In Devon, the River Avon, also known as the River Aune, rises in the southern half of Dartmoor National Park and passes through South Brent, Avonwick and Aveton Gifford before flowing into the sea at Bigbury-on-Sea; the estuary lies within the South Devon National Landscape and is part of the South Devon Heritage Coast.
Chris Clifford of Savills in Exeter is handling the sale, for the first time ever, of the imposing and wonderfully private Villa Crusoe, which stands in more than four acres of gardens and woodland on the banks of the River Avon, nearly two miles from Bigbury-on-Sea and half a mile from Bantham by boat.
It enjoys direct water access, a boathouse, quay, slipway and moorings, as well as a private beach. The house faces almost due south and enjoys far-reaching views over the tidal reaches of the Avon to the neighbouring Bantham estate.
Mr Clifford quotes a guide price of £3.3m for the handsome 1920s villa, built by the Wade family of Nailsea Court, Somerset, who entertained many interesting guests there over the years. Among them was Daniel Defoe, who met there Alexander Selkirk, a rebellious former naval officer and castaway whose adventures were the inspiration for Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, and, ultimately, for the name of the house, Villa Crusoe.
Although now in need of what Mr Clifford describes as ‘a generational makeover’, in its present configuration Villa Crusoe provides some 3,150sq ft of comfortable and characterful accommodation on three floors, including a reception hall, three south-facing reception rooms and a large kitchen with Aga on the ground floor.
On the first floor, a principal bedroom suite, four guest bedrooms and three bath/shower rooms, and a further bedroom suite on the second floor. Planning consent has been granted for a modern extension that would add a further 2,148sq ft of accommodation, details of which are available on request.
In addition to the accommodation in the main house, there is a series of outbuildings, including garaging, workshops and stores, and, in an elevated woodland setting behind the house, a splendid guest suite complete with woodburner, en-suite bathroom and terrace — sure to meet the requirements of even the most demanding of castaways.
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