5 bedroom house

Positioned in partially wooded grounds at the top of a steep sided valley that drops down to the River Dart below, Wishing Well House has commanding, southerly views across the valley down to where it meets the River Exe. On a clear day you can see as far as the sea at Torbay, 28 miles away. The house is blessed with a wonderfully tranquil setting, set back off a quiet country lane behind mature trees and with only one near neighbour. The house, which was converted in the 1980s, is unlisted and was originally part of the neighbouring farm. It is built of local red sandstone covered with painted render under a Roman clay tile roof and has quoins of local, dark red brick. It has an east-west axis with the sitting room and kitchen/breakfast room on the ground floor and the principal bedroom upstairs, all of which enjoy stunning views of the countryside and beyond. It has been about 40 years since the conversion was undertaken and the property would now possibly benefit from some cosmetic updating. However, it is full of attractive rural detailing that includes oak flooring throughout most of the ground floor, oak tongue and groove doors, beams, exposed roof timbers and vaulted ceilings. If desired the property could easily be split into two separate dwellings, with the smaller, self-contained annexe having its own front door, parking area and courtyard garden. Work has already begun on creating an annexe and a second charming, fully fitted kitchen/breakfast has already been installed as part of the project. Currently the house has three good-sized reception rooms as well as a walk-through, occasional bedroom leading to a small study, with both the drawing and sitting rooms fitted with wood-burning stoves, one fully working and the other in need of replacing. The main kitchen/breakfast room has timber units, 2-oven Rayburn and a walk-in larder. Upstairs the part-galleried landing is well-lit by natural light and leads to the south-facing, principal bedroom suite, four further double bedrooms and the family bathroom.

Garden & Grounds

Wishing Well House is approached via a meandering, pea gravel drive that ends at an L-shaped parking area beside the house. Beside it are an integral storeroom and a separate log store. Behind the house is a courtyard garden with a veranda and two former pig sties. Most of the garden and grounds extend out to the east and south and amount to about 1.6 acres. Immediately adjacent to the house is a deck with lovely views over the garden, grounds and surrounding countryside and with direct access to the kitchen and sitting room. The garden and grounds have recently been re-landscaped and rescued after a period of neglect. Although work remains to be done, they display great promise and incorporate some delightful features. These include three ornamental ponds, an area of paved terracing overlooked by a pergola with attendant newly installed pizza oven, post and rail fencing, paved brick paths, a partially level paddock and numerous mature trees including a variety of fruit trees, Monterey cypress, horse chestnut, acer, white willow, silver birch, sycamore and holly. On one side is a lower, sheltered area of the garden that would be ideal for a garage and/or vegetable garden.

Wishing Well House is situated off a peaceful country lane in a hilltop setting between the village of Bickleigh and the thriving market town of Tiverton. Bickleigh is a small village on the River Exe with a pretty medieval church, pub, primary school (Ofsted rated 2 (Good)) and Yearlstone, one of the biggest vineyards in the South West, which has a winery, wine bar and café and hosts the annual Devon Wine Week celebrating of local food culture. Tiverton is the commercial and administrative centre of the Mid Devon district and has an excellent variety of shops and local business, including medical, dental and veterinarian surgeries. Local transport links are good too with the A361, A396 and J27 M5 are all within easy reach and

Marketed by: Knight Frank, Exeter