A former Sunday school was snapped up before ever going to auction, in a sale that significantly exceeded its guide price.

The four-bedroom Douglas House, located in the village of Carmenellis, was originally a 19th century Sunday school and sold for a sum well in excess of its freehold guide price of £200,000 to £210,000.

Senior Auction Valuer Dave Henwood said: “This was an exciting and rare opportunity to acquire a character family home in a village at the heart of Cornwall. There was considerable interest prior to the auction and an offer was made well in excess of its freehold guide, which was accepted.”

He added that a property well built and in a good location like this one, is very desirable amongst investors and occupiers and this early sale is real evidence of that.

The property was set to be one of the lots listed in the fourth auction of the year for regional land and property auctioneers Clive Emson and would have gone under the hammer on June 13.