A converted barn built into a Devon hillside that's full of surprises from the moment you come through the door

Look closely and you’ll notice that this charming converted barn in Devon has some intriguing twists.

Built into the hillside, Old Aish Barn is a bank barn, designed so that its lower and upper ground floors can be accessed from their relative ground levels.

It also has a single-storey roundhouse on one side — and an external stone staircase with a little terrace on the other. 

The five-bedroom property near Petrockstow is on the market via Knight Frank for £1,350,000.

Old Aish Barn oozes rustic charm. The bank barn and the roundhouse have thatched roofs and distinctive ‘eyebrow’ dormer windows. Both are built of local stone, with the walls of the barn rendered for a smooth finish. 

The property has been carefully converted to preserve its heritage. Highlights inside include timber floors, exposed roof timbers and beams, as well as inglenook fireplaces fitted with wood burning stoves.

It’s not short on modern comforts either, such as contemporary units and built-in electrical appliances in the kitchen.

The house also boasts some pretty bold interiors. Walls coloured lime green and bright blue may not be to everyone’s taste but they can be easily transformed with a lick of paint.

As you may have gathered, Old Aish Barn is far from conventional. So you probably won’t be surprised to learn that this extends to the room layout too.

There’s two double bedrooms that share a shower room on the lower ground floor. And there’s a further three double bedrooms, including one with an ensuite, and a family bathroom, on the first floor.

And the roundhouse? Well that’s where you’ll find the sitting room.

Outside, the house is ‘fringed’ by a wrap-around terrace that is something of a sun trap throughout the day, according to the selling agent. 

Nestled in 15 acres of land, Old Aish Barn comes with a triple (yes, triple) garage and various farm buildings, including one with consent already granted to transform it into a two-bedroom annexe. Indeed, Knight Frank says conversion has already begun. 

There’s also a sweeping lawn featuring a pond, established trees and raised beds as well as pastureland.

It is located in the rural hamlet of Aish Barton but you’re less than a mile from the village of Petrockstow, where there’s a farm shop, village hall and parish church.

The larger village of Hatherleigh, the town of Okehampton, and Exeter are slightly further afield.

Old Aish Barn is currently on the market via Knight Frank for £1,350,000 — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Credit: Knight Frank

The best country houses for sale this week

Catch up on the best houses that have come up for sale via Country Life in the last few weeks.