British women's history is intricately bound to Bel Alp House, in the quiet Dartmoor hamlet of Haytor Vale, three miles from Bovey Tracey and nine miles from Newton Abbot.
This eight-bedroom property, is for sale through Knight Frank at an asking price of £3.5 million, once belonged to Dame Violet Wills, one of a group of prominent women who made Haytor Vale their home.
Even before its history, however, the most obvious appeal of the house, which dates from the Edwardian era but is unlisted, rests on its setting: perched high, it enjoys spectacular, uninterrupted views of Dartmoor towards the sea — views that Dame Violet saved for future generations by using her influence to ensure that no electric pylons could be built above ground.
The drawing room, with its enormous bay window and striking fireplace, is perhaps the best place to sit and admire the long southerly views across the countryside. In all, the main house, excluding the basement, offers more than 10,500sq ft of accommodation including three reception rooms, two kitchens plus master- and guest-bedroom suites, four further en-suite bedrooms, two second-floor bedrooms and a self-contained flat.
The interiors are very much the labour of love the present owners, who, returning from Hong Kong with a house on Dartmoor very much in mind, bought Bel Alp House about 15 years ago, when it was in a state of some disarray. During their tenure, they have restored it to how it would have been in its heyday, creating the light-filled family kitchen which now forms its heart, and rediscovering the garden.
The house as it stands today is also a far cry from the bungalow Bel Alp was when Dame Violet bought it in the 1920s. Originally known as Hellens House, it was one of the earliest buildings on what was to become known as Millionaires’ Row, built in 1904 as a holiday home for John Lancaster Shaw, managing director of Bentley & Shaw, brewers of Huddersfield, and commodore of the Royal Torquay Yacht Club.
Hellens House had been designed with provision for rooms to be added upstairs, which Dame Violet did upon purchase. She was one of 'a small group of eminent women' that used the Haytor Vale houses as their holiday homes during the earlier years of the 20th century, according to local historians Frances and Malcolm Billinge. Others included Dame Violet's sister, Ella, Emily Pankhurst’s daughter, Christabel, and Mrs Catherine Booth-Clibborn, daughter of Salvation Army founder, William Booth.
From the early 1920s until 1959, their Haytor Vale enclave was an exclusive meeting place of like-minded women of independent means, driven by their shared Christian ideals and belief in philanthropy.
Dame Violet continued to hold court at Bel Alp until shortly before her death, when an advertisement in COUNTRY LIFE (June 11, 1959) marketed the house for sale with 50 acres.
Today, Bel Alp comes with 25 acres of formal gardens, paddocks, woodland, tennis court and a terrace for outdoor dining — plus an illustrious past and those dramatic views.
Bel Alp is for sale at £3.5 million via Knight Frank — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Bovey Tracey: What you need to know
- Location: Bovey Tracey is just under half an hour's drive from Exeter
- Atmosphere: A picturesque market town with a long history — it was a Saxon settlement, became a Norman stronghold and was the backdrop to a surprise attack by Cromwell's Roundhead army over the Royalists — Bovey Tracey has more than 100 listed buildings, plus a regular farmer's market and a wide choice of shops.
- Things to do: Dartmoor is walking, cycling and riding paradise. Bovey Tracey also has plenty of sporting clubs from cricket to tennis and petanque. The National TRust-managed Parke estate is also well worth visiting.
- Schools: St Catherine's Church of England Primary School in Heathfield is rated good by Ofsted. The wider area also has many well-regarded schools, including Exeter School, The Maynard, Stover in Newton Abbot and Mount Kelly in Tavistock.
Find more properties in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
The transformative renovation of a Grade II-listed property with an 'unusual footprint'Having inherited this fine London townhouse, the new owner asked Sims Hilditch to help refresh the interiors, resulting in a youthful, yet elegant kitchen.
-
‘One of the most effective pieces of propaganda ever made’: the Bayeux Tapestry heads to Britain for the first time in almost a millenniumA historic agreement between this country and France sees the 225ft-long tableau — which may have been made in Britain but has been in France since 1077 — arrive at the British Museum in Autumn 2026.
-
The Good Life 2025? A development promising 'Britain's greenest homes' blends zero carbon, organic allotments and a touch of luxury in the Kent countrysideHartdene Barns, sitting on a disused dairy farm in Kent, is a vision of what sustainable living one day mean for all of us.
-
Breathtaking views and gardens that run down to the water's edge at this delightful home in CornwallThe Garden House in Polruan sums up the appeal of waterside living. Penny Churchill steps inside.
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its historyIn the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
-
'The city has always held an important creative space within our design studio': A luxury townhouse in Tokyo, courtesy of Aston MartinA new four-storey property in the Omotesandō district is the first single home private residence by the British ultra-luxury performance brand.
-
The Mediterranean Magic of MaltaWith historic charm, picture-perfect beaches and a welcoming approach to newcomers, Malta represents an appealing option for Mediterranean property hunters. Holly Kirkwood reports.
-
Four country houses with their own tennis courts, as seen in Country LifeIf Wimbledon has put you in the mood for more tennis, Annunciata Elwes is here with a selection of homes with their own tennis courts.
-
The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
