Ah honest goodbye

Harlyn House

An honest goodbye, from my Dad.

Some of you might have seen my stories on instagram about my Dad and our old house.

Its with a heavy heart when I say its a bittersweet moment when you sell something so dear to you and your family but yet you’re so happy knowing it’s going to be in good hands.

I suppose my biggest worry is regret. I try not to believe in it - you should always look forward, never back and remember that every decision is made for the right reasons, at that moment in time.

(Left to Right) Dad and I 1984. Ash and I on our wedding day 2016. Mum, Dad and I the day we left Harlyn House, 2018.

I have known & lived at Harlyn House for many years & know how much effort & expense is involved in its restoration & maintenance.Last year the house was put on the market. In spite of keen interest from over a dozen individuals almost all prevaricated and the reasons why became apparent:-1) the house was too remote from London - much interest was from individuals working in the finance, and Cornwall was too far away2) the house is too large and expensive to be a holiday home3) the house is too large for most people to retire to4) the house is unsuitable to convert to flats or office use - which would also break up the integrity of the house as a single entity. There is no doubt that the very best buyer for Harlyn House was Robin Hutson and Home Grown Hotels who have great experience in building a unique hospitality & foodie experience with their Pig chain of adapted country houses.On Tuesday 19th September I visited The Pig Hotel at Combe, a beautiful Grade 1 Elizabethan country house. My daughter & her husband invited me there for lunch.It was a wonderful experience, unlike any hotel I have visited & unexpectedly busy with many happy people there for a Tuesday afternoon in mid September.

All the Pig hotels are listed buildings & have a strong following of enthusiasts who visit again & again. The wonderful thing about all these former country houses is that the architectural integrity of each has not been compromised.

As my family has been associated with Harlyn since 1947 we would love to see the house itself unaltered internally except for some much needed better plumbing. The main reception rooms of the house with their fine fabric detail in plaster & doors in particular will remain unchanged to be enjoyed by all who visit.

The walled garden (where my daughter was married last year) will once again become a kitchen garden supplying fresh produce for the restaurant. They also have a policy to source additional fresh produce from within a 25 mile distance from each Pig hotel providing support for the wider economy.

For locals & visitors alike it will be possible to book a table at Harlyn House to experience their wonderful food amidst the elegance of the house.

In summary, the sale has ensured this wonderful old house having endured so much periodic neglect over the past 170 years to at last have a sustainable future.

I love you Dad, I’m sorry we weren’t able to sustain the survival of the house through to our next generation. But we are of course excited about all the new possibilities ahead of us, the next chapter in our lives.