White Cliff

A magnificent cliff top Arts and Crafts house nestled in a private position with spectacular sea views from one of Devon’s most desirable coastal locations


Description

White Cliff is a stunning and beautifully presented Arts and Crafts house built in 1897 by the architect David Carr. It has undergone an extensive and sympathetic renovation by the current owners, with meticulous attention to detail and considerable Art Deco flair. The house is not listed and sits at the end of a long private drive in mature landscaped gardens extending to around 4 acres with spectacular far reaching sea views to the south and west.

The drive sweeps through the grounds arriving at a large gravelled parking and turning area in front of the house with the backdrop of the sea and the East Devon coastline. The house is constructed of flint elevations with Beer limestone quoins and mullion windows (the same limestone quarried in Beer that has been used in Westminster Abby and Windsor Castle).

The quality and attention to detail in the work is immediately noticeable. An attractive lobby leads into the reception hall, setting the tone for the rest of the house with its high ceilings, grand proportions and elegant windows. The floors have been entirely refurbished or replaced and in the reception hall are the original floors of oak and pine. From the reception hall steps lead down to a home office with a 100 year old mahogany floor taken from a military base. This is an ideal space for home working, with views over the gardens to the sea beyond.

A long and light corridor leads from the reception hall and gives access to the principal reception rooms. The sitting room features a 100 year old teak floor, a stunning bay window with sea views and a wood burner. As with the entire house, the lighting adds to the overall welcoming atmosphere and can be preset to various 'moods.' Double doors lead from the dining room to the drawing room, perhaps the most impressive room of the ground floor. The floor is exquisite, a bespoke design of square Italian porcelain tiles in between oak floor boards. The symmetry of the design catches the eye and draws one into the room, at one end of which are double doors leading to the terrace. The views are magnificent, with sea views on two aspects and the prominent feature of the room is the Carrara Marble fireplace with inset Stovax wood burner.

The open plan kitchen and family room is sublime, measuring 55 feet in length and with plenty of glass giving views over the grounds and out to sea and ensuring an abundance of natural light. The room is framed in oak with a vaulted ceiling. The kitchen is fully fitted with Italian made Euromobil cabinetry and has an extensive central island with an integrated Gaggenau induction hob, sink with Quooker instant hot water tap and fitted drawers.

The family room has a beautifully designed contemporary French Focus wood burner set centrally within the room. The three sets of full height glass sliding doors all lead to the York stone terrace, ideal for summer dining. An oak framed glazed roof covers part of the terrace and wraps around the house linking the kitchen to the principal reception rooms.

A door leads from the kitchen to a larder and butler’s pantry, both generous in size. A further door leads to the boot room with access to the rear courtyard where there is a log store and a storage area for bins as well as a gardener’s loo. Also off the boot room is the laundry, where the boiler is also housed as are the panels for the lighting system. The house is heated from mains gas via radiators, apart from in the kitchen and family room where there is under floor heating. The staircase and first floor landing feature an intricately and beautifully bespoke designed floor with a pattern featuring three different types of wood – Wenge, lightly-smoked oak and maple. The attention to detail is staggering, and it is clear how much love and effort has gone into transforming this remarkable home. There are four bedrooms in total, all with attractive features, stunning floors and all of which have been dramatically improved. The principal bedroom is particularly impressive, continuing the stunning bespoke floor design and elegant proportions. There is a 1940s fireplace, a bay window and a private balcony from where some of the finest sea views of the entire property can be enjoyed.

Off the bedroom is a walk in wardrobe and a larger dressing room through another door beyond which is the beautifully finished en suite bathroom with freestanding bath surrounded with up lighting and an Insignia steam cabin and under floor heating. The main guest bedroom features a restored circa 1893 William Morris fireplace, a sea view and an exceptional en suite shower room with porcelain tiling and Matki shower enlosure. There are two further bedrooms, both finished to the same exacting standards as the rest of the house and both with en suite bathrooms.

Location

White Cliff stands in a commanding, elevated yet private position on the edge of Beer. This popular and unspoilt fishing village is situated on the magnificent East Devon coast, and was once a haven for smugglers. It enjoys a sheltered, south facing position and retains a strong seafaring tradition. Locally caught fresh fish is available to buy from the kiosk above the beach. There are a useful selection of shops and facilities in Beer, with a broader selection in the nearby towns of Seaton and Sidmouth, including Waitrose at Sidmouth.

