We hope you enjoy our blog of the latest news !

Although not obliged to do so, we have decided to limit availability in July and August as a “gold standard” to ensure that there is a gap between each set of guests and to give our wonderful housekeepers additional time for cleaning. In addition, we have new comprehensive cleaning protocols and a confirmation protocol will be completed for each cottage prior to your arrival. We are proud to say that we have been awarded the Visit Britain Covid secure kitemark in recognition of all our work in this regard. 

We have also put in place policies to make booking easy and risk free: 
• reserve your stay with us now for September – December 2020 and we will guarantee to return your deposit if we are not able to welcome you or if you are unable to come for any reason relating to Covid-19. Just let us know 7 days before your arrival date.

Thank you for supporting us during tremendously challenging circumstances be it by booking with us,or following us on social media. We really do appreciate it.

 

Are you looking for a venue that offers comfort, relaxation and privacy for your small wedding or elopement? Here at Cosawes Barton, we offer luxury 5* accommodation and a wonderful personal touch for your big day.

And what is better than a winter wedding? Log burners, delicious food and a great price!

An example package during our low season for an elopement for 2 (with up to 4 guests staying in one 5* cottage at Cosawes Barton) including use of the estate grounds and gardens, use of ceremony spaces, use of one of the three 5* cottages, a pre-meet and on the day attendance of our wedding planner and witnesses if needed would be:

A 3-night stay in one of the 5* cottage for up to 6 and your wedding day at Cosawes Barton – £975

A three-course wedding meal for 6, plus a small naked wedding cake by Indulgence Catering – £660

Bridal hair and make-up by Jules Spurgeon – £210

Wedding day flowers by Lafonia Flowers – bridal bouquet, groom’s buttonhole, 10 small vases and 2 large (to be used in your ceremony room and for your wedding breakfast) – £425.

2 hours photography by Checkered Photography – £500

Registrar – c.£600

Total for your dream day and three day stay with us – £2770

We would love to welcome you! Contact Louise now – [email protected]

We are very proud to say that after our inspection today, Cosawes Barton has once again received the highest rating for self-catering cottages – 5* Gold Award.

Great credit goes to our magnificent gardening and housekeeping teams for playing a huge role in our success! Thank you all.

We would love to welcome you to our perfect little Cornish country estate very soon.

Louise x

Cornwall has a wonderful culture of outdoor theatre. This summer, companies are offering some wonderful open-air performances in spectacular locations. Here’s our round up of the best outdoor theatre Cornwall has to offer. 

Minack Theatre (various shows & dates) approx. travel time from Cosawes Barton 1 hour 10 minutes

Possibly the most dramatic theatre on earth, a visit to the Minack Theatre is an unforgettable experience. Hewn out of granite and overlooking the sea, this is one place where the view might just rival the action on stage.

www.minack.com

There’s a wide variety of performances, including children’s shows during the day. Make the most out of your trip to by combining a visit to Minack with an afternoon on Porthcurno beach, a walk along the coast path or a visit to the award-winning Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications.

Visit www.minack.com or call 01736 810181

Top tip: It can get cold as the sun goes down, especially in exposed venues such as the Minack. Go prepared and take extra layers or blankets to snuggle up under.

Miracle Theatre – King Lear 13th July – 27th August 2022 – approx. travel time from Cosawes Barton to closest locations – 10 minutes

This summer the Miracle Theatre presents Shakespeare’s most elemental and passionate play. An exquisitely dark tale about a family squabble that grows out of all proportion, blowing up into a storm of deadly force.

Visit miracletheatre.co.uk or call 01209 216 762

Trebah Garden – approx. travel time from Cosawes Barton – 20 minutes

A choice of shows! :

  • Twisted Tales – 3rd June
  • Estella – 8th July
  • A Midsummer Nights Dream – 21st and 22nd July
  • A room with a view – 2nd September
Trebahgarden.co.uk

www.trebahgarden.co.uk/events/live-music

Book a break at Cosawes Barton

If you would like to book a break at Cosawes Barton and enjoy everything Cornwall has to offer, get in touch.

The traditional Cornish Pasty is (and very firmly remains) an absolute favourite in Cornwall. It isn’t a myth – the Cornish still eat and love our pasties! Any holiday to Cornwall would be incomplete without having at least one – or preferably more!

(c) Warrens Bakery

Why does Cornwall have pasties?

Pasties began as a necessity. By the 18th Century, the humble pasty was the food eaten by poor working families.  Filling a pastry case with vegetables such as potato, onion and swede was a cheap way to feed a family. Meat would have been too extravagant at this time, although a few scraps of cheap meat might have been added now and again.

