Richard should buy this

September 11, 2006

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A house perched on its own island, which can be reached only by a private suspension bridge, is being sold by its aristocratic owners.

The three-bedroom property on Towan Island, near Newquay, on the north Cornish coast, is up for sale for £750,000.

It was built in 1910 and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is once said to have stayed there. It is now owned by the 4th Viscount Long, the former Tory whip in the Lords, and his wife Helen. They converted it from tea-rooms after falling in love with the property during a visit to Cornwall.

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Lady Long said yesterday: "We think the time is coming when my husband may find it a little difficult. He is 78. We knew when we came that we wouldn't be able to stay here for ever. But it has been such fun. It is a super place to live; a one-off. It is magical, especially when you see the dolphins playing and the fishing boats coming and going."

She added that their decision to sell had nothing to do with problems three years ago when they threatened to sue the local council for failing to tackle noisy late-night parties on the beach below. An alcohol exclusion zone has since been introduced.

"We did have rave parties," she said. "But we complained and the police and local authority have tackled the problem robustly. We will leave with a heavy heart."

Richard Addington, an agent handling the sale, said: "When I say this is unique, it really is unique. Clearly it will excite a lot of interest. The bridge is sold with the property, and you get the island down to the mean high-water mark."

The property market has soared in Cornwall recently, with second homes being blamed for forcing up housing prices. Four- and five-bedroom properties in Newquay now sell for up to £1.75 million.