DRIFT 31

of

The art REVOLUTION

Pushing creative boundaries to find ourselves somewhere altogether new

Volume No31 £10.00

Drift /drift/ noun

1. the act of driving something along

2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream

verb

1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air

2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly

THE PINNACLE OF LUXURY LIFESTYLE IN CORNWALL

CEO Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842 ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Editor

Hannah Tapping hannah.tapping@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Operations Manager

Miguel Belert

miguel.belert@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Managing Director

Richard McEvoy – 07771 868880 richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Content Manager

Rosie Cattrell rosie.cattrell@levenmediagroup.co.uk

Finance & HR Manager

Charlotte Forster charlotte.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Client Director

Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706 jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Creative Designers

Spencer Hawes

Jamie Crocker

PROUD TO BE PART OF

Drift is published by:

Engine House Media LTD

Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JX

www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk

ISSN 2632-9891

© All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Drift will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advises viewing any property prior to purchasing or considerations over any financial decisions. Engine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of

Credit Control

Tracy Dart – 01326 574842

tracy.dart@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Engine House Media Ltd. It is suggested that further advice is taken over any actions resulting from reading any part of this magazine.

Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia. co.uk to find out more. Our mission is to create READ-WATCHEXPERIENCE media opportunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across Cornwall. Our publishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and online communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and magazine experience we develop effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.

On the cover

The stunning work of Malika Agueznay, courtesy of a private collection in Marrakech, which can be explored from page 103. tate.org.uk

Foreword

In a modern world driven by commercialism, we can be guilty of prioritising gratification from spend. In doing so, we neglect the power of sense as a way to enrich our lives. Is it time to shift our focus and embrace a more holistic approach to appreciation? Over the coming pages, we invite you to embark on a journey that transcends boundaries. We take a deep dive into Cornwall’s makers and masters, allowing ourselves to be enchanted by a symphony of the senses, where sights, sounds, smells and textures evoke wonder. Photographer Adj Brown’s new project Makers and Doers shines a behind-thescenes spotlight on Cornish creatives, exploring each of their personal work spaces. In a new series, we offer a rare glimpse behind the scenes of potter Laura Crosland (17). Mercedes Smith looks forward to a new exhibition of the work of artist

Neil Davies (29) whose energetic brushstrokes invoke the power of coastal weather systems. In conversation with co-owner of Sipsmith Gin, Sam Galsworthy, we explore his home at Trewithen (41), allowing the landscape to inform the story, while reflecting on Cornish community and business. Enrichment also comes in the form of self-care and at St Michaels Resort (87) the opportunity to soothe body and soul comes at every turn. The restorative nature of water flows throughout the resort while considered planting anchors guests firmly in nature. By engaging our senses, we unlock a new dimension, challenging traditional perspectives and inviting a more immersive experience. Join us as we celebrate the power of our senses and dive headfirst into a world where art in all its forms becomes more than just a visual spectacle.

Our contributors

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We invite you to continue your lifestyle voyage online. Find inspiring stories and uncover more luxury content on Instagram @driftcornwall. Join our exclusive e-journal community at drift-cornwall.co.uk to receive recipes, reviews and insider knowledge of some of Cornwall’s most-loved luxury destinations.

Martin Holman

Rosie Cattrell

Hannah Tapping

Rebecca Hawkey

Lucy Studley

Mercedes Smith

CAMEL ESTUARY | NORTH CORNWALL | GUIDE PRICE £995,000 | EPC E

Truro

Cornwall

A completely private woodland estate, with an attractive Grade II* listed manor house set within expansive parkland gardens, together with a renowned equestrian cross country course.

Guide price £6,000,000

Available for sale for the first time in 99 years and for only the second time in the entire history of the estate, positioned a few miles from the cathedral city of Truro and close to the north coast of Cornwall.

With two lodge houses, former walled garden and outbuildings, woodland and pasture, the estate totals 234 acres and is offered as a whole or in two lots.

Truro Chris Anderson 07393 269425

chris.anderson@carterjonas.co.uk

Menheniot

Cornwall

A magnificent residential farm nestled in a private valley setting surrounded by rolling countryside.

Truro

Chris Anderson 07393 269425

chris.anderson@carterjonas.co.uk

Guide price £4,150,000

Centred around an impressive Grade II listed, Georgian farmhouse with 6 residential cottages and buildings to the rear, centrally positioned within the land and accessed by a wonderful tree-lined avenue.

Available for the first time in 94 years, the farms provide high quality arable and pasture land, two farmyards consisting of traditional and modern farm buildings and amenity woodland.

74 LUXURY HOMES

At the pinnacle of the Cornish market

87 TOTAL IMMERSION

A new spa experience at St Michaels

95 A HAVEN RICH IN HERITAGE

Exploring a resort with family in its blood

103 PLAYING IT AGAIN

A revival of interest in Morocco’s art revolution

114 TIMELESS DESIGN

Combining the classic with the contemporary

122 EVENTIDE

A final word from Jakie Jewell

HEADSTurning

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING | IMAGES BY ADJ BROWN

Laura Crosland studied ceramics at university: “Having enjoyed using clay during my A-levels, I decided early on that this was going to be my career – I loved it. Clay seems to have that effect on people! It becomes an obsession. After university I worked for a couple of different potters before moving to Cornwall, where I completed a year-long apprenticeship at the Leach Pottery, funded by a charity called Adopt a Potter. This was an amazing opportunity to further my skills and knowledge and prepare me for setting up on my own.”

All of Laura’s work is thrown at the potter’s wheel and then intricately carved by hand; she has always been fascinated by patterns, especially geometric and tessellating forms. To her, a pot is a blank canvas to decorate: “I love figuring out how my designs will fit on to each pot and flow over the form. I am also inspired by flowers and leaves that grow in pattern formations, these suit my more curvy forms. I plan my geometric designs by marking out a grid on to my pot, then drawing each shape of the pattern. I then carve around each of these shapes, so that they appear raised from the pot, which creates interesting textures with my glazes. I then use multiple glazes on each pot, which create rich colours where they all blend together.”

During her time with the Leach Pottery, Laura spent the first year training to become a production potter: “This means I now have the ability to efficiently make the same

pot, with the same shape and dimensions repeatedly. It’s a difficult and very useful skill. After the first year I was then an employee, as a production potter making Leach standard ware. My time in the studio was so valuable on my journey, learning from potters who had trained all over the world. It has influenced my work in so many ways, giving me the skills and confidence to go on to make my own unique pots. I now teach on the intensive throwing courses at the Leach Pottery.”

Makers and Doers is the latest project by photographer Adj Brown, a series of images capturing Cornish artists, craft makers and creators. With a sense of curiosity, Adj explores each of their personal spaces and work processes, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes. “It’s a privilege to witness these skilled and passionate individuals bring their creations to life and get the chance to showcase these fascinating people doing interesting things.” “I was delighted to collaborate with Adj,” says Laura, “I really love his style of photography, capturing the person in their environment and showing personality within an image. A studio is such a personal space that you spend a lot of time in, so it is wonderful to have photography that captures the essence of this.”

Laura will be taking part in an open studio event during St Ives September Festival at the Gaolyard Studios, Dove Street, St Ives TR26 2LZ, from 13th September.

lauracroslandceramics.com adjbrown.com

Capturing an obsession with clay.

Laura Crosland

Every pot is hand-thrown

HAND-CARVED ALCHEMY

MEL CHAMBERS, OF ALCHEMY TILES is one of the last artisans in the UK to use ancient 13th century techniques to create multi-award-winning, handcrafted tiles in a modern-day context.

Awarded best hand-crafted tile company for a third year by the Southern Enterprise Awards (SME), Mel’s unique combination of ancient techniques, philosophy and poetry result in tiles that are inlaid with unique coloured clay and inspiring words.

Every tile is bespoke and hand-carved, perfect to personalise any kitchen, bathroom or fireplace. Each one takes a minimum of two weeks to complete and is created to stand the test of time. the

edgeof the WORLD Art at the

WORDS BY MERCEDES SMITH

‘Light Explosion Over Land’s End’ ABOVE ‘Boggy Track Across the Moors’ TOP ’A Portal Through Time’

For as long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to paint, single-mindedly ignoring all other subjects,” says artist Neil Davies. This is an attitude that has seen him become one of west Cornwall’s most admired and successful landscape painters, through talent and a commitment to creating considered and consistently exceptional collections of work. It isn’t hard to recognise a Neil Davies painting, they are unmistakable, particularly in their depth of colour, and the vigorous brush strokes Neil uses to express the energy of coastal weather systems. There is also a very particular blue that collectors associate with his work – not a tube colour, but a glowing, darkly vivid blue that is achieved through multiple layers and

glazes of oil paint. “That particular blue has been arrived at over time,” says Neil. “When I’m observing the sea and the sky, I keep their natural colours in mind, but then seek to intensify them through paint mixing, and through the addition of varnish, which gives them a translucent quality, and by contrasting them with the vibrant yellows of gorse, or flecks of white in clouds or waves.”

