You could sneak in through the back at this apartment in a Regency manor, but that would take away from the grand entrance worthy of a Jane Austen heroine. Sashaying through the double doors and across the marble floor, past the stone fireplace, you come to your abode. It’s in the old ballroom of the manor, and the floor-to-ceiling bays windows and gilded mirrors haven’t changed since the days of swishing gowns and music from the pianoforte (indeed, there’s still a grand piano in here). Rather than a bandstand, there’s now a kitchen at the head of the ballroom, and if you prefer your evenings slightly more intimate, a book-lined snug with a plush velvet sofa awaits in the bedroom. We love the hand-carved antique bed, waiting to see you off to the land of nod. There are acres of grounds to explore on the estate, but if you want to get out and see the Cornish coast, it’s just a ten-minute drive to the beaches of St Ives Bay. The gallery-filled old fishing town of St Ives itself is just twenty minutes by car.

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