8 bedroom house

A beautiful Queen Anne style Grade II listed country house set within 5.5 acres with a range of outbuildings and River Dart frontage (single bank fishing rights by separate negotiation)


Description

The sale of Colston House offers a wonderful opportunity for the next owner to update and refresh this impressive Grade II listed country house. Having been in the same ownership for over 60 years, this well loved family home has retained much of its original character and period features and is currently arranged as a main house with an adjoining wing. The original Queen Anne house provides 5 bedrooms and the adjoining self-contained wing, which was built about 50 years ago, provides an additional 3 bedrooms. It is interesting to note that there are a number of literary connections to Colston House including Roger Deakin who describes swimming with the owners of Closton House in the River Dart in his acclaimed travel journal, Waterlog, Alice Oswald makes reference in her TS Elliot prize winning collection of poems, Dart and the insert for Colston House in the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) states Richmal Crompton, author of Just William 'lived here at one point'.

COLSTON HOUSE
This impressive circa 1830’s country house enjoys a number of climbing roses and a vine on the front and is approached over its own sweeping graveled drive. The house contains two well proportioned reception rooms either side of the bright and inviting entrance hall. Both reception rooms benefit from large sash windows with working shutters and overlook the formal front gardens and field beyond. To the rear of the house is the kitchen, home to an an impressive granite-paved floor, a 4-oven oil-fired Aga and a range of kitchen units. There is a blocked doorway from the kitchen which leads through into the annex kitchen. The rear lobby / boot room leads through to the ground floor cloakroom /shower room and utility room / pantry with gauzed window. The fine turning staircase rises to the first floor and a spacious landing providing access to five bedrooms and an en suite bathroom. Three of the bedrooms are large double rooms, all fitted with fireplaces and offering some lovely far reaching views.

COLSTON ANNEX
The annex wing has been occupied by the family as a separate unit of accommodation with its own independent access as well as internal access from the main house. The ground floor comprises a kitchen / breakfast room and a lovely sitting room with tall sash windows to the front and a raised hearth with an inset working fire and recessed alcove shelving to replicate the Queen Anne style windows. The first floor offers 3 bedrooms and a family bathroom. A charming courtyard al fresco dining terrace with running stream is approached through double doors from the kitchen and there is an artists studio and independent access through double gates to the lane.

GARDENS, GROUNDS and LAND
To the front of Colston House the sweeping landscaped lawns extend to the ha-ha, which borders the level pasture beyond. The gardens are blessed with an abundance of flowering shrubs and some beautiful mature fir and English Yew trees. The views are idyllic and extend down to the River Dart where the owners of Colston House have, over the years, regularly swum off the river bank. The hard surface tennis court which is need of some repair, is situated to the side of the formal lawn, with a further area of garden with a greenhouse, composting beds and vegetable beds. There is a large hard standing parking area adjacent to the tennis court and a large open bay timber store and a further large timber barn used for garaging.

AGRICULTURAL LAND
To the front of the house the paddock beyond the ha-ha is some 3.8 acres and extends to the River Dart where livestock can take water. Further land, extending to about 7.33 acres is available as a separate lot.

OUTBUILDINGS
There are a number of detached stone barns with potential for conversion (subject to necessary permissions). The Barn situated beyond the tennis court, is a stone built former artist's studio with a large picture window looking east over the field towards the river. The ground floor of the Barn is an open animal shelter approached from the field. Located across the quiet country lane are 2 further detached stone outbuildings. There is an artist’s studio which is arranged over two floors which has a wood burning stove and a working fireplace. The small cobbled yard is flanked by the Stable Barn and log store. The Stable Barn is arranged over two floors with stables still in situ on the ground floor and a storage area on the first floor. The log store houses a back up generator and provides ample storage. From the small cobbled courtyard, steps rise to the rear field and orchard.

Square Footage: 4,111 sq ft




Acreage: 5.5 Acres

Directions

From Exeter, leave the A38 signposted for Totnes, Salcombe & Dartmouth and turn left at the top of the slip way. Follow the A384 for half a mile along the River Dart and then turn right, crossing the river over a pretty stone bridge into Totnes Road. Continue along Totnes Road for a short distance and then take a left into Colston Road. Colston House will be found on the left after about 1.5 miles.


Additional Info

FISHING RIGHTS (LOT 2) The single bank fishing rights on the River Dart extend from the tail of the pool known as Abbotsmead to the tail of Quarry Pool on the right bank, being about 0.6 miles. The fishing rights are currently let to the Dart Angling Association. Catch records aren't available, but the angling association have records on the opposite bank, dating back to 2005 where 11 salmon and 70 sea trout were caught in that year.

SERVICES Private water and drainage, mains electricity and oil-fired central heating.

Totnes 4.4 miles, Exeter 24 miles, Plymouth 23 miles

Marketed by: Savills, Exeter