A little later, when Cornish mining reached its heyday, the wives of Cornish tin and copper miners would prepare these all-in-one meals to provide sustenance for their spouses during their gruelling days down the dark, damp mines. Pasties were taken down the mines by the adults and children who worked there; the shape and size made them ideal for carrying, and they became the staple for the daily ‘crib’ or ‘croust’ – Cornish dialect for a bite to eat, usually taken mid-morning. The miners gave the pasty its distinctive D shape too – the crust became a handle, which was discarded to prevent contaminating the food with grubby, possibly arsenic-ridden hands.

(c) Rowes Bakers

Make your own pasty

Have a go! – learn from the masters at the Cornish Pasty Association

Pasty safari!

Find your favourite by trying the wares of some the many different pasty makers whilst staying with us! (There are so many to choose from – here are just a few!):

Wander down the road to the wonderful Ponsanooth Village Stores – there are usually warm pasties just waiting for you! Pasty mileage from us – 0.25miles

Pip’s Pasties – 57 Lower Market St, Penryn TR10 8RW (a favourite with Louise!) – pasty mileage from us – 3 miles

(c) Pip’s Pasties

St Agnes Bakery – combine one of Cornwall’s most beautiful walks to St Agnes Beacon with a well earned pasty lunch – pasty mileage from us – 10 miles

(c) iwalkcornwall

Ann’s pasties – a pasty on the Lizard! Heaven – pasty mileage from us – 11 miles

Philps pasties – combine a day on Hayle’s glorious beaches with a take away tea. Nothing better! – pasty mileage from us – 16 miles

All are great – most producers also offer vegetarian and vegan options. Let us know which is your favourite after staying with us!

Happy eating!

A dreamer, I walked enchanted, and nothing held me back.”
― Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca

Dame Daphne du Maurier’s Cornish legacy knows no bounds. Her most famous novels have never been out of print, and many have been adapted for the big screen, including the psychological thriller ‘Rebecca’. Here at Cosawes Barton we are lucky to be very close to several Daphne Du Maurier locations.

Frenchman’s Creek, on the Helford River (approx. 25 minutes’ drive from Cosawes Barton)

The tranquil backwaters of the Helford River provide the setting for one of du Maurier’s great love stories. Named after the enchanting inlet known as Frenchman’s Creek, the tale tells of Lady Dona St. Columb, who escapes to her husband’s remote Cornish estate and encounters outlaw and pirate Jean-Benoit Aubéry. You can discover the creek by boat tour with Helford River Cruises or enjoy a walk from Helford village with the iwalkcornwall app (highly recommended). If you are feeling brave you can even go for a dip in the beautiful Helford.

c Iwalkcornwall

After your trip, have a beautiful lunch or dinner at the idyllic Ferryboat Inn

c Tripadviser

Pendennis Castle, Falmouth (approx. 10 minutes’ drive from Cosawes Barton)

Built by Henry VIII to help protect Falmouth from marauders, Pendennis Castle stands upon a rocky cape overlooking Falmouth Harbour. The castle features in The King’s General  –  a romance set during the English Civil War.

Pendennis is a fascinating place to visit for young and old alike.

c English Heritage

And a little further afield:

Menabilly, on the Gribben Peninsula.

The Menabilly estate was once Daphne’s home and served as the inspiration for her most celebrated novel, Rebecca. Du Maurier lived in the house and based Manderley on it. The house is now in private hands and not open to visitors but is surrounded by several beautiful walks, many of which pick up and follow the ancient coastal path to Gribben Head where Daphne once strolled. Once again, we highly recommend the iwalkCornwall app to guide you.

Daphne Du Maurier and Family
c Getty Images

Summer 2021 is the moment to embrace outdoor dining – you can’t beat eating outside with beautiful sea or river views. And this year particularly it is worth planning ahead! So to help our summer guests to make the most of their long-awaited stays, we have put together a list of just a few of our favourite places to eat outside:

Loe Beach Cafébeautiful local café very close by – overlooking the Fal Estuary. The cafe can be found at the foot of a steep hill, nestled next to the beach. It really is as idyllic as it sounds. Accompanying the view is a range of home cooked and locally sourced foods, fresh homemade cakes, Callestick ice cream and Cornish coffee. Loe Beach is also great for water sports – try your hand at kayaking or have a go on a paddle board! Approx. 10 minutes drive from Cosawes.

The Pandora Inn – absolutely iconic pub in nearby Restronguet. Multi award winning with great food. Eat outside on the pontoon – gorgeous! Approx 15 minutes drive from Cosawes.

Credit – Pandora Inn

Muddy Beach, Penryn This lovely little eatery offers excellent food and drink in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The name Muddy Beach comes from the local nickname for the beach opposite the café – a great place for wildlife and wading birds. Gorgeous views! Approx 10 minutes drive from Cosawes.

Credit – Muddy Beach

The Heron Inn – a beautiful spot near Truro. Advance booking necessary for outside tables. Wonderful food and service. Amazing views and very easy advanced booking process. Approx. 20 minutes drive from Cosawes.

