Anchor Studio

Anchor Studio comprises a single large rectangular studio with a suspended timber floor, and sits in the middle of a small triangular garden. The north-western end of the building has masonry walls and the south-eastern end is timber framed and timber clad, Most of the light comes from two large windows which face north-east overlooking Newlyn, the harbour and Mounts Bay, and it also has a large window in the east gable wall.

Stanhope Forbes used the upper floor of Anchor as his studio and later for his painting school, and the renovation restored the east gable window and skylight that had been removed before it came into the Trust’s possession. It is not clear how he had used the lower ground floor, but John Wells had converted it to form basic living accommodation with a kitchen, bathroom and bed/sitting room. The renovation involved replacing most of the internal structure, and then fitting out and decorating, to create a small self-contained flat for visiting artists.

Anchor sits on a steeply sloping site, and access to the building and garden is very difficult for anyone with mobility problems.

Previous occupants include: Stanhope Forbes, Elizabeth Forbes, John Wells, John Mitchell, Virginia Bounds, Siobhan McLaughlin, Renee Spierdijk, Pam Evelyn.

Photography by Alban Roinard.