Reading · Wreck of the Week

We were talking to this bloke in the pub, and he was telling us about his honeymoon on Scilly and how beautiful the island is.
Obvs I’d heard of the Isle of Scilly but, and here’s where haphazard geography teaching gets you, I’d assumed it was up North somewhere, maybe off Scotland with all those other short name islands. Also, like that bloke, I thought it was one island.
But it’s neither - Scilly is South, off Cornwall in fact, and is Isles. But then, you knew that didn’t you? Just like you probably knew that the British Isles consists of 188 inhabited islands, including Great Britain, and that five of our inhabited islands are within the Isles of Scilly archipelago. This got me thinking about the amazingness that comes from living on an island surrounded by clusters of sibling islands.
I wrote about St Mary’s, Scilly’s largest island, back in March. And the property I featured is still up for sale - here’s that post. I noted the rarity of houses coming up for sale and the “Scilly” prices that created. That rarity is still an issue.
But spending today looking around southern islands was actually quite dispiriting. Because that North/South property divide applies to our islands too. Higher prices in the South and too many rows of ugly boxy builds with little left to renovate.
That being said, I did find three interesting ones to show you. Starting with this proper wreck on the very lovely Isle of Man.

A large farmhouse, with four potential bedrooms (once you finish building stairs and landing...) set in a big garden block. But, a hell of lot of work still to do and pay for.

In a gorgeous position, surrounded by rolling hills and a short drive to the harbour town of Peel. On the market at cash offers around £345k through Manxmove. More pictures and details on the agent’s site here and on Rightmove here.
My second pick is on the Isle of Angelsey. It’s two houses - semis - being sold as one property, so fabulous scope to turn it into one lovely big country house or develop as two homes for friends.

Both properties have a lounge, kitchen and bathroom downstairs, and three bedrooms upstairs. They share a gated drive and large parking area, with good-size gardens each.
House one is in better condition that the other in terms of the work needed.

House two looks like it’s been empty a while:

The location’s fabulous - views of the sea and of the mountains, more-or-less midway between the beach at Porth Trwyn and the village of Llanfaethlu.
On the market at £275k through Williams & Goodwin. Details and more pictures on the agent’s site here and on Rightmove here.
My last property to show you is on the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent. I’m not entirely convinced by the designation “Isle” for Sheppey, given it’s bridges and ease of access, but that has driven its popularity. This detached house is on Sheerness’s High Street, walking distance to the sea front, and has a lovely walled garden.