Nestled in countryside just outside Redruth, is a retreat so beautiful, I almost don’t want to tell you it’s there, for fear of it never being available again. It’s perfectly situated just twenty minutes’ drive from the Falmouth coastline, and in the opposite direction, the Cornish capital of Truro, and yet, accessed down winding narrow lanes, it feels totally remote and exclusive. I’m talking about The Cornish Place, and we fell utterly in love.
Owned by husband-and-wife team Andi and Adam Freeman, The Cornish Place is made up of a series of cottages within the grounds of their home, Gilly Vean Farm. The couple, originally from Kingston in Surrey, left their day jobs (wedding cake maker for Andi, and media executive for Adam) in 2020 to embark on the adventure of finally owning their own slice of Cornish paradise. And quite clearly have ploughed everything in to creating a space that guests will want to return to again and again.
It’s the little touches here that make such a big difference. Upon arrival, Andi greeted us personally, showing us where we could find plenty of wood for our burner and wood-fired hot tub, the handy onsite gym for those that are so inclined (I have to admit, I was too relaxed to think about trying out the rower) and The Piggery, where daily cakes and ice creams are available for all guests to tuck in to at their leisure.
The hand-written chalkboard sign with our names on, and those of the other guests staying, was a thoughtful gesture that made us feel welcomed and instantly part of the gang. As well as Andi and Adam, their youngest daughter also lives here, and takes care of the stables and horses, and the family have two beautiful dogs, who love having other furry friends over to play with, so you don’t have to leave your four-legged family members at home.
On to our accommodation, and we were lucky enough to be staying in The Dairy Shed, which is one of two cottages onsite that can cater for parties of six, joined by a further two-bed cottage which sleeps four. Combined, they make the perfect escape for multi-generations, groups of friends, or (which they host regularly) wedding parties.
The Dairy Shed is perfect for families with young children. Our boys are six and four, and absolutely loved sharing the beautiful bunk room, and the open plan kitchen, living, dining is spacious enough for everyone to feel they have their own little corner to relax in. Andi and Adam have had the pleasure of staying in some wonderful accommodation over the years and have used their experiences to create the ideal self-catered base for their guests.
A thoughtfully put together welcome hamper had been left on the dining table, which included a handy The Cornish Place water bottle as well as tasty crisps and snacks, locally made chocolate buttons, eggs, jam, and of course, some Cornish yarg. On the side was a freshly baked sourdough loaf and, in the fridge, we were delighted to find milk from the local dairy and more importantly, a bottle of Falmouth Dry Gin and Navas tonics who are based in Falmouth. Andi and Adam haven’t just moved to Cornwall to start a business, they genuinely support and promote Cornwall and its produce to everyone who comes to stay.
The boiling water tap is a godsend when you’ve got two busy boys and not a lot of time for tea-making, and the coffee machine was well equipped with eco-friendly pods to provide that much-needed injection of caffeine. In fact, the whole ethos of The Cornish Place is based on sustainability and waste reduction. There are clear instructions for rubbish recycling and any cleaning products left for guests to use support the environment. This is a beautiful location and Andi and Adam are careful not to leave too much of a footprint on the local landscape. They have installed air source heat pumps for all the cottages, have a 22V EV charger in the car park for guests to use at a fixed charge of £50 and have their own spring water sourced from a borehole. They also support a wonderful local charity, The Wave Project, who provide surf therapy courses for children with mental health issues by donating 21 nights a year for them to use for fundraising, rewarding volunteers and team building events.
The cosy interiors, especially with the wood-burner raging in the corner casting everything in a warming glow makes it difficult to want to step outside. That is, until you catch sight of those incredible rural landscape views, stretching for miles towards the slip of coastline in the distance. This is where The Dairy Shed really becomes something special. From our master bedroom (which can also be separated into an annex with its own garden and deck, complete with outdoor bath, and kitchenette) we could wake up in the morning and gaze out over rolling hills.
In autumn and winter, you can watch as the weather rolls around the surrounding hills and valleys, and gaze up at crisp night skies from beneath the steam of your private sunken hot tub. Buzzards soared across the fields to land in nearby treetops, and the twit-twooing of tawny owls’ echo against the screeching of the barn owls, which you may glimpse as they swoop silently across the patchwork of pastures in front of you. In the summer, you can enjoy a barbeque on your own decked area, with local meats available to purchase, and in spring I can imagine the carefully planted garden to be awash with colour and scent. Whatever the season, the outside space here is magical and everything is set up for indoor/outdoor living, including comfy hammock chairs, dining benches and chairs and tables perfect for quiet contemplation.
On our last night, Andi and Adam threw a pizza party for us and the other guests to celebrate the end of half term. The boys had a brilliant time creating their own pizzas and watching them sizzle away in the Ooni oven, expertly cooked by Adam. And we loved being able to relax and meet some new people, knowing the children were safe to run around and explore. It may be their home, but Andi and Adam are keen to share it with their guests, and they have just installed a QR code trail which you can scan to find out more about the farm and its surrounding landscape and wildlife.
If you can tear yourself away from The Cornish Place, you are perfectly situated to explore some of Cornwall’s finest beaches, and there are buckets and spades, dry bags and towels and robies, as well as bespoke The Cornish Place bodyboards for you to borrow at your leisure. Falmouth is also right on the doorstep, and we enjoyed a great family day out at The Maritime Museum followed by a delicious afternoon tea at The Greenbank Hotel, which has to offer one of the most exclusive views of the harbour.
Special, scenic and sumptuously soothing is the alliteration I would use for describing The Cornish Place. And to everyone who now knows about it…make sure you save some dates for the rest of us in 2024.
To book
Stays at The Cornish Place (exclusive hire) start from: £2,687 for 3 days and £5,166 for 7 days.
Stays at The Dairy Shed and The Stables start from £1,016 for three days and £1,863 for 7 days. Stays at The Barn start from £835 for 3 days and £1,440 for 7 days. To find out more and see availability visit thecornishplace.com
