Fabulous Grade ll listed home full of period charm in a delightful semi-rural position in 2.5 acres of beautiful gardens with paddock and swimming pool

Description

This beautiful, Grade II listed house occupies an incredible position, facing south with far reaching views across the surrounding countryside. The current owners have painstakingly renovated this charming house and the gardens to a high standard making a wonderful family home.
The property is accessed via a porch/boot room which leads into a wonderful large and characterful hall with its listed inglenook former fireplace. The south-facing kitchen is flooded with natural light and is the real heart of the home. This well proportioned room has an Aga, additional cooker, ample space for a dining table and a good range of base and wall units with granite worktops.

An excellent feature of the property is the adjoining prep kitchen with matching units, generous additional storage cupboards and granite worktops. This room also houses the boiler, fridges, freezer and dishwasher. The separate utility/laundry room also has matching units and granite worktops. Leading off is a shower room with wc and a north-facing, ventilated pantry.

The comfortable sitting room has a substantial stone fireplace and a glazed door to a west - facing patio with lovely views. The charming dining room also has a westerly aspect, a useful china/glass cupboard and glazed double doors to the office. This room has a double aspect with glazed doors to its own patio and is a lovely environment for anyone working from home.

There are five bedrooms on the first floor, three of which face south, enjoying a sunny aspect and lovely views. The spacious double aspect principal bedroom has a built-in wardrobe and particularly good views. The family bathroom has much character and charm with an original cast iron claw-footed bath and a large separate shower. The four further bedrooms each have their own special character and two have built-in wardrobes. There is also an intriguing cloakroom behind a mirrored door.

Gardens and Grounds
Martins Hill has park-like gardens featuring fine mature trees and outstanding views across the Taw valley to Tawstock Church and beyond.

They have been lovingly restored and landscaped by the current owners, creating a wonderful space which makes the most of its beautiful surroundings. Adjoining the front of the house is an expansive ancient walled and cobbled terrace leading to the lawns, swimming pool and paddock.
The property is approached over a private drive with ample parking and a double garage with electric door. A little further up the lane is an additional 100 metre driveway giving further vehicular access to the property and the paddock field gate. The paddock enjoys stunning views and extends to approximately 1.5 acres, most recently having been used to host a family wedding!

The gardens extend to approximately 1 acre with expansive lawns and well-stocked flower beds with a wide variety of shrubs. There is a large fruit cage with raised beds, a good greenhouse with cold frames and an adjoining shed. There is also a pond with water feature and adjoining patio. Lovely, gravelled, winding paths provide convenient access and lead to the swimming pool and decked dining area. The pool terrace has been newly tiled with Italian porcelain and the pool fully relined, creating a great space for entertaining, complete with brick BBQ and hot tub. Adjoining this area is the barn housing an outside kitchen/changing room, the plant room and separate excellent storage for garden machinery with a workshop facility. Lastly, there is a recently refurbished cedar summer house/garden room, a charming feature with views across the garden and the valley.

There is a small orchard to the rear of the house with a gate to the lane and public footpath, ideal for dogs and walkers, with beautiful circular walks from the doorstep.

Location

Martins Hill enjoys an elevated position on the southerly slopes of Codden Hill which is well known for its fantastic walks and 360 degree views, some of the best in Devon. The property is positioned with immediate access onto a footpath which leads to Codden Hill and the village of Bishops Tawton, about half a mile away. The village has a well-regarded pub, The Chichester Arms, an excellent primary school, church and village hall.

The house is 1.5 miles away from Chapelton station on the Tarka line to Exeter and about 45 minutes by car from Tiverton Parkway Station, giving access to London Paddington in 2 hours.

North Devon is renowned for its beautiful sandy beaches which are superb for surfing, having recently gained international recognition when it was declared a World Surfing Reserve, one of only 12 places on the planet, the only one in the UK and one of only two in Europe.

Stretching for 19 miles, the North Devon reserve encompasses multiple high-quality surfing spots including Croyde, one of the finest beach breaks in England, as well as Woolacombe, and the longboarding paradise of Saunton Sands.

Barnstaple is a river-port town and is at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. The town itself offers an excellent range of both local and national high street shops, banks and leisure facilities.

Square Footage: 2,364 sq ft



Directions

Heading South on the A377 through Bishops Tawton, the lane to Martins Hill is on the left hand side half a mile after passing Bishops Tawton service station. A quarter of a mile up the lane, you will see the house and five bar gates for Martins Hill on your right.

Additional Info

Saunton/Croyde beach about 11 miles, Barnstable about 2.2 miles, Codden Hill about 1 mile

Services : Mains water and electricity, private drainage and oil central heating.