9 bedroom house

Commissioned and built in 1913 by the Moore family in the style of Edwin Lutyens, the world-renowned architect who was noted for his country house designs in the Arts & Crafts style and with whom the family had strong business connections, Cotleigh House is a fine, unlisted country house set high up on the eastern side of the valley of the River Taw. The house is positioned in a very private setting off a peaceful country lane, set centrally within its landscaped grounds and facing south with lovely views across the valley and onwards to the high tors on Dartmoor. Bought in 1986 by its current owners and sympathetically maintained and improved since then, the house is designed so that all of the reception rooms and the three principal bedrooms above them can benefit from the lovely views across the grounds. All these rooms have broad bay windows giving the interior a feeling of light and space and many of the original architectural features are still in place including fireplaces and parquet floors in the wide inner hall and the panelled sitting room. The authentic period feel is also maintained in the bathrooms and cloakroom, which have retained their original sanitary ware. Also on the ground floor are the kitchen/breakfast room, with adjacent pantry and former scullery, now a secondary kitchen, the laundry room and conservatory. The principal kitchen has a timber floor and looks out across the grounds behind the house. It is fitted with a range of bespoke painted timber fitted furniture including a tall dresser and a window seat and has a 4-oven AGA inset in the original fireplace. On the first floor accessed via the striking and original oak staircase are four double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a further attic room at the top of the secondary stairs. Also off the first floor landing are the family bathroom, shower room and a separate WC.

Set well back from the main house behind a screen of trees and with its own garden, Thatched Warren is a Grade II listed thatched cottage dating back to the 16th century. The house was re-thatched in 2011 and has great character with exposed beams and timber or flagged stone floors. It is maintained to a high standard with three inter-connected reception rooms, conservatory and fully fitted kitchen/breakfast room with AGA on the ground floor and four bedrooms and four bathrooms (three en-suite) on the first floor. It has served as a successful holiday property for many years but would serve as an annexe/guest accommodation equally well.

The house is approached down a curving drive to a parking area beside the house. To one side is a former coach house and behind Thatched Warren are a triple garage and hard tennis court. The house is surrounded by gardens created by the current owners enhancing the original landscaping. In front of the house are lawns on two levels with a fenced paddock beyond a ha-ha. On one side is an area of bluebell woodland and on the other a productive kitchen garden. Behind the house are further lawns, bog garden and a rose and herb garden with a pond and set within a terrace overseen by a studio. In all about 7.63 acres (3.09 hectares).

Cotleigh House is situated on the edge of the tiny and tranquil hamlet of Elstone, which is set amidst the unspoilt countryside of the Taw Valley but conveniently close to the small hilltop market town of Chulmleigh (1.9 miles). The town is a thriving community with a selection of shops and local businesses to meet normal everyday need including a church, shops including a butcher, bakery and delicatessen, pubs, medical centre, dental surgery and both primary and secondary schools. The town also has a cricket club and golf course (see wider requirements, the A377 gives quick and easy access to South Molton (9.7 miles), Barnstaple (16.5 miles) and Exeter (25.4 miles). There are good nearby transport links with Kings Nympton train station (1 mile) on the Tarka Line linking to Bristol and Exeter, with a

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