5 bedroom detached house for sale

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The property is situated in an elevated yet sheltered position about half a mile from the moorland village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor in the heart of the Dartmoor National Park. The property enjoys outstanding uninterrupted views over agricultural land, woodland and open moorland.

The cathedral city of Exeter is approximately 21 miles away, and Plymouth 27 miles. 

Directions From the M5 motorway and Exeter, take the A38 Expressway in a southerly direction towards Plymouth. After about 12 miles, turn left signposted Bovey Tracey at Drumbridges roundabout. From that roundabout take the fourth exit and proceed towards Bovey Tracey, continuing along the Bovey Tracey bypass towards Moretonhampstead. At the far end of the bypass, at a mini roundabout, take the first exit left, signposted Manaton and Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Proceed for about a quarter of a mile and bear left, signposted Haytor and Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Continue along this road towards Widecombe for about five miles. On descending the hill approaching Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the entrance to Southway Farm will be seen on the left hand side immediately before the Widecombe-in-the-Moor sign. The house is approached down a leafy drive to a parking and turning area in front of the house and barns. 

Description This property presents an ideal opportunity for someone to purchase one of the most historic properties on Dartmoor, offering a well modernised farmhouse with the benefit of a self-contained cottage, a superb range of stabling, barns and outbuildings set within an attractive landscaped garden together with orchard, paddocks, fields and amenity woodland.

The house, which has a fascinating history, with the first recordings of a dwelling on this site dating back to the mid 14th century, contains a number of interesting architectural features, including a gabled entrance porch, exposed beams, fine old doors and large ingle-nook fireplaces in a number of rooms. There are a drawing room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility and cloakroom on the ground floor and 4 bedrooms (one with en suite bathroom) and family bathroom on the first floor.

Attached to the main house is a self contained cottage with sitting room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Southway Farm has no public rights of way over any part of the property, offers excellent equestrian facilities and is a haven for wildlife, having won first prize in a competition 'Putting Dartmoor First'. 

Outside The property has the benefit of a super range of stabling, garaging, barns and outbuildings, making it ideally suited for those wishing to keep horses and use the property for equestrian purposes.

The property has a number of areas of attractive natural and landscaped garden with a stream cascading down from the moorland into two ponds.

There are a number of paddocks and fields which surround the house and buildings and an attractive area of amenity woodland.  

Accommodation The accommodation in the house is shown on the floor plans within the brochure and with a number of colour photographs. The house has the benefit of some elegant and well proportioned reception rooms, a large kitchen/breakfast room with 2-oven Aga, a utility room, together with four bedrooms and two bathrooms at first floor level, one of which comprises a master suite with en suite bathroom.

Of integral construction to the farmhouse, but totally self-contained with its own entrance, is Little Foxes. This cottage is let to holiday makers and details can be viewed on the website, The accommodation within Little Foxes is well laid out and can either be used as a separate self-contained cottage or easily utilised when not let, as part of the main house. Indeed, a purchaser may wish to incorporate the accommodation within Little Foxes and incorporate it as integral to the main farmhouse. 

Stabling, Garaging, Barns And Outbuildings Southway Farm has the benefit of a superb range of stabling, garaging, barns and outbuildings, making it ideally suited for those wishing to keep horses and use the property for equestrian purposes. There is a large barn incorporating a range of three stables with tack room, measuring 44'0" x 20'0" (13.41m x 6.10m), with three lean-to stores. A further large barn being 30'0" x 17'3" (9.14m x 5.26m). An original shippon with granite bases and original tethering posts with cobbled floor. A further barn/tractor store, measuring 30'0" x 16'6" (9.14m x 5.03m). To the rear of the farmhouse is a delightful stone and thatch building, used partly to house dogs and with an adjoining WC. Close to the house is a detached stone and slate linhay. 

Garden Southway Farm has a number of areas of attractive natural and landscaped garden. Approached directly from the kitchen/breakfast room via a pair of French windows is an elevated terrace, providing a superb seating area in which to enjoy the outstanding panoramic views over Dartmoor. As you approach the house from the parking area there is an area of front lawn, flanked by a number of raised beds, rockery, herbaceous border and a fine rhododendron.

In an elevated part of the garden, approached directly from the drift leading down from the moor to the house, is an area of secret garden, planted to recognise the current owners' ruby anniversary. This comprises a further rockery, flower beds, herbaceous borders and includes a summer house providing a delightful part of the garden in which to have a picnic and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of Southway. A stream cascades down from the moorland past a large gunnera, over a waterfall to a bog garden containing a number of irises and marigolds to two ponds. This area is a haven for damsel flies and dragonflies in the summer.

An area of orchard was planted in 2006 below the house and contains a number of apple, greengage, pear and plum trees. To the north west of the house is an area of kitchen garden, containing five raised beds for vegetables and fruit, including blackcurrant, gooseberries and rhubarb. There is a timber and felt chicken house and above this is a plastic oil tank. Within the garden and grounds are some fine specimen trees, including a magnificent sycamore, a number of oaks and the current owners have planted 600 trees under the Moor Trees Scheme.