Credit – Heron Inn

Birdies Bistro –  Birdies Bistro sits on the edge of the RSPB’s Hayle nature reserve in Lelant and gives prime views over the estuary. At the moment Birdies plans to open in May.

Credit – Birdies

The Thirstea Company – run by the lovely Seth and Jodi Richards and set on Towan beach on the Roseland. Also planned for summer 2021 – a pop up on Carne Beach. Popular with the locals – for very good reason!

Godrevy Cafe This chalet-style cafe with sea views offers breakfasts and light lunches to surfers and walkers. Absolutely lovely spot on a glorious beach on the North Coast. Further information can be found on the Facebook page – https://m.facebook.com/Godrevy-Cafe

Origin Café, Porthleven Amazing coffee and cakes – this little cafe is set in the lovely harbour town of Porthleven. Seating overlooking the harbour. Well worth a visit!

The Hidden Hut – Porthcurnick beach. Featured in many national papers and Sunday supplements – do not miss the Hut! Great food – the queue can get very long – but well worth it! And with a view like that, you won’t mind anyway!

Credit – the Times

Tatams – just a lovely spot in beautiful Portscatho on the Roseland. A bit of a drive (and ferry ride!) but worth it. Coffee, hot chocolate and a small bakery counter – cheese & ham filled croissants, breakfast pasties, flapjacks and Portuguese custard tarts. Outdoor seating is available on the sea bar.

Credit – Tatams

Thinking about all of these lovely places has made us hungry! Let us know if you have any local favourites that you think should be added!

Are you looking for a wedding venue that offers gorgeous weddings and 5* award winning accommodation at a great price? With our winter wedding offers you will have an amazing three day stay at a wonderful venue that always has (and always will) specialise in smaller weddings.

Credit – Katie Goff Photography

Example small wedding packages at Cosawes Barton

We can tailor your package to suit your requirements, and to give you an idea of costs we’ve put together a few example packages which we hope will help you to get a feel for the sort of thing we can offer.

Elopement for up to 6

This wonderful elopement package can be booked on selected dates between 1 November 2021 and February 2022 (other than Christmas and New Year). The price includes use of the estate grounds and gardens, use of ceremony spaces, use of one of our three 5* cottages, a pre-meet, on the day attendance of our wedding coordinator and the lovely owners to act as witnesses. 
 

Credit – Tom Frost Photography

A 3-night stay in one of the 5* cottage for up to 6 and your wedding day at Cosawes Barton – £975

A three-course wedding meal for 6, plus a small naked wedding cake by Indulgence Catering – £660

Bridal hair and make-up by Jules Spurgeon – £200

Wedding day flowers (bouquet & buttonhole plus 4 small and 1 large vase of flowers by Down By the River Florals – £300

2 hours photography by Tom Frost – £400

Registrar – c.£585

Total: £3120 ​

Intimate wedding for up to 18

Exclusive hire for 18 packages below are available on selected dates between 1 November 2021 and February 2022. Includes exclusive use of the estate grounds and gardens, use of ceremony spaces, use of our three 5* cottages sleeping up to 18, a pre-meet and on the day attendance of our wedding coordinator.

Credit – Tom Frost Photography

A 3-night stay our three 5* cottages sleeping up to 18 and your wedding day at Cosawes Barton – £2625

A three-course feasting meal for 18, plus a small naked wedding cake by Indulgence Catering – £1500

Bridal hair and make-up by Jules Spurgeon – £200

Wedding day flowers (bouquet & buttonhole plus 4 small and 1 large vase of flowers by Down By the River Florals – £300

Table and chair hire by Stargazey Hire, allow – £250

2 hours photography by Tom Frost – £600

Registrar – c.£585

Total: £6060

We would love to share more information with you! Contact us now for further details.

Greetings from beautiful Cornwall! Sending good wishes to all of you and hoping you are well. We are absolutely delighted to announce that Cosawes Barton has been named as one of the top three self-catering cottage providers in Cornwall by the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2020/2021. A testament to our family business, our team and to this lovely timeless place.

It really is a privilege to be named amongst so many brilliant Cornish businesses including pubs, restaurants and activity providers – all keen to look after you during you stay. To see the full list of Cornwall Tourism Awards winners see the Awards website.

CTA logo

We would love to welcome you to stay with us when you are able. This summer is already very busy, but we do have a few available dates left:

Our beautiful 5* cottages

Each cottage is 5* Gold Award rated, sleeps 6 and is dog friendly.

To tempt you further:

  • We have made the decision not to increase our set 2021 prices (even though many other cottage providers are doing so) as we do not feel it is the right thing to do.
  • We are offering full refunds if you are unable to come for any reason related to national or local Covid-19 restrictions.