Neil’s work is associated primarily with the sweeping landscape of Cornwall’s Penwith peninsula where he lives and works, but this year he presents a unique collection inspired by both Cornwall and Orkney, an island location that is one thousand miles away to the north, beyond the Scottish mainland. On show at St Ives’ New

Neil Davies

A new exhibition by painter Neil Davies takes us to two far flung, but equally inspiring, coastal landscapes.

Craftsman Gallery, which has represented Neil for more than a decade, the exhibition explores the striking similarities of these two coastal landscapes. “This collection was inspired by a recent holiday in Orkney,” Neil tells me, “where the parallels with Cornwall are particularly apparent – that feeling of being on the edge, surrounded and supported by the sea, and of being part of an island community with its fishing industry, its scattered homesteads, its ancient sites and Celtic ancestry, its little coves and harbours and its wide horizons. I felt a strong connection between the two which I wanted to explore.”

Despite Neil’s high-profile association with Cornish landscape painting, it is not entirely unusual for him to make works inspired by other locations. “Over the years my shows have occasionally included paintings from Wales, particularly Snowdonia,” he says, “and often the Highlands of Scotland –places like Skye, Glen Coe and Applecross. All these, in common with West Penwith, are places of wilderness, of raw and visceral, elemental landscapes, with wild and unpredictable weather.” Neil’s appreciation for the landscape, he tells me, comes from seeds sown early in his childhood. “For the first few years of my life,” he explains, “I lived in Aberdour in Scotland, and was regularly taken on trips to the Cairngorms, where I would feed the deer and walk for miles in wild, open spaces. As an adult, I became

fascinated with the many faces of landscape, in particular the ways in which the changing seasons, weather and light can affect the same view in so many ways. Moving to St Ives, and regularly walking the landscape of West Penwith, has compounded this love. Perhaps, regarding this year’s collection of work, because of my Scottish roots and love for Cornwall, Orkney’s similarity to West Penwith felt like coming home.”

Titled Connections: Travels in Orkney & West Penwith, this exhibition includes paintings of dramatic and awe-inspiring ‘edge of the world’ locations such as Cornwall’s Land’s End and Orkney’s Yesnaby coastline, both situated where Europe meets the beautiful but unforgiving Atlantic Ocean. Combining modern techniques with those of Old Master painters, Neil works with varnish-based translucent glazes, impasto and opaque matt colours, which he creates by mixing beeswax into his pigments. “Oil paint has always been my preferred material. It is the medium I find most flexible, and that allows me to achieve great variation within the paint,” says Neil. “Brushes, palette knives, rags and my fingers are all tools I employ to give energy to the movement of my oil paint, and for drawing I use pencils, chunks of graphite, Indian ink and compressed charcoal. The ensuing interplay of gloss, matt, textured, and thin and thick layers of paint, which echoes the diversity of elements in nature, all add to my final interpretation of the painting.”

‘Melting Light, Cape Cornwall’

‘Rock Strata and Nesting Puffins’

‘ Silvery Light, Brough of Birsay’

‘Winter Deluge, Porthledden’

‘Yesnaby Castle Sea Stack’

‘The Blue Beyond the Orcadian Edge’

Like many contemporary painters, Neil works on board instead of stretched canvas. “Boards are extremely durable and are able to take the punishment I inflict on them with the energetic, gestural strokes which happen when my painting is in full flow,” he explains. Neil begins the process of creating work by walking the landscape, observing its qualities at a particular moment in time – on a tranquil spring morning, or in the violence of a winter storm – and absorbing what he sees and the feelings it creates. “Anything I see can create a reaction in me,” he says, “perhaps a transient shaft of light on a whitewashed cottage, or the sun breaking through a bruised sky after a storm. The retained memory of that momentary event, and quick sketches done on the spot, act as the catalyst for decisions about the painting once I’m back in the studio. This is where the alchemy kicks in and intuition takes over. At this early stage my time scale for creating the work is unknown – sometimes the painting almost paints itself and can be finished fairly quickly, while others can take much longer. Once it is finished, I will set the painting aside for a while, then reassess it after a few days with a fresh eye. Sometimes I am satisfied with it as it is, other times I may decide to alter something – maybe a corner appears too dark, or some final touches are required to bring out a certain aspect of the work.”

When the finished painting is dry, Neil applies varnish to intensify the colours and enhance the vibrant depth of his richly toned, powerful paintings. Each one is an expression of his endless passion for painting the landscape. “An observation in nature – a flash

of light on a rock, a break in the clouds – is the anchor point,” he says, “and then intuition and my subconscious take over, dictating the pace and direction of the painting, and resulting in gestural marks, accidental qualities and challenges which add emotion and enrich the final work. It is the challenge of making new work, and the subsequent alchemy in my studio, that draws me in and keeps me motivated. The landscape of the far west still has the power to surprise me, to present something previously unnoticed, or offer a new perspective on familiar subjects. Penwith’s geographical location, surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic, means that we have a lot of weather events here and everything is intensified - the storms are wilder, the skies are more dramatic, the colours and light are brighter.

“The constant shift in atmospheric mood around the coast means I am never short of material: darkly glowering skies, turbulent seas and furious storms can suddenly vanish, and then the sun soaks the land with warmth and light. The wilderness of the high moors, the rugged coastline, the power of the elements – these things excite me – they recall an ancient connection with the soul of the land and it is hard not to be moved. As an artist, my emotional response is to capture the essence of these feelings in paint”.

See Neil Davies’ Connections: Travels in Orkney & West Penwith from 1st to 28th July at New Craftsman Gallery, 24 Fore Street, St Ives. newcraftsmanstives.com

A spiritedAPPROACH

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING

Swapping city streets for Cornish soil; in conversation with Trewithen estate owner and co-founder of Sipsmith Gin, Sam Galsworthy.

It was during some research on estate gardens in Cornwall that first introduced me to the Galsworthy family. While familiar with the many National Trust gardens scattered throughout the Duchy I was not so with one named Trewithen. Situated on the outskirts of Truro, at the gateway to the Roseland, the estate has been owned by the same family for ten generations. Curious to discover more, I found that not only is the house at Trewithen thought to be one of the best examples of 18th century architecture in Cornwall; the gardens are home to some of the finest tree magnolia specimens in the world; there are 30 acres of surrounding woodland gardens and more than 200 acres of parkland, but that its current owner, Sam Galsworthy, is also one third of the trio which owns Sipsmith Gin. So, how, I am wondering, does a landowner from Cornwall come to be running a world-renowned craft distillery?

My musing takes me, of course, to Trewithen. Blessed by one of the warmest May mornings on record I turn into the driveway. Ancient signposts suggest that perhaps this was once the thoroughfare for coach and horses leaving for London, fitting then that the man I am about to meet should spend his weekdays in the city, retreating to Trewithen at weekends for family time and solace in the garden. All is quiet, only birdsong and the gentle buzz of bees accompany my short walk to the estate office. On meeting Sam, we swap the usual pleasantries, finding that our summers may well have been spent in the same cove in Cadgwith as his aunt owned a thatched cottage there – it’s rare that there’s ever more than a degree of separation amongst us Cornish folk.

We decide that on such a beautiful morning it would be sacrilege not to walk and talk and so we begin by taking to the South Lawn, a

Patience, sister still to Prudence

The magic of Trewithen

The Sipsmith distillery in Chiswick

wide swathe of grass where echoes of croquet and cricket games from times past float through the trees. Retracting myself from my bucolic stupor, I ask Sam about growing up at Trewithen. “We rarely left the estate as children. We might venture down to Pendower with the dogs on a Sunday, but we had all we needed here.” Radley College beckoned for schooling with fellow Cornishman and childhood friend Fairfax Hall, whose family home was at Gwinear.

“My career journey started with Fullers Brewery. I worked for them in the UK before they moved me over to the States at the age of 24, at a stage when they had a small, but burgeoning footprint of exports to the US. I went over there to try to bring Fullers to life; it was an incredible experience, a real life journey. It was during that time that I saw a craft movement taking place. I think I was maturing in a way that meant I was more observant of the tenants of craft; there was microbrewing, craft distilling, boutique wineries, candle makers... It was at a time when Starbucks first emerged and started getting into the experiential economy. People began to be more receptive to learning about the genesis of particular products, getting under the skin and bringing an emotive angle to it. This idea of craft is very powerful; wanting to know how and who made a product as well as the story behind it.”

