6 bedroom property for sale

A fine Grade ll* listed Dartmoor former manor house of great charm and character, with exceptional courtyard of barns, on the edge of a small village within the beautiful Meavy Valley.
Cross passage hall, studies, sitting room, drawing room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, former dairy now utility/boot room, first floor library/landing, 6 bedrooms, family bathroom, 2 shower rooms.
Courtyard of period barns and outbuildings. Gardens, paddocks and barn fronting the River Meavy.

Lot 1: House and 1.5 acres. Guide price: £975, 000

Lot 2 is available in addition
Paddock, about 1.3 acres, fronting the River Meavy

Location

Meavy Barton is situated on the edge of the small village of Meavy, within a beautiful valley, on the south western edge of the Dartmoor National Park. At the centre of Meavy is an attractive village green with its famous ancient oak tree, bordered by St. Peter's Church, and a delightful pub with its popular primary school nearby. The village of Yelverton, just over a mile distant, offers a doctors surgery, garage and tennis club as well as a good range of shops. To the north is the ancient stannary town of Tavistock, with a bigger selection of shops and restaurants, much prized covered market and a choice of schools including the private schools Mount House Prep and Kelly College. To the south is the city of Plymouth. Dartmoor is renowned for its spectacular scenery, with its granite tors, heather clad moorland and wooded valleys bisected by rushing streams and rivers. Much of Spielburgs film 'The Warhorse' was filmed within a couple of miles of Meavy.Opportunities in the area for walking, riding and fishing abound. The stunning South Devon coast, with its beaches, estuaries, coastal walks and excellent opportunities for sailing is within easy reach

Communications

Access to the area is via the A386, either from the A38 and Plymouth to the south, or Tavistock and the A30 to the north. From Plymouth there are mainline rail connections to London and ferries to the Continent.

- Yelverton 1.3miles
- Tavistock 6 miles
- A38 9 miles
- Plymouth 9 miles

(distances approximate)

History

Meavy Barton was a small Tudor manor house belonging to the Strode family of Newnham in the early 1500s when it was known as the High House (evidenced by the remains of an arch-braced roof truss present). It is thought to have been in existence previous to this perhaps as an ancient Devon longhouse or a grange associated with Plympton Priory. Sir William Strode, a friend of Admiral Sir Frances Drake lived here sometime in the late 1500s. In 1625 another Francis drake (married to Strodes daughter ) took refuge here during an outbreak of plague at the family seat, Buckland Abbey. It was acquired by the Drake family in the 1600s when it was enlarged and improved, becoming known as the Great House. Many of the granite doorways and fireplaces were installed at this time which explains the presence of the navigational Drake star embellishments found on some of the granite arch doorways taken from the Drake family coat of arms. Sir Francis Drake (the 3rd baronet) lived at the Great House after the death of his third wife in the 1700s.The house remained in the ownership of Drake descendents until 1942, when Captain Meyrick instructed the Meavy part of the Buckland Abbey Estate to be auctioned, the first lot being Meavy Barton Farm.

The property

- Beautiful Dartmoor farmhouse, listed Grade II*, a quote from which reads the former importance of this house is demonstrated in the quality of its features and the unusual plan. It has been little altered since the 17th century internally and externally and forms part of a very traditional farm complex.
- Bought by the current owners about 16 years ago, it has been sensitively improved and renovated reinstating many period features, installing oil central heating and generally integrating this building into a wonderful family home combining rustic charm with a little grandeur.
- Fascinating interior retaining many original features such as granite arched doorways, fine granite fireplaces, granite mullioned windows and high ceilings
- Delightfully peaceful setting on the edge of the village, near to the church and overlooking the Meavy valley, within five minutes walk of the moor.
- Fine courtyard of listed two story barns and outbuildings beside the house.
- Extensive, well stocked formal gardens, orchard, vegetable patch and walled cutting garden
- Paddocks with outbuilding, fronting the River Meavy. (By separate negotiation).
- Edge of Dartmoor location, yet with easy access to Plymouth, Tavistock, etc.

