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Lighthouse that inspired Virginia Woolf up for sale

By Bridget Freer on Monday 13 July 2009

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Virginia Woolf, To the lighthouse

The novelist Virginia Woolf spent many childhood holidays in a St Ives guest house from which she could see the lighthouse on nearby Godrevy Island.

In 1927 she wrote her most famous novel To the Lighthouse and although it was set in the Hebrides, the Godrevey lighthouse is widely thought to have been the original inspiration.

But despite its literary heritage, the beach and the lighthouse are set to go under the hammer this summer and auctioneers expect bids to start at about £50,000, with all money raised going to Truro's Hall for Cornwall theatre.

It is over a century since Woolf’s holidaying years, but the view is little changed. The current owner of the land, Dennis Arbon, says: ‘Everyone who comes here is inspired by the vision of this wonderful beach. The light is amazing. The whole atmosphere is magical.’

There are conditions attached to the sale. Any potential buyer has to continue to allow public access and cannot develop the land, but auctioneers have already taken bids for the beach over the phone and

there have been inquiries from as far afield as America and Russia.

Mr Arbon, says, ‘I'd like to think Virginia Woolf would give this her blessing. Her creativity is helping to feed further creativity and work for writers in Cornwall.

‘I think she'd approve of that. I think she'd think this was the right thing to do.’

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Monday 13 July 2009

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Appalling! It should NOT be sold! It is outrageous to consider selling it to bidders outside the UK! It BELONGS to Cornwall and the Cornish people!
Comment by GDB on July 13 16:35