It was during this time that Sam got together again with his great childhood friend, Fairfax. He was working at Diageo, a global leader in the premium drinks market, and was also Stateside. Sitting down over drinks in New York the pair began to hatch a plan: “We talked about starting a gin company in London,” explains Sam. “It seemed a natural location as London is its home. We wanted to reintroduce the idea of a craft gin and a distillery that people could visit and see the product. Our formula was fairly simple: London x gin x craft.” Sam and Fairfax quit their jobs on the same day and started the process of acquiring a license to distil gin. Little did they know that no gin distillery in London, for the pot still size they were talking about, had been granted a license since 1823. “To cut a long story short,” adds Sam, “we spent just under two years working with lobbyists, a lawyer or two, an MP and some relatively influential people in the industry in London, to get this draconian law changed. At the time Beefeater was the only gin distillery in London; Gordon’s, Booths and Boodles had all left the city for various reasons, leaving an enormous hole for craft gin to return and challenge the big guys. We wanted to bring London dry gin back to the city where it had earned its name, and do that in the most authentic and uncompromising way.”

Making sustainable living beautiful

Artisan homeware handcrafted in Cornwall.

As we walk, we digress; hard not to in such beautiful surroundings. Sam tells me that much of the South Lawn was a garden until a year or two ago: “We found the original 300-year-old landscape plans and rather bravely removed the garden and reinstated the lawn.” As you look back toward the fine Georgian architecture of the main house, I feel transported in time. Such splendour is not restricted to the Galsworthy family. The gardens are open to the public from the 1st of March to the end of September. “The beginning of the season has a real intensity of flowering shrubs and plants and then as summer takes hold we leave a lot of this area to become a wildflower wilderness with a no-mow approach.”

“The wildlife here is absolutely amazing. We’ve had the British trust of Ornithology visit over the last few years to run a number of different samples on bird life. What we’ve found is that not only has the species density risen, we now actually have more species. It’s really lovely when you see results of taking leaps of faith in nature, allowing it to follow its own course. The farmland all around here is organic; we operate a regenerative form of farming so, minimal input.”

As we leave the South Lawn we turn our thoughts back gin: “We were successful in changing the law,” says Sam, “and then we found a small site in West London, were joined by an incredible distiller, Jared

Brown, who is our third partner, and got going with a small pot still named Prudence, and began to craft gin. Jared came up with the recipe, which was very classic. This was really important to us, because we didn’t want to deviate away from what was really understood and loved, as opposed to what you have now with craft gins, which is a huge amount of diversification and flavour. We were astonished with the traction that we were fortunate to have right at the beginning. We had done a lot of research, asking a lot of people in the industry what their views were and it turned out that we made the right decision in being adamant that we should stay true to a classic London gin; you might say standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Sipsmith was granted its license in 2008, beginning production the following year. At the time there were only 11 gin distilleries in the UK; today, there are over 800. This legacy alone is testament to the bravery, ingenuity and sheer determination of Sam and Fairfax: “I think the growth taps into this locavore mentality that we are seeing so much more of these days. People want to support ‘local’, shorten supply chains, and are more discerning in how they buy. In year one, we made London something of a Sipsmith fortress, with Cornwall our next foray out of the capital. Sipsmith was taken by Hotel Tresanton and Watergate Bay Hotel and we were thrilled to have our gin stocked in such an incredibly powerful

place when it comes to food and beverage – and this was some 30 years ago, when we were just beginning to see an ascendancy in Cornwall’s hospitality industry.” Thanks to the law-change, the distilling landscape across the UK has changed. Cornwall is now home to a plethora of gin distilleries and, while the Sipsmith distillery remains in London, the soul and spirit of two childhood Cornish friends still remains firmly in the Duchy.

As we continue our walk around Trewithen, our conversation punctuated by the crunch of gravel underfoot and the sight of its incredible specimen planting we, once again, digress, this time into a snippet of history. It turns out that the great Richard Trevithick worked with one of Sam’s ancestors to commission the first agricultural automation, a powered wheat thresher. Now on show at the London Science Museum, there are plans afoot to bring it back to Trewithen: “You have to bring the past with you as well as being progressive, both in terms of how we partner with nature, in farming and gardening, and also how we look at supporting communities.” Testament to this, Sam is vice chairman of Cornwall Community Foundation, which

helps communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by awarding small grants to grassroots, front line, volunteer-led organisations and social enterprises. He is also an active member of Homes for Cornwall, which is addressing the widening and deepening housing crisis in Cornwall. “Living between London and Cornwall, my self-imposed remit down here is very much to give back to the community where I can.”

I came to Trewithen with the intention of talking about Sipsmith, who wouldn’t want to wax lyrical about such an iconic British brand. However, we find ourselves moving to a more social standpoint: “Cornwall means everything to me. I can’t imagine actually living anywhere else, or being a part of anything else. I feel that now Sipsmith is ultimately in the safe hands of others, I can turn my attention westwards. I feel like Cornwall is such a fertile bed and platform to do that. When you think about the number of businesses that have either set out to be purpose-driven or have retrofitted purpose, it’s astonishing. In the last 10 years we have really become alive to the need to be stakeholder driven rather than capitalist enslaved, with Sipsmith gaining

A Sipsmith signature serve

Discover the stories linking King Arthur and the Pre-Raphaelite artists

The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story

Running from 17 June 2023 until 30 September 2023

See the entire Lady of Shalott series of paintings by John William Waterhouse together for the first time.

Municipal Buildings, The Moor, Falmouth TR11 2RT T: 01326 313 863 www.falmouthartgallery.com

B Corp status in 2020. Nowhere that I’ve been fortunate enough to do business in around Britain, is B Corp more penetrative, understood, impactful and believable than in Cornwall. While some businesses are retrofitting, I think mostly the genesis of a lot of these companies is coming from social enterprise, with an economic upside that exists, both in terms of doing good as well as making profit.”

As we emerge onto the lawn in front of Trewithen’s tea room, I can’t help but feel what a lovely, gentle place this is, safe in the

stewardship of Sam and his family. Some 10,000 people visit the garden each year, coming for the same feeling of peace that has washed over me on this May morning. I have yet to scratch the surface of the garden; its trees, its planting and not least its incredible Head Gardener, Gary Long. That will have to wait for another day and another narrative, but for now I leave with the true sense of a Cornishman-turned-gin-distiller whose heart will always lie in the Duchy.

sipsmith.com

trewithengardens.co.uk

The three Sipsmith amigos; Sam, Fairfax and Jared

Voyage of DISCOVERY

WORDS BY LUCY STUDLEY

My senses have gone into overdrive. I’m soaking up a riot of bright colours, an enticing succession of aromas, and the uplifting melodies of a group of local folk musicians playing nearby, as a gentle breeze brings tinkling nautical sounds from the direction of a busy pontoon. All around me stallholders are proudly showcasing their freshly picked, baked and bottled wares, as streetfood vendors dish out steaming helpings of Thai curry, balls of crisp herb-flecked arancini, and colourful buddha bowls. Conversations are taking place all around me, as eager shoppers come face-to-face with the artisan maker, organic farmer, craft brewer or local fish merchant responsible for their haul of market finds.

I’ve come to check out Falmouth’s newest weekly event, Discovery Market, which takes place outside the National Maritime Museum most Fridays, bar the odd week when major events descend on the town’s maritime square. Inspired by the market’s pioneering environmentally friendly ethos (it’s entirely free of single-use plastic, but more on that later), I’ve left the car at home and travelled on the branch line train. Low carbon travel options are one of the things the market organisers are keen to highlight; Discovery Quay is easily accessible by train and bus, there are handy bike racks nearby, and electric charging points in the neighbouring car park. You can even arrive by boat, kayak or paddleboard if you’re feeling intrepid! I’ve come in the hope of both a pre-weekend

A new plastic-free market on Falmouth’s waterfront entices us on a culinary and creative journey.

Enjoying sweet, plastic-free treats

THE BODMIN JAIL HOTEL

The Bodmin Jail Hotel has been painstakingly renovated from a former jail into a boutique, modern hotel. Offering unrivalled hospitality, knowledgeable staff, luxurious rooms, amazing food, and is the perfect location for you to explore all that Cornwall has to offer. It is a unique place to stay.

www.bodminjailhotel.com

food shop and a tasty lunch, and I’m far from disappointed. In fact, I’m just as enthralled as the many visitors to my hometown arriving via train, coach and cruise ship, for many of whom this is their first sight of Cornwall doing its thing.

