Shell Cottage is “a lonely and beautiful place,” and quaint seaside home to Bill and Fleur Weasley. It sits on a cliffside with a view of the sea and an airy backyard, and the sound of waves pulsate through the house (DH25).
Located on the outskirts of Tinworth in Cornwall (DH23), the house is not large – the upstairs has just three small bedrooms, and downstairs, there is only a modest kitchen and a sitting room with a fireplace. Protected by the Fidelius Charm, it was the place to which Harry, Ron, and Hermione retreated after narrowly escaping the Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor (DH24, and where they stayed while they made plans with Griphook to steal Voldemort’s Horcrux from Gringotts (DH25).
At the end of the garden, a small mound of red earth (DH25) covers a grave for one of the bravest heroes of the wizarding world – Dobby the house-elf. Harry buried him here after he was killed in the escape from Malfoy Manor. The inscription on his smooth, white tombstone reads “HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF” (DH24).
Shell Cottage descriptions:
- Window over the basin in kitchen faces the ocean.
- Window in master bedroom faces the ocean.
- Cliff faces South-East (not South) because Harry saw sunrise over the ocean.
- The window in Griphook and Ollivander's bedroom faces the garden, since Griphook saw Harry dig the grave.
- The garden is on the South-West side of the house, since the sunrise wasn't visible from the window.
- The garden has a gate leading away from the house, and a small wall facing the cliff-side.
- The sitting room has a window facing the garden (Harry saw Luna laying flowers).
- There's no door on the garden side of the house, since Fleur had to walk around the house to get inside.
- There's a small hallway inside the front door.
- The bottom of the stairs is visible from part of the sitting room, as well as the kitchen table through the hallway.
- The kitchen has at least three doors: a back door, a door to the sitting room, and a door to the hallway.
- The sitting room has a sofa, dining room table and fireplace.
- If there's a downstairs toilet, it could be connected to the hallway, kitchen or sitting room.
- There's 3 doors leading off the upstairs landing, each to a bedroom.
- If there's an upstairs bathroom, it must be inside the master bedroom.
- The door from the landing to the master bedroom faces the door to Griphook and Ollivander's bedroom.
(thanks to Sandal Thong for compiling this information)