Plum Cottage, Padstow, Cornwall

Delightful Plum Cottage is sited in Padstow, a beautiful and much-loved fishing port on Cornwall's north coast. Stone-built and Grade II-listed, the house dates to the early 19th century and retains many early features including panelled walls, bullseye-adorned fireplace surrounds and flagstone-laid floors. New additions have been made with utmost sensitivity and include patterned wallpapers, bespoke joinery and a curated selection of paint colours. Its two serene bedrooms are of near equal size, with peaceful views of the harbour and over characterful Cross Street respectively.

Setting the Scene

Padstow has a history that dates back thousands of years, having historically served as a fishing port, trading port and shipbuilding centre. The town's name is thought to have evolved from 'Petroc-stow' (meaning 'Petroc's Place') after St Petroc, a sixth-century Cornish saint who built a monastery on a hill above the harbour.

Plum Cottage was masterfully reimagined by HÁM Interiors, who took inspiration from the traditional English country house style. Reclaimed and antique finds dot each room and are paired with sympathetic contemporary additions. The result is a creative layering of texture, pattern and material, with bespoke fitted joinery adding both day-to-day convenience and visual appeal. The house was featured in the June 2025 edition of House and Garden Magazine.

All contents, furniture and art - sourced especially for this home - can be included for an additional cost; more information is available on request.

The Grand Tour

On arrival, Plum Cottage's dark green-painted windows and front door offer a glimpse into the considered use of colour within. Slightly recessed, the door has a convenient light set above and is glazed to allow light to travel into the hallway beyond. Inside, original floors have been retained, and a playful paper by Lancaster lines the walls.

The ground floor is occupied by a broad open-plan living space, with the living room at the fore and the kitchen at the rear. During recent restoration works, the areas were opened up to one another to allow light to travel the length of the level.

A keen sense of the house's early history has been upheld by the current owners, who have reappointed each room with a curated roster of colours and materials. In the living space, walls are washed with layers of multi-toned paint that complement the building's period bones. A reclaimed cast-iron fireplace is framed by a surround with bullseye motifs, while period cupboards remain in the alcoves on either side. A deep, romantic window seat beneath a sash with its original shutters overlooks the day-to-day goings-on of Cross Street.

Demarcated by large Delabole flagstones, the kitchen lies beyond the living space. Its bespoke units have been designed by HÁM and are topped with marble counters. On one side, a mounted plate rack provides easily accessible crockery storage. A terracotta Lanache oven, Devol sink and bespoke Francone taps have been fitted beneath a backsplash formed of local Cornish Delft-style tiles from Decorum in St Kew. A freestanding island lends additional preparation space.

The dining area is arranged beneath a skylight-studded pitched extension - an airy spot for breakfasts and roomy enough for an evening's feast. There is a pantry on one side and a stable door to a small but perfectly formed outdoor space on the other. The original staircase from the hallway ascends to the first floor and has a deep cupboard beneath for storing beach gear and/or coats.

Upstairs are the house's two charming bedrooms; the principal is at the front and has a refreshing warm palette. An original fireplace with a sage-green surround provides a mantel to place postcards and trinkets atop. A second south-westerly window seat here offers an idyllic reading spot. The second bedroom is at the rear and has green-painted tongue-and-groove panelled walls and the same sisal carpet as the primary bedroom.

Exceptionally well-designed, the bathroom has a wonderful pistachio-coloured freestanding bath from The Water Monopoly, its green shade contrasting with tiles underfoot. The walls are predominantly clad with white metro tiles, a simple counterpoint to the soft, delicate paper on the window-set wall. There is also a Thomas Crapper toilet and a bespoke dark timber vanity with a Carrara countertop, also designed by HÁM.

A car parking space opposite the house is available to buy by separate negotiation.

Out and About

The Cornish fishing town of Padstow is known for its lively, bustling streets and thriving food scene, all found along an especially beautiful stretch of coastline. Still a working harbour, the town is surrounded by striking beaches and is a wonderful base from which to explore the Camel Estuary. It also has an excellent selection of fresh seafood restaurants, cafés and bars, including Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant, Paul Ainsworth at No6 and Prawn on the Lawn. The Padstow to Rock ferry runs regularly and operates throughout much of the year.

Several other well-known towns and fishing villages are within easy reach. Port Isaac is just a 30-minute drive away, its charming harbour the setting for Nathan Outlaw’s Michelin-starred The Fish Kitchen. Port Isaac is also a lovely place to commence a hike along the Coastal Path, passing through Port Gaverne and heading towards the famed Tintagel Castle. Within easy reach is the National Trust-managed Trevose Headland - a stretch of coastline renowned for surfing, hiking, its lighthouse, wildlife and birdwatching.

Otherwise, the Pig Hotel at Harlyn Bay is also nearby, and Coombeshead Farm has an excellent menu defined by its nose-to-tail approach to eating. The geodesic biome domes at the Eden Project, designed by Nicholas Grimshaw in the late 90s, are around a 35-minute drive inland. St Ives is reachable within an hour and is a great choice for fresh seafood from beach shack to white tablecloth. The town is also the setting of Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden.

Communications to Cornwall have vastly improved over recent years, with the A30 dual carriageway just north of Truro giving fast access to the M5 motorway at Exeter. Newquay’s train station connects to Plymouth, with direct trains to London from here in just over three hours. Cornwall Airport (Newquay) also provides regular shuttle flights to London Gatwick, Stansted and many other seasonal European destinations.

Council Tax Band: C