Dartmoor’s wilds can been spied from the playfully Gothic windows of late-Georgian Highfield House, a six-bedroom villa in one of the most sought-after parts of Totnes, some 25 miles from Exeter. On the market with Marchand Petit at a guide price of £1.25 million, Highfield is mere minutes away from the town centre but offers secluded luxury behind its high walls and stunning views from its hilltop garden.
An orangery and a sizeable cellar are only some of the charms this beautiful period property has to offer. Described as ‘one of the great houses of Totnes’, Highfield is awash with high ceilings and intricate cornicing.
Built in 1825, the house still holds the level of quality and luxury it doubtless held as one of the first residences to be built in the area.
Improvements in 2012 brought with them the orangery, an ideal spot to paint or photograph from, with a consistently gentle light and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
The kitchen is handsome and well decorated, with a large central counter and plenty of workspace.
The garden has been carefully tended and enjoys sun all year round, sloping away from the house with mature shrubs and flowered borders. One can only hope that a turn in the weather will give these views the clear days they deserve, but it's hard to imagine even rain spoiling the undulating countryside stretching out before the house.
Deceptively petite from the outside, Highfield is situated over four floors, with a large cellar (complete with wine store), three sitting rooms on the ground floor and eight bedrooms (plus a further study) over the top two floors.
The views from the topmost bedrooms, all painted in neutral shades and fitted with wide windows, are simply exquisite.
All of this hides behind solid wooden gates, giving Highfield the privacy many move away from the city to obtain and enjoy.
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
Credit: Alamy
Seven golden rules for selling a country house
With coronavirus now seemingly past its peak in Britain, we're tentatively beginning to look ahead to how life will get
Get your home's lighting just right: Seven questions answered
Few things are more important for the atmosphere of your home as the lighting. Interior designer Emily Todhunter shares her
How to design a truly sociable kitchen: ‘It’s hard to believe that there was a time when a kitchen was simply a room for cooking and washing-up’
Kitchens have long been the hub of family life, but designs don’t always reflect that. Amelia Thorpe spoke to kitchen
-
Robert Redford's Oscar and this week's unique royal funeral: Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 17, 2025One of Hollywood's greats is remembered in Wednesday's quiz.
-
The Gallivant review: The Camber Sands retreat with show-stopping seafood and a penchant for happinessThe coastal hotel in Rye, East Sussex, is utterly unique and almost faultless, but is seamlessly eclipsed by the real showstopper, its Anglo-French restaurant, Harry’s.
-
A perfect country house in 'the most beautiful and unspoilt town in the Cotswolds'Penny Churchill takes a look at the wonderful Kingcombe, on the outskirts of the charming town of Chipping Campden.
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a centuryAnna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
-
A 500-year-old cottage in West Sussex that's as beautiful as you could ever hope to see, with a pool ringed by flowers, stables and a croquet lawnJames Fisher was in need of some balm for the soul when he came across Woodshill House.
-
A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 millionMoving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
-
Six superb homes, from chocolate box cottages to grand Tudor mansions, as seen in Country LifeOur regular round-up includes charming home counties houses and superb grand country house in Ireland.
-
A billionaire's thatched cottage is for sale in Surrey, once owned by the oil magnate J. Paul GettyChestnut Cottage is a joyous little home — albeit one with the most unusual bedrooms to acreage to price balances we've ever seen. Toby Keel takes a look inside.
-
Medieval Italian? 19th century French? 16th century German? You're spoilt for choice if you're looking to buy a gorgeous continental castleFrom hills of Italy to a Bavarian palace, Toby Keel takes a look at three of the finest castles for sale across Europe today.
-
How to buy a house at auctionBuying at auction can mean you secure your dream property for a bargain price, but preparation is the key