Discovery Market was launched in May by some of the team behind Truro Farmers Market, which enlivens Lemon Quay in Truro every Saturday and Wednesday, and also pops up on a smaller scale on The Moor in Falmouth each Tuesday. The cooperative behind these markets celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, and it was the first of its kind in the UK. A small group of local farmers and makers took the initiative back then, pledging to work together to sell direct to the public in the city centre as the power of the supermarkets grew and squeezed out greengrocers, butchers and fishmongers, changing the face of the high street forever.

In its Truro iteration, the market has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Flourishing as a safe and accessible

shopping experience during Covid, Market Coordinator Stewart Girvan also introduced seasonal celebrations known as The BIG Markets at key times of the year. A monthlong Christmas market brings festive spirit to Lemon Quay every December, and 2023’s yuletide extravaganza will feature the launch of the market’s very own recipe book, celebrating the people and produce behind the market’s remarkable success.

“By their nature, our markets are great for reducing food miles, help to nurture a circular economy, and are a crucial platform for small businesses and family farms,” explains Stewart. “Meat is from non-intensive traditional farms, veg is grown with organic principles, and seafood is sustainably caught and traceable. I could go on explaining all the ways in which we tick the right boxes for the ethical shoppers of today, but in essence it’s a given from a local market centred around small, independent producers!”

For Discovery Market, Stewart and Rebecca Ready – Market Manager for the new venture – wanted to push the sustainability

Great Scott Hot Sauce

ethos further. They pledged to deliver a market completely free of single-use plastic; all traders are required to use only wooden, paper, compostable or Veg Ware packaging and are encouraged to offer refills where appropriate. Rebecca tells me: “As the market grows and develops, expect to see traders thinking outside the box – using industry alternatives to show that single-use packaging can be eliminated from supply chains for good!

“It was really important to us that the market be plastic free, especially considering the location right by the water in Falmouth,” continues Rebecca. Falmouth Harbour uses a Seabin to collect plastic waste from the marine environment; it’s emptied daily, and audits taken of what is recovered. “The presence of the Seabin really drives home how much litter ends up in the water,” says Rebecca. “Any commercial activity on the waterfront should be taking a particularly active approach as part of a larger effort to reduce unnecessary waste.”

There’s a distinct vibe of positive action at the market, a sense that even small decisions have an impact. It’s a gathering of engaged minds and exciting finds, including some gorgeous artisan crafts from the likes of Real Pressed Seaweed, Lynn’s Willow, Tide and Country, The Mariners Supply Co., and Blystra Candles. Planning my shopping

with the plastic-free element in mind, I headed first for a tour of these inspiring local makers followed by a fresh food shop, but not before I’d feasted on gooey arancini from the La Pineta Italian Deli stand, followed by an exquisite salted caramel cannoli. I’m already planning return visits for a taste of the highly-recommend My Mum Makes for some authentic Thai cuisine, and a legendary ‘low and slow’ helping of BBQ food from The Smoking Longhorn. Maybe I should walk next time…

Store cupboard ingredients, freshly baked bread and sweet treats, and gifts for foodloving friends are in ready supply. Great Scott Hot Sauces, Cornish Meadow Preserves, Food of the Gods Raw Chocolate, Landmark Coffee, Da Bara Bakery and Black Rock Gin are some of the regulars you’ll find at market, although the exact make-up of the stalls changes every week. “We want to keep it fresh and exciting, as well as give a variety of traders a chance to take part, so stallholders will come and go,” says Rebecca. One exception is Pysk, a fishmonger based on Discovery Quay which sells local Cornish seafood. Sarah and Giles Gilbert are thrilled to be a core part of the weekly market, with a stall outside their shop selling a wide range of local fish and shellfish sourced primarily from small scale fishers. Sarah says: “The market attracts people who might not necessarily come into the shop on a whim and gives us a

great opportunity to talk about sourcing, the amazing diversity of seafood available locally, and exchange recipe ideas!”

Sarah and Giles have had no difficulty adapting to the plastic-free stipulation for traders, for example using cardboard boxes for crab meat and other shellfish, and wrapping fish in paper. Some people bring their own tubs for transporting freshly filleted bass, mullet, sole, John Dory and mackerel. “Selling faceto-face at the quayside market complements our approach perfectly,” says Sarah. “We take care to source the best-quality, seasonal, sustainable fish, aiming to avoid species which are spawning and buy mature fish of an appropriate size. We’re a maritime business, so it’s great to know that no single-use plastic – so much of which sadly seems to find its way into the ocean –is involved in the journey from fishing boat to consumer.”

A colourful and diverse array of fruit and veg is provided by another permanent stall,

Roots and Shoots – a three-acre market garden located just outside Falmouth. Using organic growing practices and regenerative farming methods which nurture healthy, nutrient-rich soil, Gemma Taylor and her team grow delicious seasonal produce. “As well as producing nutritious, tasty food, our secondary aim is to help develop resilient food networks for the local community and shorten supply chains,” explains Gemma. “Discovery Market is a fantastic new outlet for us, right on our doorstep.”

My shopping bag is now full to the brim with everything I need for leisurely lunches in the garden over the weekend, and luckily, it’s a short stroll back to the train station for the return journey. As I leave, more marketgoers are arriving in a steady stream, lured by the dulcet tones of a Cornish singer songwriter who has taken to the small entertainment stage. “Wow, I’m glad our journey bought us here,” I overhear someone say as I depart, and I’m inclined to agree.

discoverymarket.co.uk

Estate MATTERS

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING

© Taylor & Porter

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Cornwall’s coastal towns, Boconnoc House and Estate has played host to many a luminary, royal and famous personality, and has been the home of no less than three Prime Minsiters. Purchased with the proceeds of the famous Pitt Diamond in 1717, Boconnoc is a veritable hidden gem. Turn to modern times and its current owners, the Fortescue family who bought the estate in 2000, have undertaken an ambitious renovation project to restore the main house to its former glory, while ensuring that the estate has both a contemporary feel but also still nods to its venerable past.

Today, the estate offers stays, weddings and retreats, all within the most beautiful private grounds. There are three charming cottages available for rent on the estate: the Dairy House, the Groom’s House, and Head Groom’s House. In addition, The Stewardry and Boconnoc House itself complete the stay proposition. All have undergone extensive renovations and now boast beautiful interiors, styled to reflect the history of each property.

The Groom’s House (sleeping six) has rural views over the parkland and its light and bright interiors take reference from its natural surroundings, creating a calming retreat. The Head Groom’s House (sleeping

Visiting a Cornish estate that is alive with history and whose heart beats to a sustainable rhythm.

The King’s Bedroom in Boconnoc House

The dining room in the Dairy House

four) is a rustic retreat in a courtyard position, where luxurious materials and deep colours work effortlessly with the stonework, original beams and carefully chosen furniture. The sleep-eight Dairy House is the ultimate in boutique country hideaways. Laid back and furnished with artefacts from across the Duchy, as well as from around the world, the Dairy House is as unique as it is eclectic.

For larger groups, The Stewardry is an exquisite 18th century manor where up to 14 people can gather in opulent surroundings. The interiors, designed by Sarah Fortescue, take their inspiration from Boconnoc’s wonderful gardens, affording guests an away-from-it-all stay in unrivalled surroundings. Finally, the Grade-II listed Boconnoc House sleeps 19 in ultimate Cornish luxury. You can imagine yourself as lord or lady of the manor here. Original features abound and have been tastefully brought into the 21st century.

Guests are free to explore the estate, where you can immerse yourself in nature, wander through ancient woodlands, and marvel

at the beautiful gardens. The secluded location offers a sense of tranquillity and the opportunity to disconnect from the outside world. The estate is also licensed for nuptials. The wedding couple and party can enjoy exclusive access to the entire estate, including the accommodations and the house. There are a number of incredible locations for wedding ceremonies across the estate. The 800-year-old Boconnoc church is a spectacular setting for traditional ceremonies, while the Dorothy Garden, the Pinetum or the beautiful glade near the Stewardry appeal to those who want to say ‘I do’ while connecting with nature. The wedding team at Boconnoc is always open to accommodating any unique preferences and pride themselves in creating unforgettable wedding experiences.

In addition to weddings, Boconnoc organise a range of events and workshops on the estate, collaborating with local craftspeople and artisans to offer enriching experiences to guests. For instance, a recent flower workshop was led by Rebecca from the

© Debs Alexander

Garden Gate Flower Company, a local florist and one of their recommended suppliers for weddings. The estate also supports local musicians and artists, as well as engaging with nearby schools for community initiatives. During the winter months last year, they hosted a warm hub for local residents, particularly elderly individuals and those seeking companionship. This initiative allowed them to come together for a few hours, enjoy hot drinks, and engage in meaningful conversations together.

