Location

‘Ruscote’ is a large, detached, country cottage, set within extensive woodland gardens just beyond the northern boundary of Killiow Park, south of Truro. The property is set back from the country lane, and accessed by a private drive that leads to a cluster of rural properties.

The local landscape is shaped by the area’s history as Truro’s wealthy commuter belt. Large country houses, planned, picturesque landscapes, fine churches and lodge houses create a distinctive feel to this area.

There are records of settlers in the area dating back to Bronze Age times and the adjacent, mediaeval Killiow estate was the home of many notable families including the High Sheriff of Cornwall, the Gwatkin family related to Joshua Reynolds, as well as the Haweis, Daubuz, Coode and Penrose families. It is likely that Ruscote and the neighbouring properties had ties to the estate in the past.

The property occupies one of the most coveted locations in Cornwall with its picturesque landscapes, rolling pasture, arable fields and woodland groves, braided by streams, ornamental fishponds and ancient hedgerows. Remote, private and peaceful, while only being a short drive away from the bustle of Truro City and Falmouth’s internationally famous harbour town, Ruscote’s location is ideal for peaceful living within easy reach of a diverse range of facilities. Truro offers many attractions and facilities including the recently renovated Hall for Cornwall, a thriving cinema, a street market, various supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, and of course its famous cathedral which marks the centre of the town at the head of the Truro River.

Some of the area’s best walks, watersports facilities and pleasure gardens along the Falmouth harbour and creeks are only a ten-minutes drive away to the east and south of the property.

The port town of Falmouth is within eight miles to the south east offering boutique shopping, entertainment and watersports activities on both sides of its popular peninsula.

The village has easy access to the A39 to its east and the mainline rail station at Truro offers high speed, direct connections to London and Scotland.

There are a good range of schools locally with Truro, Penryn and Falmouth having both public and private schools with ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rankings.

Description

This impressive two storey, white rendered property overlooks extensive mature wooded and cottage gardens that are full of native trees, and flowering herbaceous/perennial plants. Ruscote was bathed in sunshine when we visited, the beautiful trees casting dappled shade across the lawns and the white rendered and granite house complemented by its pretty cottage and kitchen gardens.

The stunning interiors took us by surprise and Ruscote is a property that is well worth viewing to appreciate its internal, homely character and idyllic setting.

If approaching by car you arrive through timber gates to the rear of the property, descending into a large, gravelled drive with plenty of parking space. To the left are a series of outbuildings including five sheds, a timber double garage and a stone barn, all currently used for storage. The historic formal entrance to the house is located around the opposite side of the property, on the southwestern elevation, approached from the drive by a rustic stone path and side gate.

Ruscote was significantly extended in the 1990’s, enlarged to create a more contemporary family home offering generous living spaces and larger bedrooms. The property is full of character, light and colour with open plan living spaces that flow from one to the other and beyond, into the garden.

Ground Floor - The original front door is sheltered by a timber clad porch and opens directly into the sitting room through an oak ledge and brace door.

On a day-to-day basis, the cottage is entered through the rear entrance porch directly from the parking area. The rear porch has flagstone slate floors, a leaded side window and a handy wooden bench used as a place for taking off shoes.

The slate floors continue ahead into a cloakroom with white porcelain fittings and to the left, the room opens into a utility space, fitted with timber shelves and counter space with a washing machine and tumble drier underneath. To the right is another door to a linear boot room with a timber counter concealing bespoke timber dog beds below. Your eye is drawn ahead into the large and pretty kitchen which frames the granite stone inglenook fireplace with a recessed wood burning stove. A large dining table sits in the centre of the room and there is plenty of under counter storage along the walls with spaces for appliances, including the cream Aga range electric oven with additional gas hob and matching fridge freezer. Pretty leaded windows and doors on either side fill the room with light providing access to a secluded courtyard garden. The butler’s porcelain sink with pretty curtained below counter shelving create a traditional and cosy feel to this kitchen. The kitchen also has a fitted dishwasher. To one corner is a door to a pantry and baking room, flooded with a rich green heritage paint colour. The wraparound wood work surface is the ideal space to create your culinary delights. Under the work surface, timber shelves are screened by floral fabric curtains. Leaded windows on both sides frame views to the garden and a small recess in the corner creates a shelving area for your cupboard essentials.

From the kitchen, there is a glimpse of the adjacent snug room through a portal in the wall. The slate flags continue around into a snug/music room with a leaded side window and timber beams overhead. To the left is a latched oak door to an office with distracting views over the garden, and beyond is a drawing room which spans the width of the historic cottage. The deep, slated window ledges create wonderful window seats, and at one end of the sitting room is an open fireplace with a contemporary, wood burning stove, adding to the cosiness of the room.

Upstairs - From the kitchen, oak turning stairs ascend to the upper floor. A central landing with timber floorboards links all of the rooms. Stepping up to the right is a large and light double bedroom with a separate dressing or nursery room to the rear. A built-in cupboard in between the two rooms provides valuable storage space and houses the water storage tank.

Opposite this room is the charming family bathroom with a roll top, claw footed bath and traditional pedestal sink with W/C. Further along the corridor to the right is a pretty, double bedroom with wide stripped floorboards and feature ceiling beams. At the far end of the corridor is a second double bedroom with feature bespoke wallpaper wall. Double leaded windows, overlook the cottage garden on the south side. The principal bedroom suite is entered via a dressing room. To the right up a step is the south facing bedroom and to the left is a large bathroom with timber floorboards, a roll top bath with claw feet and a W/C. To one side of a glazed shower cubicle is an airing cupboard and shelves provide spaces for basket storage to the opposite side.

Ruscote is an impressive family home, creatively restored to reflect its heritage and landscape setting, close to some of the Duchy’s most sought after attractions and countryside.

Exterior, gardens and parking - There is a gated and gravelled entrance drive with parking space for four cars.

The side and rear gardens are well enclosed and private, featuring rustic stone paths and terraces, with paths and feature steps that weave through herbaceous borders full of flowering shrubs and perennials. A southeast facing cottage garden provides a sheltered sun trap behind the house, an ideal space for summer dining.

The wider garden has a series of sheds for summer barbecuing, car storage, garden equipment
A kitchen garden with green house is an ideal space for propagation with raised beds for fruit, herb and vegetable production.

Directions

Heading southwest from Truro on the Falmouth Road, the A39, follow the road from the double roundabout for 1.5 miles. At a sharp right hand bend in the road is an estate lodge, turn right here and continue past the ford for half a mile and Ruscote is on the right off a private drive. If you reach the church, you have gone too far, turn round and take the first turning on the left.

Distances (miles): Truro - 1.9, Mylor Yacht Harbour - 8.7, Falmouth - 9.7, Cornwall Airport (Newquay) - 21