Our estate is hiding a bizarre 800yo secret tourist hotspot – our street is full of visitors but we LOVE it…here’s why
LOCALS say their estate is hiding a strange feature which has become a tourist attraction, with visitors flocking to see it.
Wadebridge in Cornwall is a holiday hotspot and famed for its watersports, cycling trails and close to some of Britain’s best beaches.
But visitors are also making a trip to an unassuming housing estate on the edge of the town to see a very different attraction.
Nestled at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac is an 800-year-old pigeon coop.
Locals say groups of up to 50 visitors at a time have turned up to admire the 18ft tall circular stone structure, known as a culverhouse or dovecote.
And far from seeing it as a nuisance, residents said they love the unique feature and even paid more for their properties because it was there.
Dr Liz McWhorter, whose home faces the former bird sanctuary, said: “I don’t think having it here harms house prices at all, in fact it probably had the exact opposite effect.
“We have lived here 14 years but I heard when the developer was building these homes in the 1980s they were ordered to preserve it which meant they could build one less house on the street than they’d planned.
We’ve definitely seen an increase in people coming to visit it. On Saturday a group of about 50 walkers came up to see it which looked very odd in a quiet cul-de-sac but I don’t mind that
Dr Liz McWhorter
“So to get around it and still make a profit they made all the other houses a little more expensive – but it’s worth it because it is so unique.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in people coming to visit it. On Saturday a group of about 50 walkers came up to see it which looked very odd in a quiet cul-de-sac but I don’t mind that.
“I think it needs to be cleaned up a bit, they used to come around and cut the grass and clean it up but that doesn’t seem to happen as much any more.”
Wadebridge has long been a popular destination for tourists and second home owners.
It was revealed last month that the average house price is £548,669, making it the ninth most expensive seaside town in the UK.
Bob Clover, 78, who has lived on the street for 17 years said: “I don’t think people need to worry about [the culverhouse] affecting their house prices. Wadebridge is already very expensive.
“Not many people know it is even here and it’s not been publicised that much.
“In some ways that’s a good thing because it’s so peaceful and we wouldn’t want the street to be packed out with cars.”
The building originally served nearby Trevanion Manor, and was built at a time when only landowning lords had the right to keep doves or pigeons.
The Culvery housing estate which sits around the culverhouse was built in the late eighties.
At the same time the structure came into the care of Cornwall Heritage Trust, becoming the smallest site that they own.
I think it’s beautiful. How many people can say they live next to a Medieval building?
Fiona Cooper
And neighbour Fiona Cooper, 46, said of the 13th century landmark: “I think it’s beautiful. How many people can say they live next to a Medieval building?
“One of the first things I did when I moved in was research the history of it, the birds were used to feed people and it’s a nice reminder when the country cared about feeding communities.
“I don’t think it’s an eyesore at all and I’ve certainly not heard anybody around here say they would like to see it demolished.”
And retired police officer Eddie Flanaghan, 90, said: “I’m all for it. They’d better not do anything to it or there will be hell to pay.”