The Coastguard Cottages
A
listed terrace of seven cottages built in 1826 by the government
in an attempt to suppress smuggling in the area, on a sheltered
and slightly sloping sunny site facing due south and directly overlooking
the sea, so that all front rooms have sea views. A broad and social sitting
area gives onto a large lawn in front, partially divided by hedges
and surrounded by a perimeter wall helping to contain younger children.
Within it are a big sand pit and swing. Along the back of the terrace is
a service building for logs and/or coal separated from the house by a narrow
continuous alley. It contains a telephone and showers as well as
a small fuel shed and water closet for each of the cottages. There
is a laundry room with washing machines and driers, though each cottage
has its own clothesline. Cars are parked 50 yards to the east in an old
quarry, avoiding any disturbance. Coule’s Cove is about 100 paces
away and the nearest sandy beach, Kenneggy, is some 300 away via
the rocks at low tide.
NO.1 at
the west end was occupied by the most senior coastguard being the largest
and separated from the rest by a garden wall. It has three bedrooms
including two doubles at the front (one with an additional small single
bed) and a twin; kitchen; dining room with solid fuel stove and upright
piano; sitting room with open fire; bathroom. There is an additional
outside WC and store for fuel across the alleyway at the back. Parking for
two-three cars. (Equipped for seven people)
NO.2 also has three bedrooms comprising a separate double and a twin at the front communicating with a second twin at the back. Downstairs has a bathroom; sitting room with open fire and kitchen/diner. There is an additional outside WC, shower and store for fuel across the alleyway at the back. Parking for two cars. (Equipped for six people)
NO.3 has three bedrooms with a double at the front inter-communicating with two twins at the back. Downstairs, the sitting room has an open fire and is divided from the kitchen/diner at the back with a sliding partition; bathroom. It also has an additional outside WC and a shower. Parking for two cars. (Equipped for six people)
NOS.4-6 have two interconnecting twin rooms, the one at the front leading to the second at the back. The beds in the front have zip-up mattresses making optional six feet doubles. Downstairs comprises a sitting room with open fire at the front leading to the kitchen/diner with a table-top bath. The WC and shower is a hop across the alley outside the back door. Parking for two cars. (Equipped for four people)
NO.7 is
on the end and similar to nos. 4-6 but the bedrooms are not interconnecting
and the front room has a double bed; sitting room at the front with
open fire and kitchen with table-top bath at the back. The WC and shower
is also
across the narrow alley behind. Parking for two cars. (Equipped
for four people)