Beer is on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site and there are a plethora of wonderful beaches on this stunning coastline, including Branscombe, Lyme Regis and Budleigh Salterton. There are numerous opportunities for sailing from the Axe Yacht Club, Seaton and the Beer Sailing Club.

Colyton Grammar School, which is approximately three miles away, has been recommended as one of the top grammar schools in the country. There are other excellent schools in the area, including Exeter School, The Maynard, Blundell’s in Tiverton as well as the Taunton schools of King’s College, Queen’s College and Taunton School.

Communication links are excellent, with the A303 being accessed via the A30 at Honiton for access to London. The A3052 leads towards Exeter and the West. The M5 motorway can be joined at Exeter or Taunton and there are regular mainline rail services from Honiton and Axminster to London Waterloo and from Exeter St Davids and Taunton to London Paddington.

Square Footage: 2,364 sq ft




Acreage: 3.82 Acres

Directions

From Exeter, take the A3052 towards Sidmouth and Lyme Regis, passing through the village of Newton Poppleford to Sidford. On leaving Sidford, proceed for about 7 miles, then take the B3174 to Beer. On entering the village of Beer, stay on the B3174 in the direction of Seaton, on the brow of the hill take the next right after Long Hill down a private drive. White Cliff will be found about 100 yards down this drive on the left hand side and is approached through ornate wrought iron electric gates.


Additional Info

In the kitchen the latest Gaggenau appliances have been fitted including a coffee machine, oven, microwave, steam oven and two warming trays. There is also a large wine fridge and fully fitted American style fridge / freezer and dishwasher.

White Cliff is very private and this has been further enhanced by the re-fencing of the entire boundary in featherboard fencing. Many of the dry stone walls have been built and rebuilt in Purbeck stone, creating wonderful borders and areas of terraced planting with subtle curves in the walls that enhance the ambiance of the gardens and draw the eye to the magnificent sea views. A lit pathway leads to swimming pool area via a wonderful area of planting with curved pathways dividing the beds and a 16th century olive tree forming the centrepiece. The dry stone walling continues, this time in Ham stone and the impressive swimming pool building is a short walk beyond.

The indoor swimming pool and building has been subject to the same attention to detail and quality as the main house. The building is oak framed with three sets of full size trifolding glass doors at one end. The skylights ensure plenty of natural light and the pool itself is a deck level pool with lighting and Italian blue tiling with gold drop-ins, a unique and interesting design. The pool is a depth of 1.2m at the shallow end and 2.4m at the deep end. The length is 10m excluding the curved Roman stairs at one end and the width is 4.5m. There is a custom cover that disappears into the bottom of the pool, creating neat, simple and satisfying finish.

Complementing the pool is a large hot tub seating 7 with over 100 jets and an exquisitely designed and finished shower and changing area with stylish and elegant dark tiling. At one end of the pool is a kitchen with cabinets designed by Charles Mackintosh, also finished to an exceptional standard with quartz worktops, a Neff combi oven, coffee machine, fridge, dishwasher, wine fridge and a tumble drier for towels. The plant room has been over engineered so that there is no strain put on any of the equipment. The Calorex Delta 4 uses the heat from the solar gain in the room and puts it into the pool and the water in the pool is filtered through an ultraviolet light substantially reducing the need to use chemicals in the pool.

The mature gardens and grounds at White Cliff set it apart from many other waterfront properties. The gardens are mainly laid to lawn at the front of the house, where there is also a large York stone terrace looking out through the magnificent Monteray Pine trees that frame the sea view. Behind the house is a newly planted orchard with apple, pear and plum trees which compliments the old apple orchard, next to which is a fully restored greenhouse. There is also a large boathouse/gardener’s workshop, a further workshop, potting shed and a summer house that would make an excellent gym or yoga studio. Below the main lawn area and terrace is an octagonal gazebo occupying an elevated position with superb far reaching views out to see and over the cliffs. A double garage sits neatly out of site, next to the gravel parking and turning area. There is also a full security system with discrete cameras inside and outside the house plus electric gates to enter the property.

Photos taken June 2021

Marketed by: Savills, Exeter