Corella

Corella Cottage is right in the heart of the oldest part of the village. Gorran Haven is a village built by and around a fishing community and Corella is where a fishing family lived close to the sea but away from the storms. It is sheltered, comforting and atmospheric.

Corella was named after a boat (which in turn was named after a bird) and it feels rather ship-like inside. The cottage is very old and has been lived in continuously by people involved with the sea. It has adapted over the years from being part boat house to now - all living space. It seems to have been occupied by people who enjoyed it and so it is comfortable, the boards are well worn and the chimney draws well. The sea cannot be seen from inside, but you can hear it.

The cottage is about 75 metres from the beach. It is not visible from Church Street, it is reached by a narrow passage betweeen cottages opposite St Just Church about half way down the hill that leads to the beach. It has a good sized slate courtyard in front of it for dining and drying your beach stuff. You must resign yourself to having no parking (which means using the village car park 5 minutes walk away) but this is good, you can easily walk to the shops, the sand, the cliffpath and the pub/restaurant, so relax and forget the car.

There is a waist height stone wall around the slate courtyard in front of the cottage. The courtyard is about 7 metres square and is like a large outdoor room with wooden dining table and chairs, bench and BBQ. Other cottages surround it, but not too close and they are also old and of the same friendly feel.

Up a short but quite steep flight of three slate steps to the wood and glass porch. Then the inner door opens into a good sized living room with wide oak floor boards and a fireplace with log burner. Comfy sofa & armchairs at one end and wooden dining table at the other. Huge very fine old dresser by dining table Comfortable oriental rugs. Three windows giving onto the courtyard and to the side of the cottage.

The bathroom is off the far end of the living room it has original enamel bath, pedestal basin & wc. Window onto courtyard. Blue wooden panelling.

The kitchen is quite large, reached from other end of the living room. It also has the nice original boards, but is otherwise modern. There is a dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge, freezer and microwave. The cupboards are well stocked with useful homelike items and you will not go short of coffee making or cooking utensils. It looks nice and with two windows is bright. From the sink you can look at the cliffs over the cottage rooftops.

The bedrooms are downstairs. They are reached down a wooden staircase which curves down from the living room. This staircase is enclosed by a wall, has wooden steps and does not have a bannister rail.

The downstairs hallway and bedrooms have cream carpet, the hall has a bench and a window seat with bookcase and pictures. Floor level is about a metre below the courtyard so you look up to the scene outside. There is a back door leading to a small outside space used for hanging washing.

Off the hall there is a good sized double bedroom with pine framed bed, walk in cupboard and window looking up to the courtyard.

Across the hall, there are two single bedrooms each with a single bed, a bookcase and chest of drawers. Painted a pleasing mid blue, each with a window, they are rather like cabins

You arrive by stopping your car half way down Church Street and blocking the road until you have unloaded your things. That is how it is always done and it is accepted. There is a short walk to the courtyard down a narrow passage way between cottages opposite St Just Church.

Through the iron gate, the courtyard is fully enclosed. The front door is above the courtyard and reached up three steepish steps.