Buyers looking for a quiet rustic retreat close to the sea might consider Worden House, near Dartmouth, which dates from the 16th-century. Originally a cider press and orchard, it was a proper working farm until the year 2000, when it was sold as a family home.
Now on the market at a guide price of £5m through the South Hams office of Savills, the Grade II-listed former farmhouse, set in 6½ acres of gardens, paddocks and an olive grove of 160 trees shipped in from Andalusia, has been transformed by its owners into ‘a truly magical place — one of the jewels in the South Hams crown’, enthuses selling agent Sarah-Jane Bingham-Chick.
Currently run as a successful high-end holiday let, but equally suited to family living and entertaining, Worden House is located on a quiet lane between Dartmouth and the Blackpool Valley; a nearby bridleway makes a pleasant walk to the beach at Blackpool Sands, a mile or so away.
There is more than a touch of the Mediterranean in the generous, well-proportioned accommodation on three floors, which includes a galleried entrance hall with a high vaulted ceiling, a large kitchen/living room, with access to the heated dining terrace and croquet lawn, and a separate commercial kitchen next to the dining room at the heart of the house.
The first floor houses six luxurious bedroom suites, with two further suites in the guest cottage. The lower ground floor comprises a large living area with a bar, cinema/games room, a Moroccan-style steam room and sauna and an indoor swimming pool.
A range of traditional outbuildings includes a party barn that could double as a home office or children’s den and outdoor amenities include an AstroTurf tennis court and an outdoor pool.
Worden House is on the market at a guide price of £5m through Savills
Dartmouth, Devon: What you need to know
- Location: Worden House is located on a quiet lane between Dartmouth and Blackpool Valley, which leads to the pretty coastal village of Stoke Fleming. The nearby town of Totnes, 12 miles away, offers a mainline rail link to London Paddington in under three hours.
- Atmosphere: Stoke Fleming has a popular pub, village store/post office, bistro/wine bar and primary school. The larger town of Dartmouth offers a wide variety of shops, pubs and restaurants as well as a cinema, leisure centre, primary and senior schools and the beautiful River Dart Estuary.
- Things to do: Outdoor enthusiasts are well-suited to the area, which lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A bridleway is easily accessed from the house which leads to the beach at Blackpool Sands, just over a mile away. View more houses in the area
Credit: Batchellor Monkhouse
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