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April 9th, 2009

Wireless Cottage

While England might evoke images of tradition and all things stuffy to some, here’s a new National Trust holiday cottage with a storied past to electrify – the Wireless Cottage on the Lizard in Cornwall, the most southerly point of mainland Britain.  It was here that Guglielmo Marconi (Nobel Prize winner and inventor of the radiotelegraph) developed wireless communication, and the site is the oldest surviving wireless station in the world.  Working in the cabins, Marconi and his team received a record-breaking wireless communication in January 1901 that covered a distance of 186 miles and proved that signals could travel well over the horizon.  Had Marconi not had this breakthrough, it is thought no one could have saved the 700 who survived the Titanic nearly ten years later.  Accommodating two people (plus one dog!), the fully-restored cottage has a double bedroom and a sitting room with sea panoramas.  Next door, the second, smaller hut now houses a museum dedicated to Marconi’s pioneering work. The cottages are within one mile of Lizard Lighthouse and directly next to the southern Cornish coastal path.  Wireless Cottage is available all year at a price ranging from £407 a week in spring and up to £934 in summer.

Staying in a holiday cottage is a great value, even more so since the pound dropped.  Americans will want to join the The Royal Oak Foundation – the Trust’s U.S. affiliate – which grants free access to all other Trust properties (over 300 historic houses and gardens, 700 miles of coastline, and 620,000 acres of open countryside).  For those who become members for the first time (and mention code cottages09 while supplies last), Royal Oak will issue a FREE copy of the Trust’s 2009 Holiday Cottages, a 201-page, fully-illustrated book describing in detail each cottage and its special qualities and surrounding locale.  Available in the U.S. exclusively from Royal Oak, the book normally costs $12 with shipping.  Plus, staying in these cottages directly supports the continuing conservation of the Trust’s properties – truly a feel-good vacation!  Membership is just $55 per individual and $90 per family.  Call (212) 480-2889 to become a member or visit their website: www.royal-oak.org.

 Other National Trust cottages with quirky former lives include …

 Old Coast Guard Station – Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire

There she blows!  At the bottom of a picturesque 17th-century fishing village, the cottage was originally an inn and lookout station.  Recently serving as a marine life study center, it’s perfect for sea lovers.

The fine print: Consists of a sitting room with dining area and open plan kitchen, a bedroom (1 double), and bathroom with shower over bath.  Accommodates up to two.  As of April 3, a week rental begins at £718, with rates varying up to £888 in peak season (August 21-September 3).

The Water Tower – Trelissick Estate, Truro, Cornwall

Rapunzel, let down your hair!  This distinctive stone tower (ca. 1865) provided water for the Georgian, Trelissick estate.

The fine print: Each floor is a separate room – from bottom to top are the bathroom, the bedroom (double), the sitting room, and the kitchen.  Accommodates up to two (children under the age of 12 are not permitted to stay).  As of April 3, a week rental begins at £763, with rates varying up to £934 in peak season (August 21-September 3).

The Apartment at Greenway – Galmpton, Devon

Be careful what lurks around each corner … Just opened for the first time, the estate was the former holiday home of Dame Agatha Christie. 

The fine print:  Included are the top two floors – five bedrooms, kitchen/dining room, sitting room, and two bathrooms.  Accommodates up to ten.  As of April 3, a week rental begins at £2263, with rates varying up to £2719 in peak season (August 21-September 3).

Seaview cottage in Studland, Dorset

Doubles anyone?  Formerly a tennis pavilion, enjoy this cottage’s verandah with views over Studland Beach.  Just about 600 feet away is South Beach, a secluded spot popular with the locals.

The fine print:  Includes kitchen, sitting room/dining room, three bedrooms (twins), and bathroom with a shower over bath and accommodates up to six.  As of April 3, a week rental begins at £1134, with rates varying up to £1454 in peak season (August 21-September 3).

The Triumphal Arch – Berrington Hall, Herefordshire

We’re not in Paris anymore … Trade the Champs-Élysées for Berrington Hall.  This cottage occupies one side of the arch at the entrance to the gardens of the estate.

The fine print:  Included is a large drawing room with open-plan kitchen/dining area with wood burning stove, bedroom (1 double), and utility/shower room; upstairs is another bedroom (1 twin) and bathroom, and it accommodates up to four people.  As of April 3, a week rental begins at £739, with rates varying up to £897 in peak season (August 21-September 3).

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