Derelict print works with a slipway once used by pirates on sale

Shiver me timbers! Derelict print works with a slipway once used by pirates before property was converted into an eco-friendly timber-framed home goes on the market for nearly £1.5million

• The Old Print Works in Fowey, Cornwall, is on the market for £1,475,000 
• It sits on a hillside above the mouth of the river, once famed as a pirate den  

A former print works in one of the UK’s most desirable holiday spots has been transformed into a chic eco-friendly home on sale for nearly £1.5m.

The Old Print Works is perched on an impressive position on the hillside above Fowey in Cornwall, with views over the river and the surrounding countryside.

The conversion, on the market for £1,475,000, was a labour of love by the current owners who cleared the hillside of 600 tonnes of rubble by hand before spending two years building the new timber-framed property.

The three-bedroom home is designed with a reverse living layout to maximise the incredible water views, according to its listing with John Bray Estates.

The Old Print Works in Fowey, Cornwall, has been transformed into a chic eco-friendly home

The home is set in a stunning location, perched on a hilltop overlooking the river of the historic town

The eco-friendly property, built in 2014, resembles a country cottage with wooden beams offering a homely comfort

A large open plan fully fitted kitchen comes with high quality Miele appliances and a Quooker tap, as well as breakfast bar, dining area

Three double bedrooms all come with vaulted ceilings, rooflights, built in cupboards and en-suite bath or shower rooms

The house is in a conservation area and directly opposite the Bodinnick Ferry

FOWEY GALLANTS: HOW SMALL CORNISH PORT BECAME A PIRATES’ DEN DURING HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR 

In the 1400s, during England’s war with France, a number of merchant families owned ships which were lawfully armed as privateers – their owners holding Letters of Marque from the Crown to prey on enemy shipping. 

Among port towns, Fowey was notorious. Attacks on shipping didn’t stop during truces, nor were pirates concerned about the country of origin.

Mark Michaelstow, or Mixstow, and his son John, were the most infamous offenders, with their pirate ship the Edward of Polruan.

In 1433, the ship was described as carrying 200 men ‘armed and arrayed for war’ when it plundered a vessel from Seville bound for Kent.

In November 1449, the Edward of Polruan captured a Barcelona ship carrying £12,000 worth of goods. 

Source: Fowey Harbour Heritage 

And the property has an interesting history, with its own slipway which was once used by pirates and the garage was once a smugglers cave.

The slipway would have been used for launching trailered boats, small vessels and kayaks.

During the Hundred Years’ War, Fowey gained a reputation for piracy – as legally-armed privateers began attacking ships during truce periods and sharing the profits with their local communities. 

The property also overlooks Grade II-listed Ferryside, the riverside home of famed author Daphne du Maurier in the 1920s, where she wrote her first novel, The Loving Spirit.

The house was built in 2014 and is laid out in a series of terraced levels. It has vaulted ceilings with exposed beams which give the property a spacious and light-filled feel.

The eco elements of the house include an air source heat pump, underfloor heating, solar panels and zoned thermostats.

The property has 1,727 sq ft with three bedrooms all with en suites on the ground floor and a 36ft open plan living space on the top floor with bi-fold doors opening to a sun terrace overlooking the water.

The garage and ground floor storage space was once a smugglers’ cave with a tunnel leading to St Catherine’s castle on the hill.

The house is surrounded by trees with a sheltered garden and its own slipway. It is in a conservation area and directly opposite the Bodinnick Ferry.

The Old Print Works is currently a successful holiday let. 

The spacious entrance hall boasts a reinforced glass staircase leading to the first floor

The conversion was a labour of love by the current owners, who cleared the hillside of 600 tonnes of rubble by hand

The three-bedroom home is designed with a reverse living layout to maximise the incredible water views

A wooden decked balcony offers spectacular panoramic views over the river

The timber-framed property took over two years for its owners to construct

Floor plans show the open-living layout of the ground floor, with three en-suite bedrooms on the floor above

Josephine Ashby, of John Bray Estates, who are selling the property, said: ‘Perched in the canopy of trees high above the hustle and bustle of the Fowey estuary, this unique property offers incredible water views with the amenities of Fowey just a short stroll away.

‘The reverse living layout, with floor-to-ceiling glass bi-folding doors and superb decking areas, make the most of the glorious outlook while high vaulted ceilings create a light, airy feel throughout.

‘Fowey is situated at the mouth of the River Fowey in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

‘Throughout the summer, its harbour teems with boating activity, from competitive racing of the local Troy class, cruising yachts and dinghies, to large gaff-rigged wooden Oyster luggers.

‘The town itself is rich in amenities with all manner of shops, banks, boutiques, bars, delicatessens, and restaurants. It also has its own hospital, doctors, and dentists’ surgeries, as well as a library, and primary and secondary schools.’

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