A Breath Of Fresh Air

Alison Hall found a historic coastguard’s cottage in her local seaside town and indulged her love of period renovation to create a bright and breezy bolthole.

- Alison Gibb

Located at the head of a row of cottages, the old stone house owned by Alison Hall and her husband, Colman Clarke, was originally built for the seaside town’s chief coastguard, or quartermaster. ‘This house enjoys larger proportions than the other staffcottages, while the lifeboat was stored in a building at the other end of the row,’ says Alison. Although still full of character, the property had fallen into disrepair and was in a poor condition when the couple bought it. ‘Its potential seemed to go unnoticed by developers,’ Alison says, ‘despite its amazing position opposite the beach.’