When Oasis decamped to a remote recording studio on the Cornish coast in 1994, the Gallagher brothers and their bandmates could scarcely have imagined that the house in which they cut their teeth would one day go on the market as a rock ’n’ roll landmark. Yet three decades later, the property known as Sawmills Studio in Golant, Cornwall, the house where Oasis recorded their game-changing debut Definitely Maybe, is being offered for sale at $2.64 million (£1.95 million).
The sale marks a rare opportunity to purchase not just a property, but a slice of British music history.
The Old Sawmills, as the property is officially named, sits on the western bank of the River Fowey. Surrounded by woodland and overlooking a tidal creek, it is accessible only by a winding footpath or by boat, which operates twice a day depending on the tide. For Oasis in early 1994, the seclusion of this unusual setting was exactly what they needed.
After unsatisfactory initial recordings in other studios, the band arrived at Sawmills with a desperate need to capture the raw energy of their live performances. Dennis Smith, co-owner of the studio, remembered their urgency. “They were desperate to have another go, and they had 10 days to do it, and it was a question of getting it right this time,” he once explained.
What followed was the crystallisation of a sound that would soon define Britpop. Definitely Maybe became the fastest-selling debut album in UK history at the time of its release in August 1994, spawning anthems like “Live Forever,” “Supersonic,” and “Cigarettes & Alcohol.”
For those familiar with the band’s mythology, the Cornish retreat became almost as significant as the pubs of Manchester where Oasis first began.
The riverside studio was not only a workplace but a temporary home for the young band members, Liam and Noel Gallagher, Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan, and Tony McCarroll.
Though Oasis may be its most famous alumni, Sawmills Studio has hosted an array of major acts. The Stone Roses, Muse, Robert Plant, The Verve, and Supergrass have all recorded within its walls. The studio was founded in the mid-1970s by Tony Cox and later developed into a residential facility, enabling artists to immerse themselves fully in the recording process.
Its combination of isolation and inspiration made it a sanctuary for musicians seeking to escape the pressures of the outside world. That seclusion is reflected in the property listing today, which describes the house as “a truly unique and secluded waterside property” being sold on the open market for the first time in 50 years.
At $2.64 million, The Old Sawmills is not just an investment in real estate but in cultural heritage. The property includes not only the studio space but also living quarters, outbuildings, and extensive grounds that slope down to the creek. For music fans, the lure is obvious: the chance to own the birthplace of an album that changed the landscape of 1990s music.
It remains to be seen whether the buyer will maintain the studio’s legacy or repurpose the house as a private residence. But whatever its future, the sale underscores the enduring power of Definitely Maybe and the nostalgia for an era when Oasis were still hungry Mancunians on the cusp of global stardom.
Oasis’s legacy stretches beyond Definitely Maybe. Across their seven studio albums, the band recorded in a mix of legendary studios, each leaving its mark on their sound. Here’s a timeline of their albums and the locations where they were captured:
1. Definitely Maybe (1994) – Sawmills Studio, Cornwall; The Pink Museum, Liverpool; Clear Studios, Manchester
Breakthrough debut, marked by raw energy and swagger, with its defining sessions at Sawmills.
2. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) – Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, Wales
The band’s magnum opus, featuring “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Recorded in an intense two-week session at Rockfield.
3. Be Here Now (1997) – Abbey Road Studios, London; Ridge Farm Studio, Surrey
Famously overblown but highly anticipated, this album was tracked at the iconic Abbey Road and the secluded Ridge Farm.
4. Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000) – Wheeler End Studios, Buckinghamshire; Olympic Studios, London
Oasis reinvented themselves after lineup changes, experimenting with new sounds in their own Wheeler End facility.
5.Heathen Chemistry (2002) – Wheeler End Studios, Buckinghamshire
Featuring “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” this album leaned on Noel’s home-turf studio once again.
6. Don’t Believe the Truth (2005) – Wheeler End Studios, Buckinghamshire; Olympic Studios, London
A creative revival, with Liam, Andy Bell, and Gem Archer contributing significantly to the songwriting.
7. Dig Out Your Soul (2008) – Abbey Road Studios, London
The final Oasis album, with a darker, psychedelic edge, recorded once again in the hallowed halls of Abbey Road.
Oasis’s debut remains not only a cornerstone of Britpop but also a cultural time capsule. It arrived in a Britain eager for new icons, setting the band on a path that would make them one of the most important groups of the 1990s. By 1996, they were selling out Knebworth, performing to 250,000 fans across two nights, a feat unimaginable without the success of their debut.
The house in Cornwall, then, is more than bricks and mortar, it is a monument to the moment Oasis went from hopeful Mancunians to global superstars.
The sale of The Old Sawmills is more than a real estate transaction; it’s a reminder of how environment shapes art. For Oasis, the isolation of a Cornish tidal creek gave them space to focus, fight, and ultimately create an album that still resonates three decades later.
As the property moves to new hands, it carries with it the echoes of “Supersonic” blasting through its walls and the voice of a young Liam Gallagher ringing out across the water. Whether the house continues as a studio or becomes a private retreat, its place in music history is assured.
As Oasis prepared to reunite for their highly-anticipated Live ’25 world tour, fans Down Under will finally get their long-awaited return, their first performances in nearly two decades. Below is the full lineup of Australian dates and venues, spanning October and November 2025:
• Friday, 31 October 2025 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne (formerly Docklands Stadium)
• Saturday, 1 November 2025 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne (added due to overwhelming demand)
• Tuesday, 4 November 2025 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne (final Melbourne date added)
• Friday, 7 November 2025 – Accor Stadium (Stadium Australia), Sydney
• Saturday, 8 November 2025 – Accor Stadium, Sydney (additional Sydney date)
These shows mark Oasis’s first appearances in Australia since their Don’t Believe the Truth tour in 2005.
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