Unique Grade 2 listed beachside piece of Cornish Heritage with stunning sea view

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Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 8186 sq m

Popular amenities

Fireplace

Pet-friendly

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Free WiFi

Washer

Check out the area

Porthtowan, England

Porthtowan Beach4 min walk
Wheal Coates Tin Mine8 min drive
Portreath Beach14 min drive
Plymouth (PLH-Plymouth City)100 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Lounge

1 Double Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Shower room 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Balcony

Dining Area

About this property

The Engine House in Porthtowan is a completely unique part of Cornwall's heritage and lifestyle. Built at the height of the Cornish mining boom, it is a Grade II Listed beachside property with huge character, and is our much-loved home. The reverse level layout gives great beach views from the open-plan first and top floor, and the wrap-around first-floor level deck with pizza oven and outdoor furniture make for a perfect setting. In the heart of Poldark country, Porthtowan is located between Illogan and St. Agnes (known as St. Annes in the book and TV series) with spectacular countryside walks in both directions along the South West Coastal Path. Featured in Charlie Luxton's C4 Programme "Homes by the Sea" in September 2015 , The Engine House is a genuine part of Cornwall's heritage. Charlie says in the show "I could live here - I could definitely live here"! Other TV coverage includes Robson Green's Wild Swimming Adventure, when he swam in the Victorian tidal pool on the beach, describing it as "perfect". Kevin Mcleod briefly featured The Engine House in Grand Designs (Series 7, episode 18 - where he said "The Engine House at Porthtowan is one of the more successful conversions I have seen. It is unconventional."...."It proves that it is possible to make a beautiful home from these industrial dinosaurs".

Property manager

Robert Salvoni

Languages

English, Italian

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Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Outdoor space

Sea view

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings

Pets

Pets allowed: limit 3 total

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 25

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Truro

Located in Truro, this holiday home is on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Fistral Beach and Carbis Bay Beach. Treasure Park and West Cornwall Adventure are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and scuba diving nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and cave exploring.

View more Holiday homes in Truro

Porthtowan, England

What's nearby

Porthtowan Beach - 4 min walk
Wheal Coates Tin Mine - 8 min drive
Trevaunance Cove - 10 min drive
Chapel Porth Beach - 10 min drive
Portreath Beach - 14 min drive

Getting around

Redruth Station - 13 min drive
Newquay (NQY-Newquay Cornwall) - 44 min drive

Restaurants

The Cornish Pantry - 7 min drive
Smokey Joes Cafe - 9 min drive
Portreath Beach Cafe - 10 min drive
Railway Inn - 7 min drive
Gwel an Mor - 11 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Unique Grade 2 listed beachside piece of Cornish Heritage with stunning sea view pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 3 total).

What time is check-in at Unique Grade 2 listed beachside piece of Cornish Heritage with stunning sea view?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Unique Grade 2 listed beachside piece of Cornish Heritage with stunning sea view?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Unique Grade 2 listed beachside piece of Cornish Heritage with stunning sea view located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within a 5-minute walk of Porthtowan Beach and Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Chapel Porth Beach and Wheal Coates Tin Mine are also within 3 miles (5 km).

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

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9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

8/10 Good

Rebecca H.

26 Mar 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Engine House

Loved staying here with our family and dogs, wonderful old building and location next to the beach. Robert very helpful and lovely neighbour Mike!

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

frances evans e.

4 Mar 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cornish seaside

Lovely property in lovely location but beware of steep stairs if very old or young in your group

Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stacey J.

3 Nov 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A stormy seaside stay

This historic mill is an absolute must. Me and my family stayed the week of storm Ciaran and had a fantastic stay so close to the beach. It has everything you’d need, is wonderfully rustic and has been beautifully restored. The views are amazing and Porthtowan is a lovely seaside village.

Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Si D.

30 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location.

Really well situated, lots of space inside and very friendly owner. Would recommend.

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Louise B.

18 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous historic beach location

We have been going to the Engine House for 7-8 years and are booking for next year. It is well furnished and plenty of room.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Robert Salvoni

Having bought the amazing Engine House (property number 8125960) in 2000 and enjoyed every holiday and weekend we could possibly have there as a family from our London home, we fell in love with Cornwall and made the decision to move down full time in 2011. After living at The Engine House for a few years, we moved to a larger home nearby to accommodate our growing family, with the intent of moving back once we get rid of the kids! It is first and foremost a family home, rather than a boutique hotel, and we welcome guests who embrace all that makes Cornish Holidays special. Be careful - holidays in Cornwall can be addictive!

Why they chose this property

Cornwall's metals have been mined since Roman times, and the dramatic landscape owes much to the extraction of tin, copper and Gold. In the 19th Century, local boy Richard Trevithick developed the massive steam Beam Engines that allowed deep mines to be dug without flooding. These had to be housed in tall thin buildings called Engine Houses, the ruins of which punctuate the Cornish countryside.
The Grade II Listed Engine House in Porthtowan is one of only a handful that have been converted to residential use, and of these, the only one actually on a beach! This makes it completely unique, and a fabulous way of enjoying both the heritage and natural wonders of Cornwall together. Conversion and maintenance is always a challenge with these industrial buildings - no cavity walls or double glazing, but we hope you will embrace the quirkiness that makes it so special to us.

What makes this property unique

Apart from staying in a true part of Cornwall's heritage, Porthtowan is a seaside village with everything you might want from a Cornish holiday - a superb Blue-Flag sandy beach, amazing surf with RNLI Lifeguards, long walks along the Coastal Path to the Chapel Porth National Trust Cafe, great food and atmosphere at the renowned Blue Bar and other village amenities including a pub, cafe, fish and chips, post office and general store. It is also centrally located for day trips to the beautiful cathedral city of Truro, Newquay, Falmouth and St Ives. St Michaels Mount, Padstow, Lands End and The Eden Project are all within in a 45 minute radius.