Lustleigh, Newton Abbot

Situation

Lower Hisley occupies a very private elevated position close to the sought after village of Lustleigh, a small historic village nestled in the Wrey Valley, inside Dartmoor National Park between the towns of Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead. The village has often been named amongst the best or prettiest villages in the country in various publications, particularly due to the traditional thatched buildings in the village centre. The location is favoured for its interesting mix of period buildings, parish church, well regarded pub, tea rooms, shop with Post Office and more recently the Wrey Valley cycle trail connecting Moretonhampstead and Bovey Tracey with connections also to Newton Abbot. The village is surrounded by glorious countryside and located within easy driving distance of Exeter and Plymouth.

The house and land adjoins Hisley Wood, an East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve, with recognised heritage walks with plenty of wildlife on offer.

History

Lower Hisley has probably been around since the 14th or 15th century but the original layout has changed over the years. It is known that the house experienced a fire around 1880, after which it was redesigned as a more impressive house in its current layout.

The current owner has a long association with the estate, having lived there since 1958. The property provided the ideal base for Cruft winning Gleghornie Corgis (until the 1970s) and the Hisley Pony Stud, the home of champion Dartmoor Ponies, right up until 2022. Since then the land has just been used for grazing.

The main house is unlisted but in the grounds there is a Grade II listed Ash House. The main house was repointed approximately four years ago and was rewired around 2007. It does still require internal works to bring it up to modern standards.

Approach

The initial drive from the council road is owned by Higher Hisley with a right of way existing for Lower Hisley to access its own private driveway which leads through to the main parking area to the front of the house.

Accommodation

The attractive double fronted stone house offers high ceilings throughout and is accessed via its own timber door into a traditional entrance hall with high ceilings and a picture rail. To either side are doors to the Sitting Room and Family Room both with secondary glazed windows offering great views to the front and both with fireplaces with either stone or brick surrounds.

The spacious Kitchen/Breakfast Room is located to the rear and requires extensive modernisation with an oil fired Aga. A passage leads through to the Dining Room, Pantry and rear Cloakroom with WC. There are further stores and a Boot Room with potential which provides doors back to the outside areas.

Outside

Immediately to the front, side and rear of the house are areas of attractive garden. There is also a further area of garden/orchard with a circular Grade II listed Ash house. Historically this was where, every night, the ash and embers from the house fires was taken so as to avoid the risk of a fire spreading in the main house.

Opposite the house is the spacious garage block with space for cars and or horse trailers with a useful array of further stone built outbuildings spread out alongside the house.

Directions

The best route from the centre of Lustleigh (by the Church) is to proceed towards the Post Office Stores and turn left onto Rudge Hill. Continue straight on this road, climbing past a house called Rudge on your right. At the T junction the entrance to Lower Hisley can be seen almost opposite, just to the left.

If approaching from Bovey Tracey be aware that there is quite a sharp turn left onto the drive. From Bovey Tracey itself take the B3387 signposted to Haytor and Widecombe. Follow this road past Parke and keep to the right signposted to Manaton. After approx 3 miles you will pass over a bridge over the River Bovey. Take the next left signposted to Lustleigh and Manaton. Continue for approx half a mile. There is a turn on the right to Lustleigh and immediately before this is a sharp left hand turn up the private drive leading to the property.

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