Dilapidated Cornish cottages with heartwarming history up for sale at £175,000

There’s no shortage of character in this Cornish property – but it’ll take a lot of work to turn it into a liveable home.

Up for auction with a guide price of £175,000, Pontious Peace Cottages comprises two adjoining buildings – each with two bedrooms – located in Minions, Liskeard.

Thought to date back to the 15th century, the granite structures have fallen into disrepair over the years, so the new owner will have to be prepared to give it some much-needed TLC.

The walls may be close to falling down, but if they could talk they’d tell you of Tony Trewin, who lived at Pontious Peace with his best friend, Highland bull Scrunch.

Tony, who was given the keys to the place after a tragedy left him without somewhere to stay, lived a simple life without most modern conveniences.

After coming across a newborn calf freezing in the cold, he took it in and began raising it. Scrunch grew to weigh half a ton, but the pair remained inseparable and would keep each other company or listen to music together.

A documentary was made about their unique friendship in 2018, but Tony passed away soon after. Scrunch was then looked after by loved ones until he too later died.

Their former home is due to go under the hammer on July 27, where someone new will be able to keep Pontious Peace’s legacy alive.

Whoever that lucky someone is, they require a sense of vision and the money and/or skill to bring the cottages back to their former glory.

At present, indoor viewings of the property are not permitted, as agent Kivells say they ‘cannot guarantee the safety of the roof’. Large holes in both the roof and external walls can be spotted in photos.

The listing also states: ‘Access to the property is via a right of way over an unmade lane which leads from the main road, across the moor to the cottages.

‘This lane is currently only accessible on foot, however the purchaser/s will have the right to lay a surface suitable for vehicular access.’

With an EPC rating of G (inefficient) and no mains electricity, the cottages are not yet fit to move into.

The two-up two-downs are advertised as having four bedrooms in total, although the scale of restoration efforts required mean it could easily be extended.

The location is one of the main things you’re paying for with this property. And what a sight it is to behold.

In the heart of Bodmin Moor, a World Heritage Site renowned for its copper mining heritage, you’re surrounded by lush green fields and rolling hills.

As one of the highest points in Cornwall, Minions is home to ‘The Hurlers’ stone circle and just half an hour away from the coastline.

Seaside regions have seen property prices skyrocket in recent years, so this is a welcome opportunity to get on the property ladder in the idyllic home of pasties for less (albeit with added costs for necessary building works).