The Fallen Angel: A Luxury Hideaway Above Mousehole, Cornwall
The Fallen Angel: A Luxury Hideaway Above Mousehole, Cornwall
A Cornish Holiday Invitation That’s Hard to Refuse
The Fallen Angel, in its own landscaped garden
Here’s an invitation few could resist: “Why don’t you and your wife try out a beautiful little hideaway property for two, perched above a famous Cornish fishing village? When you’re there we’ll cook you a meal so memorable, you’ll be talking about it for months!”
Okay, I’m in. Who wouldn’t be?
Controversy Versus Reality: Is the Fallen Angel an Eyesore?
Oh… until you see online that one of the more scurrilous national newspapers recently did a hatchet-job on the particular hideaway in question, calling it an eyesore.
The Fallen Angel tucked away at top of picture
Which is claptrap. I have now stayed at the Fallen Angel, a fabulous, architect-designed, tiny, two-room property at Mousehole, and believe it adds but does not take anything away from this highly-popular, much-changed, harbour-village.
A Modern Holiday Home That Blends with Mousehole’s Changing Identity
It is a modern building and not an old granite cottage, that much is true. But in my opinion it fits ideally with its setting and does not impinge in any way when it comes to the overall look of the village. Moreover, when I say that Mousehole is much-changed, I mean in a demographic sense. No longer home to fishing families, the village is now one of the most holiday-home-centric communities in the South West peninsula. More than half of those charming little terraced homes are holiday-homes and AirBandBs.
The Transformation of a Derelict Shed into a Romantic Getaway in Cornwall
Which is another reason why I feel supportive of the property in question. An existing dwelling was not taken away from being a potential home for a local family - instead, the owners rescued what was more-or-less a derelict shed sitting on a very steep, overgrown, parcel of land. I know that to be true because I’ve seen a photo-album filled with pictures focussing on the development of the place.
Experiencing the Fallen Angel in Mousehole
I was more than happy with the idea of going to stay in the Fallen Angel at Mousehole - and even happier after my wife and I had spent a wonderful weekend in the so-called “Hitler’s bunker”. Honestly! Where do scurrilous tabloids get their mad ideas from, other than in their bid to create more cheap and nasty clickbait? And Hitler’s bunker was deep underground - not a place enjoying truly glorious views…
Incredible Coastal Views and Intimate Luxury
The Fallen Angel has some of the best coastal views in this region. It is a wonderful little, one-up-one-down, property. I highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for somewhere unique and very special, perhaps in which to spend a special occasion with a loved one. Wedding anniversary? Honeymoon? Then the place offers a perfect getaway. Indeed, I’m told it’s popular with those who plan an “elopement wedding”, which I didn’t even know was a thing.
The Inside Story: Romance, Architecture and Attention to Detail
I do now, because my friend Rebecca Farrington-Turner told me so. Indeed, it was she who sent the invitation mentioned in the first paragraph. Because, with her husband Robin Turner, (the Cornish seafood expert well known to readers of these pages), Rebecca runs Indulgence Catering - a superb little outfit which often provides wondrous meals to those folk fortunate enough to have hired the Fallen Angel. More about them later, because they did indeed bring us a banquet we shall remember for months.
Hesp (left) with Rebecca and Robin at Newlyn
A True Cornish Hideaway That Lives Up to Its Name
But first, why do I keep using the phrase hideaway to describe a property which, as I’ve said, is perched above a village? Surely, you can’t have it both ways - either you’re tucked away or you are located in a situation which enjoys tremendous views? Well, one of the excellent things about this architect-designed property is that the shape of the one-up-one-down building follows the line of a slight tuck in the steep contours above Mousehole. As such, it has a tucked-away aspect - it does not shout its presence to those standing down on the quayside looking up at the hills behind.
To quote the property’s blurb: “Set in its own sub-tropical gardens, every element of the creative architecture, landscaped garden and interior design has been thought through to deliver a decadent and relaxing hideaway for two.”
Accessing the Fallen Angel: Secluded Yet Worth the Effort
But this hideaway theme does perhaps point to the Fallen Angel’s one slight drawback. It is hard to find. You cannot drive to it, or even near it. Indeed, I’d recommend parking in the village’s quayside car-park and doing a recce on foot before dragging your luggage up through the narrow streets to find the steep path which eventually takes you to the steps leading to the old wooden door that seals-off the landscaped garden from the rest of the world.
The Luxurious Interior of a High-End Cornish Holiday Rental
However, once you’re behind that door - once you’ve climbed the steps between the palm trees and the Japanese style gravel terraces to the villa itself - you will realise what I mean about ‘hideaway’. Private bolt-hole might be better. Attractive and luxurious retreat would be even more accurate.
Because this place is luxurious. One of the most luxurious holiday-homes I’ve stayed in, which is saying something, because I’ve stayed in a lot. Everything is well-thought-out and top-of-its-class. Even the toaster is the snazziest I have ever used. To use the phrase “well-appointed” wouldn’t quite do the Fallen Angel justice. Everything in it is superb, and that is before you look out of the panoramic wall-to-ceiling windows and admire the view.
An Upside-Down Design Perfect for Scenic Living
Like the last Cornish holiday villa we featured in Hesp Out West, it’s an upside-down property. And why not? If you’ve got superb panoramas why not let the upper storey be the main living area where you spend most of your waking time? So the Fallen Angel has a large living room-kitchen with a balcony upstairs, and a very cosy but almost equally panoramic bedroom underneath. So panoramic, in fact, that there’s even a large old antique bath at the foot of the bed which allows you to soak an hour away while still enjoying the views.
Dining with Indulgence Catering: A Highlight of the Stay
We’re running out of space because I need to talk about Indulgence Catering, but let me describe a stay in Mousehole’s Fallen Angel this way… My wife and I are great do-ers and explorers. Usually whenever we go anywhere, we get out and about spending morning, noon and night hiking, or dining out, or whatever.
At the Fallen Angel we more-or-less stayed put. We had gorgeous weather a couple of weekends ago, so there was every excuse to get out and explore? But apart from one hike and a couple of visits to the village pub, we put our feet up, didn’t go anywhere near the car, and simply enjoyed being in this fabulous place. If that isn’t a recommendation to kick crazy tabloid headlines into touch, I don’t know what is.
