Victoria English Cottage 2022

Dear Friends Opening English Cottage feels a bit like lifting the lid of a chest that has been tucked away for ages in an alcove of the attic. Whether the long-forgotten trunk shelters a trousseau of embroidered linens or a ribbon-wrapped collection of handwritten letters, I am certain that a cache of wonders awaits my discovery. Similarly, this magazine brims with an array of prized heirlooms and intriguing stories, offering threads of connection to the past in every feature. Among the treasures revealed are Boconnoc, an architectural gem built on a hamlet purchased in 1717 using funds from the sale of the famed Pitt Diamond. Survey the sprawling Cornish estate in “Enduring Radiance” on page 21. Step into “A Fragrant Cottage” on page 73 for a breath of serenity amid the redolent…

Interior designer Louisa Greville Williams believes in the importance of good planning and a logical schedule when working with her clients. Yet, when it came to her own home, she discovered she had to be more flexible with this unusual project that required some structural changes but needed to be family-ready straightaway. The original part of the structure was a bungalow built in the 1960s and renovated three decades later, when built-ins were fashionable. When Louisa purchased the property, the previous owners had started an extension. The design did not meet her needs, so she devised her own plan to build a two-story extension across the back, adding two bedrooms and a bath above and a living room below. The built-ins went by the wayside, allowing better flow through the spaces…

Arriving at Boconnoc is likened to taking a trip back in time. Through the ever-present coastal fog, the grand stone residence towers opposite a medieval church and additional outbuildings—the grounds’ colorful past spans to the Domesday Book of 1087. In 1717, famed merchant Thomas Pitt purchased the hamlet with earnings from the sale of the Pitt Diamond, also known as the Regent Diamond, now owned by the French state and displayed at the Louvre. Under Pitt’s ancestral line, the existing manor was constructed and marked by impressive Georgian-style architecture. The Fortescue family received ownership of the property in 1864, but it wasn’t until the turn of this century that Elizabeth and Anthony Fortescue dedicated themselves to restoring Boconnoc to its former glory and beyond. The couple lovingly transformed the space by assembling…

When Jackie Kirvan and her husband, Peter, decided to follow their dream and move to the West Country, they were eager to leave behind high-pressure advertising jobs in London and provide a different lifestyle for their two daughters, Abigail and Rosanna. Thanks to a new business opportunity, the dream became a reality, and they relocated to Devon. Initially, the family had to compromise on finding their ideal lodgings. One house caught their eye, having a lovely façade and beautiful view of the valley below, but only the top-floor apartment was for sale. Built in 1832, the original “gentleman’s residence” had been carved up over the years, with one wing and the stables being sold off and developed as separate houses. The main building had been converted into two flats by the…

Anna de Keyser’s London town house held a lifetime of passionately curated collections, from worn vintage textiles and mismatched crockery to beveled gilt mirrors and floral-themed oil paintings. When she moved to Pytts House, a sixteenth-century cottage in the quintessential Cotswolds village of Burford, not far from her Warwickshire-based family, she was pleased to find these beloved possessions fit just as beautifully in the rustic setting. The former dairy farm held undeniable appeal. “I loved the worn stone passageway, which cuts right through the house to the garden,” says Anna, who was equally beguiled by the cozy parlor, with its worn wood beams, creaking doors, and massive fireplaces that spoke of centuries past. Her French and Italian chandeliers and toleware lights seem right at home, as do the velvet draperies and…

Positioned down a quiet campestral lane and backed by gentle rolling hills, a bucolic brick-covered cottage beckoned homeowners Jenny and Colin Davis. The pair exchanged their larger place in the city for the more peaceful setting and a place to entertain friends, family, and their ever-growing menagerie of beloved pets. After living in the residence for a few months in order to acclimate to the space, the couple began major renovations with the help of a local architect and builder with whom they had partnered for a previous project. By extending the floor plans, they were able to construct an open-concept kitchen and spacious living area downstairs—a design approach Jenny decided was necessary for the flow of the home. “I felt there were too many small rooms in the house and…