Southway Farm presents an ideal opportunity for someone to purchase a most historic property on Dartmoor, offering a well modernised farmhouse with the benefit of a selfcontained cottage, a superb range of stabling, barns and outbuildings set within an attractive landscaped garden together with orchard, paddocks, fields and amenity woodland.  

History Southway Farm has a fascinating history, with the first recordings of a dwelling on this site dating back to the mid 14th century. In 1371, Southway Farm was owned by a Richard de Aysshe, which was one of a number of farms he owned in the area, although it is understood that Richard de Aysshe lived at Southway Farm. There is evidence on parts of the property of two ancient croft cottages and a Devon archaeologist has dated these to 1450. Although it is understood that there was a much larger house at Southway Farm at one time in its history, the current property dates principally from the 17th century. 

The House The house is approached from the road leading to Widecombe-the-Moor via a leafy lane to a large parking and turning area and thence by an enchanting wide grass path to the house. The house is Listed Grade II as being of Significant Architectural Importance and Historic Interest. The main house currently dates from the 17th century or earlier. It is constructed with solid stone walls with rendered and colour washed cream elevations with sash and casement windows having glazing bars under a slate roof. There is a rendered chimney stack.

Originally on this site was a 14th century farm worker's cottage, but from the 17th century Southway Farmhouse became a Dartmoor longhouse of 3-room and through-passage plan, although unlike other Dartmoor longhouses, there is no evidence that the space to the left of the passage was ever a shippon, although a shippon and piggery were attached at the southern end.

The house is surrounded by its own land in a totally peaceful position and enjoys superb panoramic views over Dartmoor, including Hamel Down, Honeybag Tor, Bonehill Tor and Rugglestone Tor. There is an ancient drift on the eastern boundary of the farm which leads through a private gate directly onto the moor. Animals would have been brought from their grazing on the moor down the drift and then separated into collecting pounds for weaning the animals.

The main house was extended in the 17th century and has been sympathetically altered and modernised in recent years, all with the help and agreement of the Dartmoor National Park. The property contains a number of interesting architectural features, including a gabled entrance porch with coloured glass, exposed beams, fine old doors and large ingle-nook fireplaces in a number of rooms. The drawing room has a double ovolo-moulded beam with run-out stops, gouged and dated with initials '1632 ea' on one side. 

Putting Dartmoor First Southway Farm won first prize in a competition run within the Dartmoor National Park, entitled 'Putting Dartmoor First'. This was a competition to encourage conservation, bio-diversity and the cultural heritage. The owners had to show that, considering conservation, bio-diversity and the cultural heritage, they were showing ecological advancement at Southway Farm with particular attention being paid to energy saving, water saving and the protection of ancient buildings, habitats and ecosystems.

The area of amenity woodland forming part of Southway Farm provides an ideal conservation area with the recommendation that this should be left to be wild for at least 15 years to enhance the bio-diversity of the habitat.

Paddocks, fields and woodland There are a number of paddocks and fields which surround the house and buildings, all of which have excellent access via gates.

The fields are all in grass and there have been considerable improvements in recent years to the boundaries. Southway Farm has been part of the Dartmoor National Park Environmentally Sensitive Area with the owners having grant aid towards the creation of Devon banks, the construction of new walls, the laying of hedges and the repair and renewal of sheep fencing.

The farm is now entering the Upland Entry Level Scheme with defra to provide an ongoing management agreement to benefit Southway Farm in the future. An attractive area of amenity woodland, containing a number of broadleaved trees and carpeted with spring flowers, is at the southern boundary of Southway Farm and approached via the drift leading on to the moor. In all about 8.5 acres (3.47 hectares) 

General Remarks And Stipulations  

Tenure The property is offered for sale freehold, by private treaty 

Services Oil fired central heating. Mains electricity. Broadband

connection with 2 BT lines. Private water supply gravity fed from a private spring on the moor. Private drainage system.  

Commoners' Rights Southway Farm has the benefit of registered Commoners' Rights to graze eight cattle, eight sheep and two ponies on adjoining moorland. 

Local Authorities Dartmoor National Park Authority, Parke, Haytor Road, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9JG. Tel:

Teignbridge District Council, Forde House, Brunel Road,  

Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4XX Tel: 01626 361101  

Council Tax - Band G  

Notes All items known as tenants' fixtures and fittings are excluded from the sale. However, certain items may be available in addition, by separate negotiation. Electrical and other appliances mentioned in the sale particulars have not been tested by the agents, therefore prospective purchasers must satisfy themselves as to their working order. 

Rights Of Way, Wayleaves & Easements The sale is subject to all rights of support, public and

private rights of way, water, light, drainage and other easements, quasi-easements and wayleaves, all or any other like rights, whether mentioned in these particulars or not. 

Single Farm Payment The agricultural land at Southway Farm is registered and the current owners will transfer the Single Farm Payment entitlements to the purchaser. 

Viewing Available exclusively from the award winning estate agency, Sawdye & Harris, at their Dartmoor Office.
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