Couple buy Regency stately home turned ‘crack den’ for £225,000 and spend £2m restoring it to former glory

The pair made a ‘daft’ offer for the 200-year-old abode which had been taken over by squatters - and were astonished when it was accepted.
Sophie Wills
By Sophie Wills
Published 12th Jun 2023, 15:14 BST
Updated 12th Jun 2023, 16:24 BST

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A couple who bought a rundown “crack den” stately home for just £225,000 spent £2million and ten years lovingly restoring it to its former glory. Reg and Elizabeth Price made a “daft” offer for the 200-year-old Roswarne House - which had been taken over by squatters and fallen into disrepair.

But they were amazed when the bid was accepted in 2013 and they set about renovating the depilated graffiti covered home in Camborne, Cornwall. The stunning Regency Grade-II listed 29-room home was built between 1810-1815, but had been abandoned for six years and was being used by drug addicts.

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The Greek-revival style stately home on six acres of land was so bad that when retired Reg and Elizabeth bought it it was literally collapsing. Every window was smashed, doors kicked in, historic features destroyed, the roof caved in, and all electrics and lead stolen.