A Brief History

The town of St Ives evolved as a fishing and trading port with its own harbour and wharf. A maze of narrow cobbled streets known as 'Downalong' became a main part of the town and today has some of the most exciting properties.

Many of these lovely cottages were built around between 1600 to 1800s for use by the fishing community families that lived and worked in St Ives.

The cottages were largely buit from granite taken from the surrounding areas. The walls are commonly very thick: sometimes up to a metre, and openings: doors and windows kept small to keep the heat in and protect from the elements during the cold Cornish Winters.

Space was used economically which again helped with maintaining heat and provided the "cozy" cottage atmosphere that is so desirable today. Original features often include open beam ceilings and wide timber floor boards, sash windowsand open fires.

Almost every cottage in St Ives is unique, ranging from two to three storey abodes. These cottages were designed to provide shelter from the harsh Cornish weather.

Though quite rare for these houses to have garden facilities, private courtyards were often added where fuel for the fire would be stored, today these make superb hideaway spots.