Little Redford, Abbotsham, Devon

Impeccably finished throughout, this two-bedroom barn conversion has spectacular views over the North Devon countryside. Behind its vernacular stone façade, rooms are framed by exposed timber beams that remind of its early history, when the house served as an agricultural building to the Portledge Estate. Little Redford sits within easy distance of the South West Coast Path and the desirable fishing villages of Clovelly and Appledore.

Please note: This house is registered under holiday home status, so can be occupied 365 days of the year, but cannot be a primary home.

Setting the Scene

Just outside pretty Abbotsham, the house is nestled in the undulating Devonshire landscape. It sits close to the Abbotsham and Green Cliffs, the latter named for their soft expanses of lawn that stretch out towards Westward Ho! Beach in the north and Peppercomb Beach in the south.

Little Redford was once a cattle shed on the Portledge Estate. The Estate’s manor still stands today, on land that was bestowed to the Coffin family by William the Conquerer for their service during the Norman Conquest; the majority of Portledge Manor as it stands today dates from the 17th century, although parts built during the reign of Henry III survive.

The house has, for several years been let successfully as a holiday home; more information can be provided on request.

The Grand Tour

Entry to the house is to the kitchen, where slate tiles run underfoot and beams crown above. Forest green shaker-style cabinetry wraps around the room, with an X range at the centre. Polished timber surfaces provide plenty of preparation space added to by a central stainless steel island, and a window above the Belfast sink looks to nearby mature trees. Adjacent to the kitchen is room for a substantial farmhouse table set against a terrific outlook across the abutting landscape.

The living room occupies the other half of the open-plan ground floor. Orientated around a wood-burning stove, the space is cosy and relaxed, with casement windows that frame views of the garden along two aspects.

An open-tread staircase with a useful cupboard for storage delineates the kitchen and dining area from the living room. Painted a delicate cream, the stairs are well-lit from a skylight above. There are two double bedrooms upstairs set into the atmospheric slope of the eaves. One is finished in calming cream hues and has a free-standing bath, while the other is appointed in a green shade and has a wall lined with timber boards. Both have en suites (the larger with a walk-in rainfall shower) and are grounded by painted floorboards.

PV panels have been installed across the roofline to optimise the excellent solar gain.

The Great Outdoors

A generous garden wraps the house, with a variety of trees, sitting areas and swathes of lawn. Double doors from the dining room open to a south-west terrace with space for sun loungers, while a patch of meadow grass has a tiled patio in the lea of the house’s elevation.

There is also private parking for several cars with an electric car charging point.

Out and About

In Abbotsham on the North Devon coast, the house is between the Exmoor National Park and the charming fishing villages of Appledore and Clovelly on Devon’s Hartland Heritage Coast. There are plenty of walks, cycles and coastal strolls nearby, all with views out over the sea. The nearby South West Coast Path is nearby and offers much scope for exploration.

There are plenty of wonderful spots for drinking and dining with sea views nearby, including The Seagate Hotel in the heart of Appledore. Full-day or two-hour estuary fishing trips can be taken from Appledore Quay, and there are many surf schools.

Nearby Woolacombe beach is a wonderful sandy beach, and well worth a visit. Clovelly is also host to an annual Herring Festival, which falls in November and celebrates the coming of the so-called ‘Silver Darlings’. Kitchens on the quay serve food and beer tastings, which sit alongside craft stalls.

The nearest train station is Barnstaple, around a 20-minute drive from the barn with services

To London within three hours and 30 minutes. Exeter airport is an hour and 15 minutes drive away, and the house is accessible from the M5.

Currently Council Tax exempt as the house is regularly rented as holiday home accomodation, details of which can be shared on request.