4 bedroom equestrian property for sale

A unique rustic 4 bedroom attached Grade II listed barn conversion, situated in a sheltered location within the Black Down Hills, together with outbuildings, substantial stables and a menage. In just under 4.5 acres.

This beautiful home is believed to date back to the 1800s, converted from a barn into a home in the 1990s. Many character features have been retained, such as original oak ship timbers in the ceilings and stone lime walls, both of which create a rustic impression.

The accommodation comprises a bright entrance hall with fitted boot cupboards, leading directly into a utility room or through into the second reception hall of the home. The home, designed across three floors, includes a ground floor shower room and spacious dining room / kitchen with a decorative iron fireplace. The kitchen and dining room are presented as a lengthy split room, with a large range of fitted units and eye catching dark oak beams spanning the length of the room and drawing eyes towards a characteristic deep set barn window.

The next floor up reveals a lengthy living room with an impressive stone-built inglenook fireplace with a modern log burner and further use of oak beams. This room also currently includes an office and music area, whilst maintaining a sense of space. A sizeable double bedroom sits opposite the living room and between sits a small library / office space. Moving up to the third floor, the large master bedroom with ensuite sit on top of the stairs with an impressive view of open countryside as a central feature, following the corridor you find a large single bedroom, a third bathroom and then another impressive double bedroom.

Barley Meade is situated within the Blackdown Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty some 10 miles to the South of Taunton in a sheltered location about 2 miles from the village of Hemyock where there is also a post office, GP practice, primary school and village pub. The community pub and church, sit within walking distance, just 1 mile away. The local parish hall, only 100m walk, hosts regular community breakfasts, movie nights, live bands and a calendar of regional events. The larger center of Wellington is only 5 miles away, which includes larger shopping options and also the renowned Wellington School.

The area supports equestrians; the Heazle Arena Riding Centre is a short 1.5 mile hack away and, regional Pontispool Equestrian Centre is only a 9 miles away and the regional Western Counties Equine Hospital is only 4.5 miles away. Children are in the catchment for Hemyock Primary School and the highly respected Uffculme School, school bus services collect from the nearby Parish Hall. Unusually for a rural area, Barley Meade is connected to fibreglass internet, providing impressive speeds above 200Mb/s, for reliable home working.

The Blackdown Hills are renowned for their beautiful wooded, rolling countryside and network of bridle ways and footpaths. The county town of Taunton enjoys an extensive range of shopping, recreational and scholastic facilities together with three noted Public schools, Somerset County Cricket Club, Taunton Racecourse and The Brewhouse Theatre. Communication links include a mainline rail link to London Paddington, access to the M5 motorway at Junction 26 and international airports can be found at Bristol and Exeter, both within about an hours drive. The property is approached off the public highway via an attractive gravelled courtyard, surrounded by two connected barns and the historic mill, Barley Meade at the centre. A three garages block meets you at the entrance, built from stone.

Opposite the house sits the small private garden, where the family regularly host. The river here has been dug out to 5-6 feet in depth, where the family regularly swim and play during the summer. They have hosted yearly large social events, with families camping in the attached paddock.

To the front is a shared courtyard with ample parking, a double floor garage, a small private garden against the river culm and a wooden foot bridge into the attached paddocks.

LAND
This comprises 6 fenced paddocks that are used to rotate horses, through the seasons. Amongst the paddocks sits a well-designed horse yard (with water and electricity connected), ample parking for vehicles and trailers, a tack room, a snug/sheltered viewing room and a substantial stabling block able to support all size horses, including a foaling stable. An impressive 20x40m menage sits opposite the stables, resurfaced in 2023. In all, there is just under 4.5 acres.