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
Eight beautiful country houses for sale in West Sussex, from £725,000 to £3.95 million
Whether you're after a charming cottage or an estate to call your own, our list of the best country houses
Credit: Jackson-Stops
Eight beautiful homes for sale around Britain, as seen in Country Life
From a breathtaking Surrey mansion to a small Ayrshire estate, we look at some of the homes to appear in
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country LifeAn Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
The legacy od Dad's ArmyKate Green takes a look at Dad’s Army, the iconic BBC sitcom written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
