Cowlas House

SITUATION Cowlas House is situated just off the A377 at Kingford in the parish of Burrington, a small village set in the heart of rural Devon offering local facilities including a village shop and a church whilst the nearby town of Chulmleigh offers a wider range of facilities and amenities including a good range of local shops including a central convenience store, bakery, dairy, newsagent, hairdressers etc, along with both a primary school and secondary school/community college, health centre, dental surgery, Post Office, churches, library, two public houses, a community run Sports Centre and a short 18 hole golf course. The market town of South Molton to the north and Crediton to the south both offer a more comprehensive range of facilities and the local railway platforms/ stations of Portsmouth Arms, Chapleton, Umberleigh and Eggesford are all within a 10 mile radius, providing a rail link between Exeter and Barnstaple. Road link is via the A377 or the North Devon Link Road, which can be easily accessed at South Molton. Barnstaple, North Devon's regional centre, and the Cathedral and University City of Exeter both offer the wide range of shopping, amenities and facilities one would expect from the county's principal town and city. Tiverton, the M5 motorway at Junction 27 and Tiverton Parkway station, providing a fast Intercity rail link to London Paddington, are both approximately forty-five minute's drive. There is also an international airport at Exeter.

There are excellent recreational and sporting facilities in the area with a range of Leisure Centres at Tiverton, Crediton and Barnstaple, near-by tennis courts and clubs, local rugby, football and cricket clubs, fishing in the rivers Taw and Torridge, further near-by golf courses at Libbaton, High Bullen and Down St Mary, excellent walking and riding in all directions, racecourses at Haldon Exeter and Newton Abbot, and sailing and water sports on North Devons scenic and rugged coastline, being approximately three-quarters of an hour's drive.
 

DESCRIPTION Cowlas House comprises a substantial Georgian country house situated in an outstanding semi-rural position in the heart of the Taw Valley allowing lovely, wooded river valley views, but still convenient for the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple main road. The property has been in the same ownership for the last 39 years and is of traditional stone construction under a concrete double Roman tile roof with wooden framed multi pane sash windows throughout. Internally the exceptionally spacious and well laid out accommodation briefly comprises on the ground floor an Entrance Hall, a Sitting Room, Dining Room, Drawing Room, a Kitchen with walk in larder and Utility Room, a ground floor Bedroom with an adjacent Bathroom, a further Cloakroom, and a useful Rear Hall/Boot Room. On the First Floor there are six good sized Bedrooms, a family Bathroom, Shower Room and a separate toilet. Cowlas House benefits from all the character and charm one would expect from a property of this style and period, including traditional exposed stone fireplaces housing wood burners, original panel doors and some ornate panelling in the Drawing Room which is thought to have come from Eggesford House. Modern additions include an electric Aga in the Kitchen, oil fired central heating and a solar panelled hot water system. Outside and to the front of the house there is off road parking for two cars, giving access to a front garden whilst the remainder of the garden lies to the side of the house and are landscaped into wide terraces, creating a really super addition. At the rear of the house there is a small orchard where the sewerage treatment plant and the private water supply are located. In all, the gardens and ground extend to approximately 1 acre and allow superb, wooded valley view's up and down the Taw Valley. 

ENTRANCE From the front garden, fully glazed French Doors open into the  

ENTRANCE PORCH with original painted Front Door opening into the 

ENTRANCE HALL with doors to the Sitting Room, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Cloakroom and Rear Hall, and sweeping staircase leading to the First Floor Landing. The Hall also benefits from an original slate flagstone floor, two radiators, an understairs storage cupboard and dado rail. 

SITTING ROOM A lovely dual aspect room with windows to the front and side, original slate flagstone floor, recessed fireplace housing a 'clearview' cast iron multi-fuel stove with tiled hearth. On one side an original panel door opens into a deep storage cupboard fitted with shelving, two radiators and further door to the Kitchen. 

DRAWING ROOM A spacious dual aspect room with windows to the front and side, attractive oak panelling on the walls believed to have come from Eggesford House, and traditional Victorian tiled fireplace to one side housing a 'jetmaster' fire with shelving on either side, radiator and oak board floor. 

CLOAKROOM From the Hall, wooden steps lead down to a Cloakroom which is set below the staircase with partially tiled walls and matching white suite comprising a high level WC, and a corner wall mounted wash hand basin with tiled surround, and window to the side. 

DINING ROOM A beautifully proportioned room with stone mullion window to the side, believed to also be from Eggesford House, and bay window to the rear overlooking the garden and allowing lovely river valley views. On one side is a traditional marble fireplace housing a 'jetmaster' fire with slate hearth and wooden surround and mantle, two radiators, further window to the rear, parquet flooring, door out to the Inner Hall. 