As well as taking a community approach, the estate team have also recently turned their attention to the matter of sustainability, implementing various approaches within the accommodations. While taking a gentle stroll around the estate, guests can witness Boconnoc’s commitment to recycling and composting. Organic waste is composted and used in the kitchen garden, where they grow an array of fresh vegetables. Here they are currently experimenting with a no-dig gardening approach. In fact, they have invited Charles Dowding, a renowned

advocate for soil health and the inventor of the no-dig method, to conduct a workshop in September. This exciting event will showcase the benefits of this gardening approach. Guests are welcomed and encouraged to visit the farms on the estate where they can learn about soil health and sustainable farming practices; they are even able to take part in sheep shearing and scanning.

The team is continuously striving to integrate sustainable practices into every aspect of the business. An example of which is that Boconnoc House and The Dairy House are heated by their own biomass boiler using woodchip from trees felled on the estate and there is an electric car charging point on site for guests. They are also actively exploring ways to make weddings at the estate more sustainable, as they are aware that significant waste can be generated by such events. The produce from the kitchen garden is primarily used for weddings and events held on the estate; food miles don’t exist here! This passion for provenance also extends to working with likeminded

Wherever you choose to tie the knot at Boconnoc, it is sure to be magical

Anthony Greenwood

suppliers. The FEGO Food Co is a case in point; FEGO are passionate about food provenance, sourcing local and creating delicious food with meaning. The Garden Gate Flower Company has set up as an alternative to shop-bought, imported, chemically treated flowers, favouring freshly picked, scented blooms from local certified organic land.

Dairy produce such as milk and yoghurt come from Trewithen Dairy who are located next to the estate. Bread is bought from Cornish baker, Vicky’s Bread who only uses organic flour. Liddicoat, the butcher in Lostwithiel provides sausages and bacon – all their meat is sourced from Cornwall, including venison which comes from the estate. They even stock Cornish produce in the bar, including Lantic Gin which is distilled on the estate and contains foraged plants from the estate and south coast shores. It is this combination of small, but hugely important, initiatives that are the estate’s way of nodding towards their values and promoting sustainability, and which together make a big difference.

The very nature of a Cornish estate means that timber in the woodlands is always lost. As the Deer Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), all fallen trees are left to allow the natural process of tree rotting. In other areas of woodland, a certain percentage is let while the rest is collected. Logs are cut onsite by Martin Cloak and delivered direct to clients who have ordered them. Good timber is stored in racks at the estate’s own water-powered sawmill, one of the last working water-powered saw mills in the country, and then anything else is stacked for use in the biomass boiler. On-site furniture maker, Mena Woodwork is currently drying timber from the estate to make his incredible outdoor furniture.

Boconnoc is a many-faceted estate, connected by a desire to not only celebrate its past, but to ensure its future is one that treads lightly on the earth, all while welcoming guests to enjoy its unique hidden location.

boconnoc.com

© Anthony Greenwood

PICTURE perfect

Perched on the edge of Lizard village and surrounded by green fields and a calm tranquillity with an ocean view to take your breath away, Pednagothollan boasts farreaching views over Kynance Cove and out towards St Michael’s Mount in the distance.

The entrance leads straight into the kitchen, where the spectacular coastal views very quickly reveal themselves. The kitchen is the hub of the house and its open-plan layout and beautifully modern styling offers excellent social accommodation, not to mention the cosy sitting room in which to soak up sea views. Find your way out onto the deck that reaches around the front of the property through the reception room and out into the garden.

The master bedroom offers a very nice space indeed, with further exceptional views and a staircase to the very spacious loft, offering great potential for future development, not forgetting two further bedrooms and a family bathroom to serve them.

PEDNAGOTHOLLAN

Guide price: £995,000

ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360

info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk

rohrsandrowe.co.uk

A spacious three-bedroom coastal home with an ocean vista to rival the very best.

A WORLD away

Moments from Rock beach, this house is situated in a tranquil and private position within easy walking distance of the estuary, golf course and local amenities, making it one of the village’s best-kept secrets.

In the same family ownership for approximately 43 years, this charming three-bedroom property is set on a magical and mature plot situated just off Rock Road. Well-proportioned rooms with full-height windows allow the light to filter in throughout the day.

This is a comfortable family residence with three en-suite bedrooms along with a conservatory, a kitchen and utility room, and a generous, bright open-plan living and dining room. French doors lead out to a spacious, sunny terrace, ideal for outside dining, and down to a lawned garden with mature shrubs and summerhouse.

Little White House offers scope for modernisation, renovation, or redevelopment, inviting buyers to add their own stamp to this unique property in a sought-after location.

LITTLE WHITE HOUSE

OIEO: £1.65M

JB ESTATES

01208 862601

sales@johnbrayestates.co.uk

johnbrayestates.co.uk

Tucked away in the heart of Rock, Little White House offers an exciting opportunity for modernisation.

BEACHSIDE bliss

Overlooking the famous Fistral beach, 5 Esplanade has recently been extended and modernised into an idyllic beachside retreat.

Famous for its perfect surf, Fistral is the jewel in the crown of Cornwall’s beaches, and it is extremely rare for a house to be sold fronting it, let alone one quite as suited to the coastal lifestyle as 5 Esplanade.

This house maximises the incredible sea views whilst making superb use of the rear southfacing, sheltered and sunny aspect, ensuring the best of both worlds. Completed in spring 2023, with its own private boreholes powering state-of-the-art ground-source heat pumps, it is not only superbly positioned but also very energy efficient.

With all you’d require from a beach-facing house, the living room as well as the master suite enjoy direct sea views and access onto a front deck. The kitchen/dining room, replete with Italian stone floor, has sliding doors allowing direct access to a south-facing rear garden, not to mention a stunning bedroom on the first-floor level with a glazed gable, complemented by three further bedrooms and a family room.

5 ESPLANADE

Guide price: £1.3M

DAVID BALL LUXURY COLLECTION

01637 850850

sales@dba.estate

A FARMLAND fantasy

A magnificent residential farm nestled in a private valley setting surrounded by rolling countryside.

Located in a particularly picturesque and popular part of eastern Cornwall, and now available for the first time in 94 years, Trenodden Farm exudes Cornish country charm. An impressive Grade II*listed Georgian farmhouse with six residential cottages and buildings to the rear, Trenodden Farm is centrally positioned within the land and accessed by a wonderful tree-lined avenue, with enchancting views over the estate-style parkland setting.

Offered as a whole or in two lots, the first lot consists of a four-bedroom farmhouse, six cottages offering a range of one, two and threebedroom accommodation, a farmyard with modern and traditional buildings, a pond, and the walled, formal and parkland gardens, all in approximately 91 acres. The second lot, known as Trehill Farm, is made up of highquality arable and pasture land within seven field enclosures and a commercial farmyard.

TRENODDEN FARM

Guide price: £4.15M

CARTER JONAS 01872 487620

truro@carterjonas.co.uk

carterjonas.co.uk

PERIOD prestige

One of Cornwall’s most celebrated estates, with a Grade II*-listed Georgian manor house set within approximately 233 acres, has come to the market for the first time in 99 years, and for only the second time in its 300-year history.

The Chyverton Estate has a rich heritage dating back to the mining history of Cornwall. As well as the elegant manor house, originally built in 1730, the estate has mature, native woodlands and farmland rich in biodiversity, private tracks and pathways, two lodge houses, a stable block, a walled garden, undulating pasture and a famous cross-country equestrian course.

This exceptional property is available as a whole or in lots. Chyverton House, with its beautiful gardens and swimming pool complex, the stable block, lodge houses, walled garden, equestrian course, pastureland and mature woodland within approximately 160 acres, is the first lot. The second lot, of nearly 73 acres, comprises mature woodland, level pastureland and the remains of a disused cottage.

The manor house is built with the classic proportions and timeless appeal of the Georgian era and enjoys an elevated and imposing position overlooking the parkland gardens and surrounding woodland. Its soft red brick front façade, unusual for a house of this significance

A most unique opportunity to own an enchanting Georgian estate with over 300 years of history.

within Cornwall, adds a homely appeal to the property, a feeling that continues throughout its interior, which radiates charm and comfort.

Extending to approximately 11,000 square feet, the house was largely remodelled in the mid-1800s and has been sensitively and gently enhanced over recent years. Of particular note is the drawing room, including an 18thcentury iron fireplace much admired by Sir John Betjeman on his many visits to Chyverton. This delightful room at the front of the house also has large French doors opening onto a sun-drenched al-fresco dining area with paths leading down to the swimming pool, overlooking the ponds.

The manor house features six principal bedrooms, with four further bedrooms in the two wings, and a centrally positioned entrance hallway with access to all areas of the house, including the drawing room, kitchen and dining room. The right wing of the property is dominated by an enormous family room, formally used as a billiards room, with an impressive fireplace and surround, while the left wing has been sensitively refurbished to provide a self-contained two-bedroom, two-storey annexe, including a woodpanelled library using early 18th-century oak panelling that originated from Harlyn House, near Padstow.

