Higher Ashton, Exeter

Introduction

A private, beautiful and unique family estate occupying an unsurpassed elevated position just outside of Dartmoor National Park with sweeping views over the surrounding countryside & the Teign Valley.
Consisting of a six bedroom thatched farmhouse that has been extensively improved with swimming pool and sauna, separate two bedroom cottage with games barn, office and garaging all within 130.67acres (52.88ha) of meadow pasture, grassland and woodland with a separate farmyard with modern agricultural buildings and stabling.
• Grade II listed character Six Bedroom, four reception, thatched main house.
• Grade II listed Two Bedroom thatched cottage.
• Spacious Grade II listed Games Barn with Galleried Office.
• Pool House with heated swimming pool, sauna, and shower.
• Attractive level gardens and lawns, mature orchards, vegetable garden and ponds.
• Extensive Outbuildings, Farm Buildings & separate Farmyard
• In all extending to around 130.67 acres (52.88ha).

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Bovey Tracey 7.6 miles, Exeter 9.2 miles. Exeter St Davids mainline train station 8.9 miles (2 1/4 hours by train from Exeter to Paddington) & Exeter International Airport 15.3 miles away by car.

Situation

George Teign Barton occupies a very private elevated position just outside the small hamlet of Higher Ashton in a wonderful rural area just outside of Dartmoor National Park. Good transport links are available with the B3193 Teign Valley Road just a couple of miles away, and a choice of roads linking up to Exeter or Haldon Forest and the A38/M5. The nearby Cathedral City of Exeter offers all the facilities you would expect of a regional capital with a good selection of schools and shopping and rail connections to London, whilst the airport offers connections further afield. The M5, only 7 miles away by road, provides further links to the rest of the country.

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The estate offers excellent far reaching views towards the moor and nearby villages of Trusham and Hennock and is ring fenced within its own land thus ensuring its own privacy and seclusion. Other nearby villages include the
popular village of Christow, with its primary school and health centre, and Dunsford with its Post Office. There are also a selection of good local inns nearby. The Teign Valley Golf Club is only a couple of miles distant and the nearby Dartmoor National Park itself offers hundreds of square miles for other outdoor pursuits. The area surrounding the estate is a haven for wildlife with Deer, Pheasants and an abundance of other birds and animals.

History

George Teign Barton is the site of an ancient Manor mentioned in the Domesday Book, having been given to a Norman Lord called Roger De Meulle and tenanted by the local Sheriff Baldwynne. Before the Norman Conquest it was allegedly owned by Uhtred, who retreated to the North of England after the conquest.
The earliest part of the of the current house, the Dining Room, is thought to date from the 15th century with extensions added in the 17th and 18th century with the recent addition of a stone porch and pool house in the 1990s. The current owners have a long association with the estate and purchased it in 1993, starting a four year renovation program with an emphasis on traditional methods and retaining as many original features as possible. The thatched roofs have also had recent maintenance works done between 2021 and 2023.

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In their own words:
“We have always seen ourselves as Guardians of this beautiful place. It is a true sanctuary with its wonderful old, cosy energy and its own special kind of magic in the walls.”

Main House

The Main House offers great views from most rooms and is entered via the main Oak front door in the new porch but there are numerous other exit and ingress points throughout the ground floor. The main entrance lobby leads through to the Music Room with some exposed woodwork and the bright Sitting Room with lovely views over the garden and offering a woodburner with Italian marble surround, to the rear lobby with impressive granite stonework and access to the walled garden adjacent to the house. From here a short passage leads through back to the Lobby and the main Entrance Hall with a stone fireplace housing a woodburner and with steps up to the Dining Room.

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The wealth of character features including the exposed beams and large stone fireplace confirm this as the oldest part of the dwelling but it still has good height ceilings and offers views over the garden. The good sized Kitchen offers a generous amount of storage around the Italian granite work surface with a 2 hob Aga and a separate Miele oven and microwave, and space for further appliances. Character features and exposed timber are still evident here and through to the Utility Room. The Living Room overlooks the walled garden and offers exposed beams and French doors out. From here a passage leads through to a Shower Room and Office and into the Library which was converted by the current owners from the Cider Barn. Overlooking the gardens it offers a comfortable retreat with a large woodburner, vaulted ceiling and gallery.

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The first floor can be accessed by three internal staircases and leads to the Master Suite comprising a spacious bedroom with far reaching views, dressing room and en-suite bathroom. There are five further bedrooms all with good views, a Bathroom and further Shower Room.

The Cottage

The Cottage is part of the same barn conversion and offers a reverse level two bedroom cottage with a shower room, Kitchen, and spacious Living Room with some views.

Garages

Thatched Garages are located between the Cottage and Games Barn. All have electric roller doors and light and power connected with one housing the oil fired boiler for the cottage.

Games Barn & Office

Games Barn & Office is a two storey thatched and Grade II listed stone barn conversion with a tiled Games Room with large exposed beams and stairs leading to a galleried Office with further beams and panelled ceiling.

Store and boiler room

Store and Boiler Room are found to the front of the main house leading through the terrace.

Terrace

60ft x 18ft terrace with excellent views adjacent to the Pool House.