If you would like to make a booking to secure one of our last remaining weeks, book online at www.cosawesbarton.co.uk.

We hope to hear from you soon

Louise and Andy Bishop

Here at Cosawes Barton, we specialise (and have only ever specialised) in small weddings and elopements. Having chosen a small wedding ourselves many years ago – we completely understand why our couples choose this option. So what makes elopements to Cosawes so magical? Why choose to elope to Cosawes Barton?

A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

We are a family business – so planning your wedding is personal! You will either speak to Louise or to your designated Wedding Co-ordinator and you will always know who is going to respond to any queries – however big or small – we are here to help!

5* GOLD AWARD RATED ACCOMMODATION

Most of our couples choose to stay with us for a three-night break. This gives them a chance to settle in to one of our 5* cottages, have a look at ceremony locations, chat with us about any last-minute questions and ….relax!

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN WEDDING TEAM

On the day of your wedding, your suppliers will come to you in your cottage and you can get ready together or separately – whichever you prefer – whilst we set up your ceremony location for you. You are totally free to choose your own suppliers or we can put a supplier team together for you to meet your style and budget.

GORGEOUS OUTDOOR OR INDOOR CEREMONY SPACES

Your ceremony can be held outside in our beautiful woodland arbour – at the end of Cornwall’s longest “natural aisle” – or inside in our traditional courtyard room. You are welcome to arrange a ceremony with the Registrars, the Cornish Celebrants or hold a handfasting – whichever suits you best. We are happy to act as your witnesses if you would like us to do so – it would be an honour!

The Arbour – Cosawes Barton

FANTASTIC PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

After your ceremony you are very welcome to have photographs in the gardens or you can be whisked off to the beach by one of our team of fabulous elopement photographers.

AMAZING FOOD!

You can then enjoy your wedding breakfast prepared by local chefs – which can range in formality from a three course sit down celebration with your own private chef to a romantic picnic hamper for the beach. And because of your smaller numbers your choice of menu and quality of food served is absolutely amazing!

Our elopements can be simple or decadent, quiet or flamboyant. You are not bound by convention and the day is yours!  

We would love to be your venue – and hope to hear from you soon.

Here at Cosawes Barton, we are so lucky to be surrounded by 17 acres of private estate and countryside. The winter wildlife in Cornwall has been amazing this year – particularly over lockdown when the number of species on the estate seemed to grow. For our guests who love wildlife, there are so many opportunities for bird and animal spotting – even in mid-winter.

So, what animals and birds do we have on the estate?

Majestic buzzards survey the wintry fields at this time of year, and tawny owls make their residence known on cold winter evenings.

A Tawny owl c – Woodland Trust

Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and treecreepers are busy searching for food on the trunks of older trees, and our resident colony of pipistrelle bats in the cart shed take the opportunity to sleep and keep warm in their sheltered hiding place.

A pipistrelle bat c – bbc.co.uk

You might assume that many animals will be out of sight in winter but deer, badgers, otters, squirrels, foxes, and moles are active throughout the season.

Although dormice are elusive, even when awake, winter is an excellent time to look for signs that they are around. Rummaging amongst fallen leaves in our hazel trees, you may see nuts that have been nibbled. A smooth, perfect hole with outward sloping edges on the side of the nut is a tell-tale sign of dormouse activity.

Woodland walks may also offer tantalising glimpses of deer seen through bare tree trunks. The white, heart-shaped rumps of retreating roe deer are easy to identify. We had a family of deer living in our woodland over lockdown – glorious!

Cosawes Barton 2020 © Annabel Jayne

Further afield in Cornwall

Don’t forget the coastline in winter. The crashing waves may well wash some interesting wildlife onto the beach, such as the strange jellyfish-like creatures known as velella or by-the-wind sailors. Rock pooling can also be a year-round occupation.

The extreme South West is good for spotting dolphins and other marine mammals, while seals haul up on beaches around Cornwall and appear at St Ives harbour during high tides. You may see seal heads bobbing in the water near a beach or hauled out onto beaches. We can suggest good seal spotting vantage points for you.

Where to see wildlife in winter

Kennall Vale Nature Reserve in Ponsanooth has
lush valley wildlife and scenery and is just a short walk from the cottages.

Bissoe Valley Nature Reserve: 
A great place for amphibians.

Tehidy Country Park, near Camborne
Best for squirrels, woodpeckers, and kingfishers.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey
Watch wildlife indoors with CCTV coverage of badgers, barn owls, bat roosts and bird-feeding station.  

Marazion Marsh, near Penzance: This is Cornwall’s largest reedbed, and an RSPB reserve where flocks of starlings visit some years, birds including bitterns and overwintering chiff-chaffs can be seen, plus many mammals and plants.

Goonhilly Downs, The Lizard: 
Look out for merlin, hen harrier and short-eared owl.