CHYVERTON ESTATE

Guide price: £6M

CARTER JONAS 01872 487620

truro@carterjonas.co.uk

carterjonas.co.uk

We are homemakers.

We are known for creating exceptional bespoke homes that are uniquely designed to suit our clients, their lifestyles and the location.

From our studios, we work on projects across the South West and the UK, as well as overseas.

15 North Street, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7QH Tel: 01364 654888 www.woodfordarchitecture.com

Total IMMERSION

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING

Discover a quiet corner of paradise on the Cornish coast where sub-tropical splendour meets laid-back spa luxury.

When it comes to hotel luxury, St Michaels Resort has led the way in Cornish coastal stays since 2001. Set back just a few steps from Gylly beach, the hotel nestles amidst tranquil sub-tropical gardens where views, framed by the branches of soaring pines, extend across Falmouth Bay. The smell of the sea, combined with the heady fragrant scent of the pines, brings a distinctly Mediterranean feel to Cornish shores. This immersion in the beauty of nature is echoed throughout the hotel. There has been a considerable amount of investment over recent years, bringing the hotel in line with the very finest in the UK. Boasting the largest and best-equipped health club in Cornwall, the facilities are next level; no

wonder then that the 2500-member base is often oversubscribed.

The welcome area of the hotel has been redesigned and re-imagined; it’s more akin to stepping on to a luxury liner than checking in a reception desk. Talking of liners, the impressive development adjacent to the hotel allows St Michaels Resort to offer stylish, self-catering beach residences within the Liner development alongside their traditional hotel room and suite offering. Although, any accommodation here is far from traditional in terms of style and comfort. Interiors nod to the nautical – ocean blues contrast with sandy tones – while beds are dressed with Egyptian cotton linens that invite deep slumber, lulled by the sounds of the sea.

The resort is also home to the largest hydrothermal pool in the South West. This warm, watery oasis, with its 21 massage stations, is a place of restorative relaxation and also boasts a herbal Finnish sauna, experience showers, and steam rooms. Step beyond the pool, through the French windows, and you’ll find a south-facing spa garden which basks in Cornish sunshine throughout the day. Recently re-landscaped with tucked-away terraces on which to relax, the planting is exquisite. The deep blue flower heads of agapanthus nod in the breeze, while echiums rise majestically amidst tall grasses and aeoniums. The hotel gardener’s attention to detail and horticultural artistry is breath taking.

Below the spa garden, the original sloping lawn has been replaced by gentle terraces on which seaside-inspired deckchairs face the ocean. A pop-up bar and BBQ make this a laid-back area in which to find solace. Perhaps a coffee and several chapters of your favourite book while your feet find the cool of the early morning dew-soaked grass; or a sundowner, enjoyed while listening to

one of the live music events on the lawn. St Michaels captures your heart at every turn of the path and perhaps none more so than the pebbled one that leads to the resort’s newly unveiled spa lodges. These four beach-chic lodges at St Michaels Resort draw inspiration from their surroundings, offering an elegant and refined sanctuary. Nestled below the main hotel, they offer a wonderful degree of privacy, cleverly placed so that they are not overlooked but situated close enough to the spa that you can wander effortlessly from your lodge to access all of the facilities, all day, every day.

Unlocking the tall wooden gate, it feels as if you are entering your own coastal hideaway, inspired by the beach huts of days gone by but elevated to a whole new level of luxury, one that is connected to the restorative properties of water. I would recommend rising early and partaking of a cold-water dip off Gylly beach. Returning to your lodge with skin cooled and tingling from the salty sea, rinse off under the hot outdoor shower before ordering breakfast to be enjoyed on your private terrace.

Supplying a one-stop shop for discerning boat owners across the South West

Experience

Experience hassle-free boating with our turn-key service. Let us spend more time on your boat so that you can spend more time on the water. We can collect your vessel from your home or public slipway and transport to our facility where the following services can be completed by our highly trained and experienced marine engineers.

• Boat & engine sales

• Outboard engine service

• Inboard engine service

• Marine electronics

OUR TOW VEHICLE HAS A 3.5TON TOW LIMIT, COVERING MOST RIBS AND POWER BOATS ON TRAILERS. OUR COLLECTION CHARGE USING YOUR OWN TRAILER STARTS FROM JUST £75 INC. VAT EACH WAY.

• Polishing

• Antifouling

• Covers

• Upholstery

TEL: 01726 833731

The lodges have been designed with contemporary soothing tones, natural accents and gentle textures. Step through the doors and the delightful open-plan space has a sink-into sofa (which turns into a bed if your retreat is a family affair) in which to relax, with an electric woodburner available for chilly toes; shoulder season retreats here are as magical as high summer. The décor is subtly understated, and everything has been carefully thought out. Your lodge is equipped with all the luxuries of a hotel room, including a mini bar stocked with local tipples When the weather warms, throw open the doors and welcome in the Cornish air. All four of the lodges have interconnecting gates, which are doublelocked for single occupancy, but if you want to stay with family and friends, they can be opened to allow a convivial pathway between two, three or all four of the lodges. The planting in the lodges has been done with the same care and attention as the wider hotel grounds and will mature to create a coastal microcosm.

Days can be spent here doing as much or as little as you want. Meander along the pebble path to the resort’s award-winning spa – as a guest of the spa lodges, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to the two-hour Hydrothermal

Experience – an invitation to indulge in relaxation at your leisure throughout your stay. Or, take turns warming in the barrel sauna looking out across the bay, braving the icy cold plunge pool or letting the warm gentle bubbles of the 12-person hot tub wash over you. The spa treatment menu includes signature wraps, massages, scrubs and facials all enjoyed in luxurious treatment rooms.

St Michaels is as concerned with nurturing the body as it is with the soul. The award-winning Brasserie on the Bay overlooks the ocean and has a three-day, locally sourced rotating menu. Lodge guests are welcome to enjoy all of the hotel’s facilities, or if you prefer some seclusion, dinner can be delivered to your lodge. Lighter bites and lunches can be enjoyed with laid-back vibes in the Garden Kitchen. Returning to your lodge replete, enjoy the ultimate in indulgence with a soak under the stars in your lodge’s private outdoor copper bath tub. Set on the decked area, let the warm waters carry cares away.

To be one of the first to experience the new spa lodges at St Michaels Resort from £200pp per night, visit stmichaelsresort. com/spa-garden-lodges

stmichaelsresort.com

A haven rich HERITAGE in

WORDS BY REBECCA HAWKEY

When I was younger, holidays with my family consisted of four to five days all squished into a rather small caravan, perched on a cliff-top holiday park in Cornwall overlooking, in my opinion, some of the best views in the world. I would make friends with the other kids and we’d play swingball, hide and seek, or throw and catch with those velcro pads that are now unheard of. Our parents would encourage this, a chance to taste a little freedom, knowing we were running wild in a safe environment, enjoying everything that Cornish holidays are about.

Over time, elements of the humble camping trip have remained unchanged, with those looking to vacate normality for a little dash of escapism seeking out places that offer a balance of relaxation and rejuvenation, with a heady dose of much-needed family time. I recently caught up with Charlotte, where we explored all things Wooda Farm Holiday Park.

Wooda Farm has been in the Colwill family for nearly 100 years, that’s four generations of longevity for this serene slice of Cornwall. Wooda is family run, for families, and it’s this pride in their heritage that makes staying here all the more special. When guests arrive at Wooda Farm, they aren’t pitching up on some nondescript piece of land, but rather a farmland that has been lived and worked on for many years prior to that moment. Once a working farm, brought into the family by Samuel (known as Jim) and Bessie Colwill, this land has seen sheep, cows, a bed and breakfast, caravans, tents, restaurants, a cocktail and wine bar, a wonderfully converted terrace, luxury lodges, holiday cottages, outdoor activities, an art studio, and thousands of happy families come and go. From the very beginning, Wooda Farm has invited guests to be a part of its home, of its land and of its family, which translates to returning customers year on year, where friendships are made and traditions cemented, all ready to be passed on to the next generation.

Explore the rolling green hills and wild woodlands that make up this remarkable holiday destination.

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Jim and Bessie had a son, Ken, and a daughter, Honor. When Ken took over the farm from his parents, along with his wife Elizabeth and their three children, Susan, Graeme and Helen, they ignited an idea that would see Wooda evolve into the haven that it is today. Back in 1975, Ken recognised the potential that tourism brought the local area, and with this in mind he converted an area of farmland into a small site able to house five touring caravans. Without this little spark of ingenuity, Wooda Farm may not be what it is today – a wonderfully unique, heartwarming, top-quality holiday park in this corner of the British Isles.

