if a third bedroom is required. There is a fully fitted family bathroom, separate WC and both a front and rear porch. Cornish Bricks (01872 211655, cornishbricks.co.uk)
HOLY ISLAND, BERWICK UPON TWEED – £650,000
A delightful three-bedroom period house, formerly the island’s post office, has come to the market after 200 years. It is situated in the centre of this fascinating island, which is a designated AONB and an important historic site.
At low tide vehicular access to the island is via a causeway – or one can walk to Holy Island across the sands following the old pilgrims’ route. Sanderson Young (01665 600170, sandersonyoung.co.uk/property/the-old-post-office-holy-island-berwick-upon-tweed/)
BRADWELL-ON-SEA, ESSEX – OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £975,000
An architecturally stunning and characteristic five-bedroom period property, thought to date back in part to the mid-19th century with later additions, offering extensive and beautifully presented living areas whilst situated on a mature plot extending to half of one acre which backs on to open farmland that eventually leads down to Bradwell Creek and the Blackwater estuary.
The property offers versatile living arrangements with four generous first floor bedrooms, two luxurious en-suites, a family bathroom and a small nursery/ironing room which could offer alternative uses as a dressing room for the principal suite.
On the ground floor there up to seven reception room areas including an office/double bedroom five, a cinema room, a wonderful family room with an orangery, and an extensive kitchen/breakfast room featuring the open plan areas of a snug with log burner, a TV/playroom area and conservatory/dining room overlooking the duck pond.
The amazing outdoor space has been landscaped to provide a Mediterranean sunset outdoor pool area with stunning tree palms providing natural shelter to complement the shaded alfresco seating areas and further areas for sun loungers.
This is further complemented with an outdoor kitchen and shower room/WC. On the east side of the house are lawn areas and a wonderful duck pond with connecting foot bridges providing access to the guest suite. Zoe Napier Group (01621 840333, properties.bythewaterside.zoenapier.com/property-details/P967/-/bradwellonsea/maldon-road)
