INDUSTRIAL PAST Taking cues from its hardworking heritage, a 19th-century mining engine house is remodelled for calmer living

Years of paper and plaster have been peeled back to reveal the bones of this old mining engine house in Cornwall, which has been transformed into a stunning home

‘We wanted to reflect the building’s industrial story in the interior’

Today, many of the visitors who cross the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall come in search of the county’s beautiful scenery, but in the 19th century it was the promise of the ore-rich earth that tempted optimistic incomers. Prospectors and engineers arrived to charter, dig and drill deep into the region’s rock, hoping it would yield subterranean treasure. Today, the tower of The Stack is one of the many reminders of this chapter of Cornish industrial history, standing in a landscape that’s now more devoted to dairy, stock and agricultural farming. This Grade II-listed building in the

Fal Estuary once housed the power supply for the shortlived New Terras mine, its thick walls built to withstand the juddering of the steam-mechanised beam engine that sat within. It was the handiwork of the ambitious Michell brothers of Redruth, who prospected several mines in the area for metals, but the quarry proved unprofitable so, in 1894, they cut their losses and wound up business, leaving the tower behind.

In its latest incarnation, the building’s decorative style recognises the structure’s hard-working roots, and dovetails them with gentler design touches. ‘The architecture and history were a big part of the property’s appeal, so it felt right to take that as our first cue for the interior,’ says Sarah Stanley, who bought The Stack three years ago. ‘We wanted to look back at the building’s origins and reflect its industrial story.’

In the main living spaces, spread over five floors, surfaces hint at the heritage; weathered wood is set against metalwork, while a base layer of granite brick peeps out from beneath smooth render. ‘Although it was designed with function in mind, the house also has pretty arched windows and doorways,’ Sarah says.

After buying the property, she decided to let her friend and colleague, Jess Clark, take charge of the interior design. Jess, too, discovered that this was a house that defies convention. ‘I knew my inspiration would spring from the setting, but in some instances I also found myself being led by the building,’ she says. The previous owners had peeled back the paint and paper in the hallway and left it as a rough and ready surface: ‘I rather liked the effect – a reminder of the many layers of life that have been lived within these walls.’

When builders started to strip the woodchip wallpaper in the largest bedroom, a similar mottled faded-pink effect began to show through from underneath. ‘I’m not usually a fan of pink, but the texture echoed the patina in the hallway, so I left it. It almost felt as if the house were presenting its own solutions,’ says Jess. The building’s new hub is the kitchen and dining room on

the ground floor. In here, stainless-steel worktops mix with the original nail-studded beams and rustic cladding made from old scaffolding planks. Vintage finds, such as a butcher’s block, were added by Sarah and Jess, while the farmhouse table is a marriage of old and new sections. ‘I rescued the legs and base from a skip and a carpenter made a new top from scaffolding planks bound with iron,’ explains Jess.

Both love to spend time sifting through local charity shops and auctions for furniture and accessories. ‘An entire room in my home is full of weird and wonderful finds, just waiting for the right place,’ Sarah continues, noting that Cornwall used to be a good hunting ground for old and characterful furniture. ‘More recently, though, reclamation yards have raised their prices, and dealers from further afield are starting to bulk-buy at the auctions, which makes it hard if you’re just after one or two items.’ Her favourite haunt is a hospice charity shop in Penryn. ‘I’ve found some real treasures there, from stacks of creaky leather-bound books to a sheaf of old nautical charts.’ The sofa in the upstairs living room is an example of the way in which Jess brings new life to old furniture. ‘I found an Ercol sofa frame on the Freecycle website,’ she says. ‘It needed new webbing, which I worked out how to fit, and then I added some plump velvet cushions – far more decadent than the original upholstery would have been.’

The building’s unusual architecture also made it tricky to get some of the larger pieces of furniture inside. ‘At one point, we had a comedy situation with one man sitting on another’s shoulders, hoisting pieces through a window – while a large mirror had to be taken apart and reassembled inside,’ says Jess. In the bedrooms, the decor hints at the property’s back story in a more subtle way. A metal sliding door between a second bedroom and the living space has a warm, hand-worn character, as does a battered iron-handled chest in the children’s room at the top of the house. In the main bedroom, a headboard made from carved Moroccan shutters creates an escapist mood: ‘Although they are from a distant country, the floral motifs are a reminder of the wildflower meadows just outside the window.’

Several paintings by local artist John O’Carroll, who applies beeswax and pigment directly to his work, hang on the walls of the house. ‘I love the way his landscapes feel both empty and yet full of presence,’ Jess says. An apt choice for a house that has itself been reworked for a calmer life, but is still full of references to its industrial past.

Set in mid-Cornwall, The Stack is available to rent through uniquehomestays.com