Each of Ken’s children have also made their mark here; Sue is a successful artist, with her studio located on site; Helen runs Wooda’s Courtyard Restaurant, The Lodge Takeaway and The Loft Coffee Lounge and Cocktail Bar with the support of her family and team, whilst Graeme continues to steer the Wooda ship today, running the park alongside his eldest daughter, Charlotte. Graeme’s wife Kerry also runs the beautiful Elsie and Rose gift shop on site and Charlotte’s husband Simon built the incredible Gwelva Hills Lodges. It’s very much a family effort at Wooda.

Wooda Farm is just one of a few independently owned and operated holiday parks in Cornwall, a rare find when even the quietest of corners here in the Duchy is being run by larger corporations. This is the definition of a family run business, and with the addition of Charlotte and Simon’s daughters, Rosie and Elsie, and a third on the way, this generational

lineage doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon! Speaking with Charlotte, we briefly touch on the caravan holiday industry here in Cornwall, which has boomed in recent years, with families opting to pack the car and head south for a staycation. I was intrigued to hear her thoughts on how Wooda Farm continues to stand out amongst the evergrowing crowd of campsites popping up here, there and everywhere.

“We don’t compromise on quality, instead focusing on the standard with which we operate, rather than the quantity,” she explains. “All of our accommodation is of high-quality, and this year we have even installed super-fast broadband to each individual holiday caravan, ensuring all of our guests can make the most of their downtime. Steaming services won’t be compromised, nor will those having to work whilst away, as we know this has been the case with the rise in remote workers. We have also just completed a multi-million pound toilet and shower block renovation, and are continuously reinvesting so customers have something to see in the future.”

When someone mentions a caravan holiday, I’m instantly transported back to childhood vacations in the late nineties, where caravans were somewhat bog standard; there was no such thing as Wi-Fi, and facilities were basic at best. Wooda Farm is proud to offer quite the upgrade from this image, with guests enjoying a site full to the brim with exciting things to do and see, if not on site then in the surrounding area of Bude.

The team here goes out of their way to cater for any and all, for nothing is too much trouble. They are working hard in the background to make sure your holiday runs smoothly, helping with day trips, evenings out, local adventures for the whole family, and doing so without a fuss and with all the knowledge you’d expect from a family born of this land and this area. From the moment you arrive at Wooda Farm Holiday Park you are welcomed by those that enjoy what they do, they are excited to welcome you to their home and are always on hand to have a friendly chat. Charlotte and the team are dedicated to supporting the community, one that has supported them from the very beginning. They are passionate about supporting local charities and local businesses, because for them it’s all about family; relation or no, everyone is a part of this community, even if you are just visiting!

When the park opened in 1975, the intention was never to ruin the land, but to work with it, sustainably. This ethos rings true today, as the team do all they can to ensure a sustainable,

renewable future for the business and for the land that has provided this family, and the families of others, with so much joy over the years. There has and always will be an emphasis on the benefits of spending time outdoors with loved ones, exploring the local woodlands, caves and coves we have to offer here in Cornwall, not to mention the incredible vistas that you’ll be privy to when staying here. So, if you usually dismiss the idea of a holiday park as your go-to vacation, with a concern for noise, ruckus and garish evening entertainment, then remember that Wooda Farm is leading the charge in reinventing this perception. It is clear that Wooda Farm Holiday Park is steeped in tradition and heritage, and boy are the team proud of it. The family has opened their home to others for near-on 100 years, they have created holidays filled with laughter, love and quality time, which is not to be underestimated in this day and age. So, why not explore this little patch of paradise the next time you and your family are looking for that perfect getaway?

wooda.co.uk

PlayingAGAIN it

WORDS BY MARTIN HOLMAN

In 1962, painter Farid Belkahia returned to his native Morocco and, in the course of the next few years, was instrumental in bringing about one of the great moments in modern art in the global south. The current exhibition at Tate St Ives gathers paintings, objects in metal and textiles, ceramics, graphic design, drawings and photography to tell that story and, in the process, infuse its galleries with colour and line that seem in constant motion. Few people know this work; most visitors will embark on a voyage of discovery.

Belkahia was born into a wealthy middle-class family in Marrakech. His father had worked as an interpreter in Paris in the 1920s and, being friends with artists there, bought their work and displayed it in his home. So Farid grew up around a collection of progressive European art, an environment that played its part in his decision at an early age to become an artist.

Three key events were also influential. The first was learning from the Polish painter Olek Teslar, whom his father met in Paris before both men returned to Morocco. Teslar’s wife Jeannine later married Nicolas de Staël, one

of post-war Europe’s most important abstract painters, known for his impastoed and strongly coloured canvas; Belkahia met him in 1937. Those encounters likely contributed to the second event, Belkahia’s move to Paris where he widened his knowledge of modern European art during four years’ study, until in 1959, he arrived in Prague, the third key that unlocked his future. Czechoslovakia was still an authoritarian state behind the Iron Curtain. There he met leading exiled intellectuals, such as poets Louis Aragon and Pablo Neruda, but had no liking for their communist sentiments.

But he did admire the engagement of artists in education and social causes which, at the start of the 1960s, included Africa’s struggle for independence from the European colonial presence. In his paintings of the time, Belkahia featured the bloody conflict as Algeria fought to free itself from France.

Until recently in Europe, little attention has been given by writers and galleries to the postwar cultural life on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. That region has usually hit headlines on the north side with reports about troubled political events. Most recently they

Recent years have witnessed the revival of interest in Morocco’s art revolution of the 1960s. In Casablanca’s innovative art school, Modernism was given a North African flavour.

Installation view at Tate St Ives, featuring Mohamed Melehi, ‘Minneapolis’, 1963. © Mohamed Melehi Estate. Courtesy of private collection.

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Mohammed Chabâa, ‘Untitled’, 1977. Acrylic on canvas, 75 x 95 cm. Tate collection.

Photo Fouad Mazouz.

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Mohamed Melehi, ‘Untitled’, 1983. Cellulosic paint on wood, 150 x 200 cm © Mohamed Melehi Estate.

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Mustapha Hafid, ‘Voyage cosmique (Cosmic journey)’, 1972. Collection of the artist.

have been about the ‘Arab Spring’, the popular revolution that swept through Tunisia, Libya and Egypt in 2010-11 and on into the Middle East. Long entrenched dictatorships were toppled until the democratic aims of that uprising were thwarted and the strong men returned or chaos ensued (as in Libya).

Yet, as we are discovering, important developments had been taking place for four decades that put artists near the forefront of major change. In Morocco, makers of all sorts were helping to build a new national identity following the country’s recovery of independence in 1956. For over half a century it had been governed by France as a protectorate, though what was being protected – apart from French interests –remains unclear. The colonists had set about the rapid remodelling of the local population’s lives around European models – of working, education, commerce and even language. The immense influence of Europeans extended to the arts. Of course, traditional artisan work continued at local levels but was viewed from above as exotic and unsophisticated. In elite education, French teaching methods held sway: in painting a figurative easel-based approach was promoted that was foreign to Muslim tradition and portrayed Morocco as a land of tranquil romantic mystery – which the Europeans wanted to believe.

But in the complex social and political fabric of post-independence Morocco, the opportunity arose to reset that national image. Belkahia returned with ideas about

how it could be done. He became director of the Ecole – better known as Casablanca Art School in the west – when he was not yet 30 years old: a young man for a new nation. As politicians set about decolonising the country, Belkahia’s aim was to ‘decolonise’ the imagination.

One route was his own example as an artist. Belkahia practised several disciplines simultaneously – a diversity he had developed in Europe where he branched out of painting into theatre design, and which reflected ageold artisanal methods. On the one hand, he applied the European modernism and ideological edge he observed in Prague. As his commitment to civic-centred artworks grew, he gravitated towards a fusion of Arab and European traditions. Using copper and other local craft materials like leather, and natural pigments such as henna used in tattooing, cobalt and saffron, he made wall-mounted, low-relief panels that assimilated distinctly Moroccan cultural forms, like calligraphy and ways of decorating the body.

A second, complementary route was a new education programme that stressed this hybrid of abstract modernism and Moroccan tradition. Indeed, Belkahia imposed nonfigurative art with vigorous commitment, rejecting as much as he reintroduced. He recruited other young artists to the school who, like him, had refocused their technical and aesthetic training in Spain, Italy and France onto rephrasing colour, shape and symbol with essentially local relevance.

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Mohammed Chabâa practised several interconnected disciplines as painter, muralist, sculptor, educator, interior designer, critic and graphic designer. A socialist, he derived his diagrammatic, jagged, non-objective compositions from how people worked or behaved in the street, capturing the sensations of motion and activity.

