Hideaway cottage with a miniature model village of Italy goes on sale
Your own piece of La Dolce Vita! Hideaway cottage in Wales with a miniature model village of Italy in the garden goes on sale for £280,000
- 30 miniatures of Italy’s iconic landmarks come included with the garden
- It was crafted over 25 years by late chicken farmer Mark Bourne and wife Muriel
A welsh hideaway cottage complete with a miniature model village of Italy in the garden is up for sale for £280,000.
The little Italy collection of over 30 landmarks features a 6ft Rialto Bridge from Venice, a pint-size Duomo from Florence and a mini Leaning Tower of Pisa.
It was lovingly crafted over 25 years by late chicken farmer Mark Bourne and wife Muriel next to their 19th Century cottage.
The homage to Italian architecture was started by Mr Bourne following his frequent trips abroad to his beloved Italy.
He would return home with sketch books full of drawings and spend the next six weeks using chicken wire and mortar to build his creations.
A miniture model of Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio, Rome (left) , and a 6ft Rialto Bridge from Venice (right)
A model of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence looks out over the Welsh valleys of Gwynedd
Farmer Mr Bourne would also recycle dumped items – and used an old wash boiler to mould the dome of his Tempietto.
The late couple’s cottage is now up for sale with whitewashed stone walls nestled into the hillside along a private lane.
The home is surrounded by trees and boasts views above the Afon Deri valley near the village of Corris in Gwynedd, North Wales.
A large kitchen dining room can be found inside along with a separate living room and shower room on the ground floor.
On the first floor there are three bedrooms and a cloakroom so buyers can use the facilities at night.
Mr Bourne said his unique garden features amused local planning officers after they visited the site before his death.
The Little Italy Trust was set up before the pandemic in a bid to protect the cottage and gardens.
Trustee Richard Withers took on the role of site guardian while family friend Jonathan Fell helped to carry out repairs on the models.
Jonathan said: ‘Some of the paths are not too bad but the buildings are fragile and the steps are murderous.’
The structures are made from chicken wire and mortar as well salvaged items from Mr Bourne’s farm
It was lovingly crafted over 25 years by late chicken farmer Mark Bourne and wife Muriel next to their 19th Century cottage complete with a log burner and black floors
The late couple’s cottage is now up for sale with whitewashed stone walls nestled into the hillside along a private lane
In keeping with a welsh country cottage style, the home has maintained a lot of the original features including cast iron door handles and built in wooden beds for the children
The cottage and garden is now up for sale with 2.4 acres of land for £280,000.
Estate agents Morris Marshall & Poole said: ‘The property is located about half a mile above the village and benefits from a good valley view, over its own pastureland.
‘It further offers an unique feature with an Italian model village found to the side and rear of the cottage. This was constructed by a previous owner and covers an area of about one third of an acre.
‘It showcases numerous historical buildings and statues found in Italy including Pont de Verde, St Marks and numerous Churches. This is a well known landmark and has numerous web pages which detail this feature.’
The rustic living room features a stone wall and a long lounge allowing guests to look out on the land
The home comes with a more modern kitchen and features a flat top oven and furnished wood work sides
The bathroom comes complete with a spacious walkin shower and dark wood flooring
The kitchen is open plan and is connected to the lounge area leaving a feshingly bright living area
The living area comes complete with two large windows and beuatiful country artwork
The cottage has large spacious bedrooms big enough to fit a dining room table for four
The cottage and garden is now up for sale with 2.4 acres of land for £280,000
An intricate model of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Venice, is hidden behind ivy in the Welsh woodland
A view of the Italian scene, which has been built into a small hill like much of Italy’s scenery is in real life
The village of miniature landmarks is adorned with small versions of famous Italian statues, now covered in moss
Arches in orange mortar which could represent Bologna’s Portico di San Luca. A conservation ‘fingerprint’ is to be recorded so that the original designs are preserved
Visitors are being asked to stay away from the site while work is carried out – however it is believed the buildings will stay open to the public longterm
The Little Italy Trust has now been set up to save the models, a homage to Italian architecture was started by Mr Bourne following his frequent trips abroad to his beloved Italy
Jonathan now has eight regular volunteers and four part-timers working to save the structures which are crumbling apart
Orchard gardener Jonathan Fell said the farmer’s work was now a ‘national treasure’ and should be respected as such
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