Once a working farm,
Kestle Barton - an ancient farmstead located in the heart of the
beautiful South Helford countryside - has been lovingly converted
into a sophisticated art gallery with landscaped gardens, and three
luxurious holiday homes.
Proprietor Karen Townshend purchased the 50-acre farm in 2005 when
the previous owner, a farmer, decided to retire. Karen jumped at
the chance to preserve the farm and its listed barns; "I chose to
renovate the barns into a gallery and holiday cottages because I
didn't want them to be converted unsympathetically. The local
authority favoured a business use for the barns, and I have a big
interest in art, so my sister (a conservation architect) helped me
transform them using traditional materials."
The cottages and gallery - which featured in the June edition of
Cornwall Life magazine this year - were opened for business last
Easter, and both have enjoyed a successful first season. The
cottages, finished to an exceptional standard, are light and airy,
and equipped with a range of modern conveniences. Bookings for the
cottages are taken through local holiday lettings agency, Classic
Cottages.
The gallery hosts month-long exhibitions by local artists and
sculptors, and the gardens are often used to display larger pieces
of sculpture. Karen employs three members of staff all year round
in the gallery and gardens, and is considering opening the gallery
over Christmas in 2011 due to its success so far. "We have found
that sometimes people just wander in - usually walkers who have
found us by mistake. However, gradually people are starting to come
here deliberately. We are considering the possibility of working
with the Helford passage ferry in the future, bringing people over
from the North Helford area."
Cornish Mutual provides Karen with a range of insurances,
including Public and Employers' Liability, Agricultural Vehicle
and Building and
Contents insurance. Karen says "I chose to insure the cottages
and gallery with Cornish Mutual because Kestle Barton is a farm,
and Cornish Mutual is a bit more specialist than other insurance
firms when it comes to agriculture. Our local Insurance Inspector,
Roger Hawkings, has shown a real interest in the business, and
often attends private views in the gallery. I like the fact that
Roger is local and can visit the farm, as it is often difficult to
explain problems over the telephone."
Roger Hawkings, who looks after Members in the Falmouth, Helston
and Lizard area adds, "Many of our Members have diversified from
having a traditional working farm, and at Cornish Mutual we work
hard to ensure that we can respond to their changing insurance
needs. By being based in the local area and easily accessible to my
Members, I can ensure that we can continue to offer Members like
Kestle Barton the right cover for their needs."
To find out more about Kestle Barton, please visit www.kestlebarton.co.uk. The holiday cottages
can be viewed in further detail at www.classic.co.uk.
