Millerson, St Austell, PL25

Why move to St Austell? St Austell, Cornwall’s largest town, sits mid-county on the south coast. The area is home to some of Cornwall’s most recognised landmarks, including Charlestown – about a mile outside St Austell – a gem-like Georgian harbour where such delights as Poldark, Alice in Wonderland and Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed. The town’s ripe history dates back beyond the time of William Cookworthy, who can be credited with Cornwall’s thriving clay industry. The town has a good mix of independent and high street shops, offering everything from fashion to pet supplies, shoes to fancy dress. Out of town there are an Asda and a Tesco. There is an even greater variety of shopping at Truro, less than half an hours drive away. For those who love to eat out, there are Indian, Italian and traditional British restaurants alongside plenty of great pubs and coffee shops. Nearby Fowey is home to the much-loved Sam’s – a beach restaurant offering fish, cocktails and live music. St Austell and the surrounding area is a paradise for plant lovers and gardeners; from the tropical plants nurtured for the Eden Project, the mysteries and surprises to be uncovered in the Lost Gardens of Heligan to the 600-plus specimens in the National Collection of Magnolias, kept in the stunning surroundings of Caerhays Castle –enough inspiration to get your green fingers tingling! With great local schools the St Austell area has some ‘good’ Ofsted-rated schools; Fowey Primary, St Mewan Community Primary, Whitemoor Academy and Nanpean, while Bishops Branscombe C of E School has been rated ‘outstanding’. Penrice Academy is the local secondary school and this is also ‘outstanding’. St Austell is home to the main Cornwall College campus, a Further Education college with an array of courses for those aged 16 and over.