Coach House top right, Shenley left,
Boscastle right, St Alban bottom.

was part of the Rectory (Top left in picture) built more than 200 years ago for the parish of Forrabury. We understand there also used to be a Rectory for the parish of Minster this ceased to be used and fell into disrepair and that much of the stone used on this building came from there. Unfortunately we do not know much about the Rectors who lived in the house with the exception of the Reverend Kirkness he was married with eleven children, two of the elder boys went abroad, one  to university  but unfortunately died as a young man, he is buried with his parents in Forrabury churchyard. In addition to the family there were also two servants, quite a squeeze in a five bedroom house. The house ceased to be a Rectory some years ago and Forrabury House, just down the lane, then became the Rectory, also for only a short time as the new Rectory was built just over the road from us. This building then became a private home and was converted into an hotel offering both bed and breakfast and self catering, quite an innovation in its time.  The Coach House next door, where we live, was exactly that, the coach would have been drawn in through the arched door and hay for the horses was kept in the room above, we are not sure if the groom(s) also lived there. One of the last Rectors to live here used the building to garage his car and as Boscastle was not on the National Grid for electricity there was also a generator.

The stables were originally where Shenley bungalow now stands and were probably a wooden building. Some people think that the Coach House is older than the House and according to some old records we have seen the Rectory was described in the 1700's as a 'mean one storey building'  could have described the Coach House? It is possible the new house was built when the parish became more prosperous! The wooden building on the side of the house was built around the time of the first world war and was used by members of the parish for dances, weddings plus as a classroom and we have met people who can remember attending functions or classes in the building. Unfortunately we have never been able to find any old photographs showing the Rectory as it was, there are probably many out there and hopefully we will find some, one day.  We are often asked if there are any ghosts in the house, but a friend always says there have been too many prayers said for there to be ghosts.

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