INNER HALL also with original slate flagstone floor, doors to the Kitchen, coat hanging space, window at the end allowing lovely rural valley views, built-in storage cupboard and radiator. 

KITCHEN A lovely farmhouse style Kitchen with exposed stone fireplace along one wall housing an electric Aga with inset heavy beam over and extractor fan. On one side is a range of floor units including and incorporating a ceramic sink unit set below a window overlooking the lane with traditional wooden shutters, space and plumbing for a dishwasher, space and point for an under counter fridge and a ceramic hob which the vendor uses as a back up (one of the four rings is not functional) original slate flagstone floor and further window to the side also with shutters. In one corner a door leads into the  

UTILITY ROOM with traditional 'Belfast sink', slate work surface with tiled splash backs and built-in cupboard below, window to one side, space and point for fridge/freezer, central heating and hot water control panel, and free-standing storage shelving. On one side, a door and step leads down to the  

REAR HALL/BOOT ROOM with coat hanging space and boot store, doors to the Shower Room and Bedroom 7/Study, Back Door leading out to the lane.
 

SHOWER ROOM with matching white suite comprising a fully tiled shower cubicle housing 'Mira' event electric shower; a pedestal wash basin, and a low level WC. The Shower Room also benefits from two built-in cupboards and a radiator. 

STUDY A dual aspect Room which could be used as a Study with windows to the front and side, radiator, and built-in storage cupboard. 

FIRST FLOOR LANDING Returning to the Entrance Hall, the original sweeping staircase with wooden handrail and balustrade lead to the First Floor Landing with large sash window to the side allowing lovely rural valley views and doors off to all principal rooms. The Landing also benefits from a hatch to the roof space and radiator. 

MASTER BEDROOM A lovely dual aspect double bedroom with windows to the front and side allowing lovely rural views, vanity unit in one corner, two radiators and interconnecting door to Bedroom 6. 

BEDROOM 2 Another double bedroom with two windows to the side allowing lovely rural views, two radiators and vanity unit in one corner. 

BEDROOM 3 A double bedroom with stone mullion window at one end allowing lovely, wooded valley views, strip-pine board floor, built-in vanity unit and radiator. 

FAMILY BATHROOM A good sized family bathroom fitted with a matching white suite comprising a panel bath with fully tiled splash backs, chrome mixer shower with glazed shower screen to one side; built-in vanity unit with tiled splash backs, light over and cupboard below; and low level WC. On side is the Airing Cupboard housing the lagged hot water cylinder (which can be heated with either the electric immersion, solar panels or the oil-fired boiler) and range of slatted shelving. The Bathroom is finished with a window to one side, radiator, and chrome ladder towel rail. 

WC Fitted with a low level WC set below a window to the rear. 

SHOWER ROOM with partially tiled walls and matching white suite comprising a corner shower cubicle housing a 'Mira Vigour' electric shower with glazed shower screen to one side, pedestal wash hand basin and 'Dimplex' electric wall mounted heater. 

BEDROOM 4 Another double bedroom with strip pine board floor, window to the rear allowing lovely rural views, built-in vanity unit and radiator. 

BEDROOM 5 Another double bedroom with strip pine board floor, window to the front allowing lovely rural views, picture rail and radiator. 

BEDROOM 6 the smallest of the bedrooms with strip pine board floor, window to the side, range of shelving and radiator. 

OUTSIDE From the country lane, access can be gained to a parking area with enough space for two cars, and an arched wooden pedestrian gate opening onto steps leading down into the front garden which is gravelled and gives access to the Front Door into the Entrance Hall. From the Front Gardens further steps lead down to a path which leads alongside the property and gives rise to a gravel seating area at one end. Beyond the house the gardens and grounds extend down towards the bottom of the valley and are mainly laid to lawn with a woodland garden at the bottom planted with a range of deciduous and evergreen trees, creating a fabulous haven for wildlife and a great place for children to adventure. Further seating areas have been created at the side of the Front Garden with an attractive pergola and creeping vine over, whilst at the rear of the house there is a raised concrete Patio area accessed from the Inner Hall. The Gardens and Grounds extend to approximately one acre in all and really are a super addition to Cowlas House. 

SERVICES Mains electricity, private bore hole water and septic tank drainage. Oil Fired Boiler providing domestic hot water and servicing radiators. Solar panel hot water and electric Aga for cooking and room heating. Telephone connected subject to BT regulations. 

VIEWINGS Strictly by appointment through the agent. Out of Hours Please Call

Marketed by: The Keenor Estate Agent, Chulmleigh