Ceramicist Rahoule Abderrahman had studied in Delft, a centre for tin-glaze pottery in Holland since the 1600s, and in Czechoslovakia before returning to teach in his native Casablanca. Although Abderrahman was also a painter and sculptor in clay whose style in 1970s adapted rhythmic Berber patterns to the geometric abstraction associated with Chabâa and their important colleague Mohammed Melehi, his pottery on his arrival at the school reflected artisanal techniques and looser shapes, combined with the clean, functional outlines of 1930s European design.

The painting style that typifies the Casablanca Art School in its heyday from Belkahia’s appointment until the mid 1980s – the period covered by the exhibition at Tate St Ives – is most associated with Mohammed Melehi. The recurrent ingredients in his work are bold and forceful geometric forms (diagonals, squares, circles) and curvaceous, organic shapes with clear profiles; strong colour (green, red, orange, yellow, blue); and occasionally a slight optical effect where line and colour meet to stimulate the eye into perceiving movement that, in reality, is not there. In fact, compositions have the emphatic quality

of corporate logos but without the verbal Art branding, or quintessential 1960s design that loved repeating motifs. The reason is that both originated in the same source, the abstract modernism of pre-Second World War Europe and especially the inspirational design school called the Bauhaus in Germany.

Yet the young Moroccan artists were not swapping one form of imperialism (the French colonists) for another (German and, later American advanced culture) although that opinion is not without justification. Instead, Belkahia and his colleagues were injecting into the emerging state an international perspective, in place of its artificial French veneer, with a distinctly Arab flavour. Melehi embodied that blend in his life and his work. After studying in Tetuan in Morocco’s northern zone then administered by the Spain of fascist dictator General Franco, Melehi went to Madrid and Rome before going to the US.

He met the leading modern artists everywhere he stopped, and in New York was selected for two group shows at the highly prestigious Museum of Modern Art. In America he encountered the style defined by areas of flat colour with sharp, clear edges called ‘hardedge painting’; it went on to characterise his production in Morocco. The local element in his paintings (which, like his contemporaries, were usually made in acrylic on wood rather than with the French preference for oil, canvas and a frame) shows itself in wave patterns that have openly African and Berber sources, such as the painted ceilings of rural mosques.

For most Moroccans, the 1960s was a decade of massive upheaval. Local people were in charge of their affairs again; new institutions had to be created; a political system needed to evolve quickly. Little of this happened smoothly. These years also witnessed experiments in response to the opportunities of independence. In 1969, the Casablanca Art School organised an exhibition to showcase its approach and to demonstrate that art was not a possession of the wealthy; it belonged in everyday life, helping to transform environments and encourage personal growth.

By passing the official museums and galleries, the show took place on the pavements and in the porticos around the principal city square of Marrakech. Paintings were installed on open-air screens and walls were painted with murals that merged image and architecture. It lasted 10 days and was later seen in Casablanca before touring to high schools. It offered a new way of seeing art and it reached people who would never visit an art school or attend a culture festival. Art was seen as part of life. Interviewed years after by The Guardian, Melehi said that “Our works were in Jemaa el-Fnaa square for a week, exposed to the sun and wind. It was an ideological message about what art could be.”

Eventually that type of show became a regular event; an annual festival continues with openair exhibitions and workshops with artists in the northern town of Asilah. But from the

1980s onwards, Casablanca Art School and the emancipatory programme it pursued for professional artists and gifted students ran out of steam. The country was changing, too.

Government crackdowns against the opposition intensified after two failed coup attempts in 1971 and 1972. Intellectuals with left-wing sympathies were arrested and publications banned, including the magazine that steadfastly supported the school and its vision, and for which many tutors worked. Indeed, Mohammed Chabâa was imprisoned for two years. Belkahia left the school in 1974. As the political climate stabilised and became cautiously liberal, antagonisms weakened. Melehi took various government positions, including arts director at the culture ministry and cultural consultant to the ministry of foreign affairs.

By then, the moment had passed. The artists continued to work, mostly in the same way. This century, however, Morocco’s interest in its modern heritage has thrown fresh light on the cultural revolution that artists helped bring about. Once again it is inspiring students, and Europeans are, at last, finding out what their neighbours were up to while they looked away.

The Casablanca Art School: Platforms and Patterns for a Postcolonial Avant-Garde 1962-1987 continues at Tate St Ives until 14 January 2024.

tate.org.uk

Malika Agueznay, ‘Untitled’, 1986. © The artist. Courtesy of private collection, Marrakech

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Mohamed Melehi, Untitled 1971 © Mohamed Melehi Estate. Courtesy of private collection, Marrakech

Timeless DESIGN

WORDS BY HANNAH TAPPING | IMAGES BY JOHN HERSEY

Cornwall is home to many a hidden estate within which old buildings wait patiently to be rescued from an entanglement of brambles. One such property, at the heart of Cornwall’s mining country, has been sensitively converted into a four-bedroom home. Originally a small farmhouse with integral barn dating back to the early 19th century and associated with the larger mansion house nearby, this Grade IIlisted building was converted into a home in the late 1990s. The owners, who had lived there for many years, always had a refurbishment in mind. When their busy family lives allowed, they enlisted the services of Absolute – a multidisciplined Cornish design agency of architects, graphic and interior designers with experience of both residential and commercial projects – to reconfigure and re-design this historic property.

Absolute’s Creative Director Helen Stephens explains in more detail: “Our clients and their buildings are at the forefront of every project, so no two are the same. We pride ourselves in not having a ‘signature’ style. Whether it’s a home, office space, restaurant or bar, there are almost limitless ways in which a building’s interior expresses something about who our clients are. Their personality, priorities, and personal taste all go a long way in determining what that perfect space looks like for them. The more we understand about

them, the more we can create an interior as unique and idiosyncratic as they are. We are committed to creating striking and inspiring interiors that reflect our clients. This is the Absolute difference.”

“We were approached by the owners at the planning approval stage. This meant that we could work closely with the architects, Laurence Associates, to develop an overall design styling route. The client had been collating images they love prior to us being instructed. This meant we could work with them to define exactly what styles they loved and support them in deciding what would work for their family’s needs and complement the buildings character. We always try and work with local suppliers as much as possible. We are so lucky in Cornwall to have such an amazing collection of them and have over the years built longstanding relationships with some great talents.

“The ground floor was completely reconfigured from three small rooms into one open-plan space to create a flow, and there are now four bedrooms upstairs. The intention was to design with a classic approach but adding a contemporary edge, making the property warm and homely, befitting for a listed farmhouse cottage.”

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Combining the classic with the contemporary, a Cornish interior design project is brought into focus.

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Period features are effortlessy framed by neutral tones and natural materials

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Once a shelter for cattle, the kitchen is now the heart of the home

Bespoke cabinetry and furniture create a timeless appeal

Designing with the property’s history in mnd

Eventide

WORDS BY JAKIE JEWELL

Grinning from ear to ear, Olivia waves happily at everyone back on the shoreline of Trevassack Lake, as she steers her Hansa sailing dinghy, showing onlookers that Down Syndrome doesn’t hold her back. Local horse-riding enthusiast, Holly, continues her watersports therapy to help with confidence, mobility and dexterity since her traumatic brain injury, as her mum looks on proudly.

Over on the Helford River, a once timid, now excitable group of 8-year-olds jump off into the shallows, helping each other land Oppies while questioning who saw their amazing capsize recovery. And the Children’s Sailing Trust Team smile because we love our jobs and the difference our charity makes every time we get a child on the water.

I was lucky enough to be brought up on the shores of the Helford River, and grateful my children took part in CST’s sailing programme through primary school. I’m now extremely privileged to be CEO of this charity that has had such an impact on my local community.

Since 1997 we’ve taught thousands of young people life skills out on the Helford River. More recently we developed an ex-quarry

into a fully accessible watersports centre to welcome all ages and abilities. Trevassack Lake is also our new HQ, so we witness on a daily basis the impact Blue Spaces can have.

It’s incredible to think that one in four children living in Cornwall can’t access the sea, but our watersports staff share their passion freely, encouraging and empowering the most nervous of new sailors. Discovering the freedom of being out on the water brings a light to their eyes; some continue through RYA sailing stages and become instructors, others may only complete one term, but remember the sense of pride and achievement for a lifetime. I couldn’t be more proud of what CST is achieving, instilling confidence in our young people and making watersports accessible to all.

A visiting teacher sent us these words earlier this year: “Sometimes they find the work difficult in class and are distracted, but during sailing they were really focussed, competitive and worked so well as a team. Thank you so much… the whole class benefitted hugely.”

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CEO Jakie Jewell introduces CST sailing student Olivia to HRH Duchess of Edinburgh

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