Well! That is the way that all great fairy stories start and this is the true fairy story of the luckiest people who have moved to the most beautiful house in the south west, to leave behind the M4 and M25 after over 20 years on the road. In time honoured tradition is was time for a change and that change is to open up a B&B sanctuary, not just for us but for all those who need to escape for a while to find sanity, in this mad, mad world.
The search began nearly two years ago, with late, late nights ‘trawling’ on the internet; how difficult would the job of finding the perfect house have been even a few years ago, when you live in Cardiff but want to buy in Cornwall?
Eventually, this ‘vision’ popped up on the screen in September 2011. It took me until November to make my first visit to see the house. It was a grey and depressing day but I still could not believe how beautiful ‘she’ was.
Sandhill House has a long history, with the rear of the house dating back 550 years, and the ‘Queen Anne’ front having been added in 1790, a mere 220 years year’s ago. There are apparently records of some form of property being recorded on the site as far back as 1301.
The previous owners bought her when she was almost a ruin and the carriage drive virtually impassable. Over many years they took her out of the ‘pupae’, or ‘rough cut’ stage but after many recent years of neglect she is now like a chrysalis, or partially cut precious stone waiting to emerge as the stunning butterfly or glittering jewel that she could be with the right tender care and nurturing. So this is the story of how she will emerge to be one of the great jewels of the South West region.