Pool House

The Pool House offers a 40ft heated swimming pool with attractive beams and timbers over, an electric retracting cover, pump room, Sauna, and Changing Room with Shower & WC.

Outside

The council lane leads up past farms to the very end and the electronic gate providing access into the estate. A tree-lined driveway leads up past attractive banked areas of flowers and shrubs to the Farmyard entrance and further up to the main house and the Converted Barns.
There are well maintained areas of garden near to the house with a Marquee lawn, Orchard and Cherry tree lined path leading up to a pond overlooking the land and gardens and forming a peaceful seating area to enjoy the surrounds. Further elevated areas of garden and orchard extend to the rear of the main house where the Pump House is also located.

Farm Yard & Buildings

The lower farmyard consists of a fully concrete yard, electricity and lighting with water is supplied to each and every building. Access can be off the driveway or from the farmhouse driveway. The farmyard buildings are of a traditional style with a central yard, constructed of mostly steel portal frames with timber Yorkshire boarding and corrugated roofing.

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The main Hay Barn once used as a indoor school measures 45' x 80' and has access via the sheeted steel doors at one end. The Calf House is a timber framed building that measures 30' x 45' being open fronted the building has four block built calf pens and central passage. The Bull Shed measures 40' x 40' and being a timber framed building that has three pens with feed barriers to provide separate housing for cattle. The Stable Block has been utilised for storage, being block built with internal concrete floors and individual lighting and water the 5 stable building each measuring around 15' 15' could be once again utilised for the stabling of horses. The Cattle Shed is to the rear of the yard and measures 60' x 30' with an outside overhang feed area and concrete yard, this building provides winter housing and the ability to corral and sort cattle and sheep within the holding.

Land

George Teign Barton is completely surrounded by its own land that is accessible from the farmyard and via the central hardened track, giving complete access by vehicle, quad or tractor along the boundaries and central pastures.

The land extends to around 130.65 acres (52.88ha) and consists of 119.37 acres (48.31ha) of pasture and grassland and a further 7.18 acres of woodland plus the farmhouse, buildings, gardens and yard areas.

The land benefits from a piped well fed water supply that allows a piped trough system throughout the fields. The water is pumped to the water tower located in field 2878 that feeds the whole farm by gravity. The property does benefit from a further borehole supply and mains water feed if required.

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The property is ring fenced with either deer fencing or timber posts, stock proof wire netting and two strands of barbed wire. It must be noted that the fencing in some places has been placed in a position of convenience and within the title boundaries. The fencing is in fair order for its age and each field has suitable gates and access for the movement of livestock and regenerative grazing.

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The land has mature tree lined boundaries that provide shelter and shade throughout the year and the woodland areas have all been grazed openly by livestock to provide a grassland floor with bluebells carpeting throughout in the spring.

Tenure

Freehold with vacant possession.
Land Registry Titles: DN319015 & DN324187

Council Tax

Main House - Band G £3,828.41 2024/25
Cottage - Band A £1,531.36 2024/25

EPC

Main House - Band E (40)
Cottage - Band F (38)

Services

Mains Electricity.
Mains, Well & Borehole Water.
Private foul drainage system.
Cloud Wireless beamed system via satellite
…. coming soon super fast fibreoptic broadband connection from Higher Ashton proposed installation June 2024.

Local and Planning Authority

Teignbridge District Council. teignbridge.gov.uk. .

Access

Directly off the public highway known as George Teign Road.

Sporting and Mineral Rights

All rights belong to the property and will be transferred with ownership.

Environmental Stewardship Schemes

The land has been registered with the Rural Payments Agency - it is not in any Environmental Stewardship schemes.

Grazing

Currently the land is grazed by two livestock keepers who are under licence for the grazing of sheep and cattle. These licences shall end on the 31st October 2024, with one month's notice if required sooner and full vacant possession.

Wayleaves, Easements

The property is sold subject to any rights of way, wayleave, rights or easements which exist at the time of the sale whether they are mentioned or not. There are no rights of way across the property.

Fixtures & Fittings

All fixture and fittings, unless specifically referred to in these particulars, are expressly excluded from the sale of the freehold.

Plans & Maps

Not to scale for identification purposes only. Promap Ordnance Survey reproduced with permission of HMSO (c) Crown copyright, all rights reserved. Licence number

Drone Footage

This can be viewed online by following the link:

Boundaries, Roads & Fencing

The Purchaser shall be deemed to have full knowledge of the boundaries, and neither the Vendor, nor their Agent will be responsible for defining the ownership of the boundary fencing and hedges.

Viewings

Strictly by appointment only through Rendells Estate Agents, Tel: or

What3Words

///sparkles.broads.teacher

Directions

From either Exeter or Plymouth directions continue along the A38 and taking the slip road off signposted Teign Valley B3193. continue towards Chudleigh Knighton, take the first right up the Teign Valley onto the B3193. Continue for around 3 3/4 miles passing Teign Valley Golf Club and then take the next right for Higher Ashton. Continue through the village of Ashton and following the road round to the right and up the hill, then turn right onto George Teign Road. Continue along George Teign Road and the property is at the end of the lane with electric secure gates.