Lot 1

A cobbled path leads up to the open entrance porch with arched carved granite doorway and fitted bench seats, to the studded front door set in stone arch to

Ground floor

Cross passage hall Granite floor, arched doors to courtyard and to
Study (N) and East windows with unusual winding stairs to upper study
Inner hall, Granite floor, open well turning staircase rising to landing and library, with walk in under stairs storage cupboard, granite arched doors to
Sitting room (S) aspect over front garden, fireplace with granite jambs and lintel, incorporating wood burner, built in cupboards and window seat.
Drawing room (S) overlooking front garden and valley beyond. Granite floor, fine fireplace with carved granite surrounds and lintel, old bread oven and wood burner, granite arched doors opening into
Dining room (N) oak boarded floor, magnificent and rare stone salting trough.
Kitchen/breakfast room (S) quarry tiled floor, large fireplace with oak lintel, former bread oven and four oven oil fired Aga, fitted base cupboards with slate worktops, sink and drainer, larder with slate shelving, plumbing for dishwasher, granite arched doors to
Former dairy now Utility/boot room (N) stone paved floor, stone shelving, butlers sink, worktops, door to entrance drive.

From the inner hall a turned staircase rises to

First Floor

Landing/Library (S) elm boarded floor, fireplace with carved stone surround, doors to
Bedroom 1 (S&E) delightful outlook across the Meavy valley, stone fireplace, door via mezzanine providing cupboard space to open tread staircase down to
Shower room. Power shower above ancient stone trough, circular wash basin on wash stand, WC, heated towel rail, doors to kitchen/breakfast room and to
Boiler room Oil fired boiler and slatted shelving for airing cupboard area.
Bedroom 2 (W) a fine westerly view over fields. A most unusual granite fireplace.
Bedroom 3 (W&N) with views west over fields and north towards a pretty barn and the orchard beyond.
Bathroom Oak boarded floor, bath, wash basin, WC, heated towel rail, store cupboard. A lovely airy and light bathroom having wooden casement windows and a large conservation roof light with great views into the orchard.
Shower room Shower cubicle, wash basin, WC, heated towel rail, built in cupboard.
Bedroom 4 (S) stone fireplace. South facing views
Attic room /storage with steps down to
Upper study With opening conservation roof light, steps down to lower study.

From the first floor sitting room, stairs rise to

Second floor

Bedroom 5 (N) exposed roof timbers, ladder to mezzanine sleeping area east facing conservation roof light.
Bedroom 6 (S) exposed roof timbers.

The Outbuildings

To the east and north sides of the house are a fine range of traditional stone barns and outbuildings arranged around a particularly beautiful courtyard. Immediately behind the house is a stone barn 11.89m x 5.49m (39' x 18') with power and lighting currently in use as an artists studio above.

Beside this is the former threshing barn and adjoining outbuilding 23.78m x 7.32m (78' x 24') max, providing storage (old shipons) with wonderful open space above, currently used as a theatre area. To the rear is the open sided roundhouse with slate roof.

On the east side of the courtyard is a further stone barn 25.91m x 6.10m (85 x 20) with cobbled apron, separated in sections with loft above and power and lighting connected.Adjoining this is a further stone outbuilding and open fronted linhay.

On the opposite side of the courtyard are the stone former piggeries with pitched, part slate roof.

The Gardens and Grounds

To the west side of the house the tarmac entrance drive leads up past the house and buildings to a parking and turning area.

To the east side of the house is the beautiful courtyard, now partly lawned with some cobbling and incorporating borders with ornamental trees and shrubs, including magnolia, peach, golden locust, holne oak enclosed by the stone barns, outbuildings, house and stone walling.A paved path enclosed by the former piggeries and a high stone wall leads down to the lower end of the courtyard and from the road a gate opens to the cobbled path flanked by high stone walls, leading up to the entrance porch and front door.

To the south of the house is a lawned front garden with views across the Meavy valley and flanked by well stocked shrub and plant borders.

To the north of the house and barns a five bar gate leads from the end of the entrance drive into further extensive, gently sloping gardens with southerly aspect, incorporating lawned areas with a profusion of daffodils in Spring, a variety of ornamental trees and shrubs including tulip and handkerchief trees, a productive orchard, planted with local apple tress and vegetable garden. A gate leads into a walled cutting garden stocked with roses, spring flowers peonies, wisteria and a Foxglove tree. At one end is a shuttered door giving access into the upper part of the long barn.

About 1.5 acres

Lot 2 - About 1.3 acres

On the opposite side of the road, to the south of the house is a pasture paddock fronting the River Meavy.

Property Information

Services
Mains water, drainage and electricity. Oil fired heating. Private surface water drainage.

Local Authorities
Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter. EX2 4QD. Tel.
Dartmoor National Park Authority, Parke, Haytor Road, Bovey Tracey, Devon. TQ13 9JQ. Tel.

Fixtures & Fittings
All items usually known as tenants' fixtures and fittings whether mentioned or not in these particulars together are excluded from the sale but may be available by separate negotiation.

Viewing only by appointment with Jackson-Stops & Staff's Exeter office:

For sale by private treaty with vacant possession upon completion