Back to its best

Linda Danvin embarked on a year-long task to turn a forgotten Cornish townhouse into a historic gem

- 

Deep in the far west of Cornwall, in the middle of a small seaside town, a once-grand townhouse stood, quietly decaying.

Fortunately, serial renovator Linda Danvin found it in time and dedicated herself to the restoration of this Grade II-listed building. 'There used to be an antiques shop on the ground floor, which I was a regular at,' says Linda, who was living in a nearby village at the time. 'So when it came up for sale, the owner emailed me to let me know.'

Dating from the 1700s, the building is spread across three floors, and when Linda bought it, there was a small shop at street level. Initially, Linda, who works as a designer, photographer and stylist, thought the property would make an ideal studio and B&B, but eventually decided to keep it as her home instead.

RESTORATION PROJECT