EVERY WEEK
MAY 24, 2023
The wonderful West Country 60 pages of delightful property
Is Shakespeare our greatest naturalist? Operation orchid: the great flower rescue Full steam ahead: the beauty of heritage trains
Property market
Penny Churchill
The kraken wakes After what seems like the longest winter ever, the West Country market has suddenly gone into overdrive
Heaven on earth: Imposing Glenthorne House, near Lynton, Devon, boasts breathtaking panoramic views over the Bristol Channel. £7m
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ESCRIBED by its previous long-time owner Sir Christopher Ondaatje as ‘the most beautiful spot on earth’, magical, Grade II-listed Glenthorne House at Countisbury, near Lynton, Devon, occupies a spectacular coastal location where Exmoor meets the sea on the north Devon/west Somerset border, with panoramic views over the Bristol Channel towards Lynmouth, Porlock Bay 116 | Country Life | May 24, 2023
and Wales. For sale through the Exeter office of Savills (01392 455743) at a guide price of £7 million, the imposing stone house— an intriguing mix of Georgian and Victorian Gothic with a dash of Tudor—stands in 77 acres of deep combes and ancient woodland that run down to the shore, in sharp contrast to the heather moors of Exmoor at the top of the cliffs and the rocky beaches at the
bottom. The site on which the house stands is reputedly the only piece of flat land between Porlock and Lynmouth. The original Glenthorne estate was created by the Revd Walter Stevenson Halliday, the son of a Scottish naval surgeon and banker who made a fortune during the Napoleonic wars and died in 1829. Having inherited his father’s fortune, he set out to invest
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Top: Tranquil Sector Hall in Devon. £3.5m. Above: Elegant Trethill House in Cornwall. £3m in a country estate and eventually settled on Countisbury, where he gradually bought the entire parish, some 7,000 acres in all. Having identified the perfect setting for his new house, it took him the best part of a year to create the zig-zag, 2½-mile drive leading down to it. Stables were built at Home Farm to house working horses, a track was cut to the shore and a landing stage built for materials
to come in by sea. Only then could work start on the house, which is built of the pinkish local limestone, dressed with Bath stone and roofed with Cornish slate (COUNTRY L IFE , January 16 and 23, 2019). The original building was finished in 1831, followed in 1839 by new kitchens, staff quarters and a large conservatory. In 1846, the front of the house was extended into the
hillside with the addition of a library wing and a new master-bedroom suite above. The three-bedroom house at Home Farm was built in the 1850s. According to its Historic England listing, Halliday was ‘much influenced in the design of the house by the buildings illustrated in P. F. Robinson’s Rural Architecture, or a Series of Designs for Ornamental Cottages (1823)’. The last May 24, 2023 | Country Life | 117
Property market
A sweeping drive showcases idyllic grounds en route to secluded St Breock Place in a quiet hamlet near Wadebridge, Cornwall. £3.5m
of the Hallidays to live there was Benjamin Halliday, who inherited in 1968. In 1983, a snippet in COUNTRY L IFE advertised the sale ‘for the first time in its history, of Glenthorne with 18 acres of gardens, woods and paddocks, access to the foreshore and views across the Bristol Channel to Wales’. The following year the house, by then in a poor state of repair, was bought by Sir Christopher, who drafted in a team of 35 builders and craftspeople to renovate the entire 12,468sq ft living space in a massive, military-style operation that took only seven months to complete. Home Farm was acquired some years later. The present owners, who bought Glenthorne some five years ago, have further upgraded the house, enhancing many of the building’s original features and modernising the kitchen and bathrooms. Accommodation laid out over three floors includes a reception hall with a vaulted ceiling, five main reception rooms, a gun room, a kitchen/breakfast room and utilities on the ground floor; the principal bedroom suite, six further bedrooms, three bathrooms, a study and studio on the first floor; and four bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. Extensive cellars and storage are housed on the lower-ground floor. 118 | Country Life | May 24, 2023
Now fully restored, Home Farm provides further staff or guest accommodation, including a large kitchen, four reception rooms, an office, three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with an adjoining stone barn currently used as a gym. The two-bedroom Gardener’s Cottage has been unoccupied for some time and requires complete refurbishment.
The imposing Glenthorne House is an intriguing mix of Georgian and Victorian Gothic with a dash of Tudor In total contrast to the rugged splendour of Glenthorne, tranquil, Grade II-listed Sector Hall, near Axminster, east Devon, sits in 58 acres of parkland, woods and farmland at the end of a long drive surrounded by the rolling countryside of the Axe Valley, near the county border with Dorset and a short hop
from the Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis. The immaculate late-Georgian/early-Victorian country house dates from 1838 and is for sale as a whole or in two lots through the Sherborne office of Knight Frank (01935 810062) at a guide price of £3.5m for Lot 1, comprising the sunny, 6,160sq ft, eight-bedroom main house, the one-bedroom coach house, and the two-storey stone barn, outbuildings and summer house set in some 30 acres of lake, gardens and parkland; Lot 2, priced at £250,000, is available by separate negotiation and comprises 28 acres of pasture and woodland copses, 13 acres of which are currently let to a local farmer. Across the River Tamar in south-east Cornwall, Oliver Custance-Baker of Strutt & Parker’s country department (020–7591 2207) is handling the launch onto the market of elegant Grade II-listed Trethill House at Sheviock, near Torpoint, which sits in 35 acres of delightful gardens and grounds overlooking the Rame Peninsula between the sea and the Lynher River, a tributary of the Tamar. He quotes a guide price of £3m for the charming, late-Georgian villa, built between 1836 and 1840, then extended with a bay to the left in the later 19th century.
In the late 1700s, the Trethill estate was owned by Capt Samuel Wallis, a distinguished naval officer and Pacific Ocean explorer who made the first European landfall on Tahiti in June 1767. On Capt Wallis’s death in 1795, the estate passed to his cousin, Ann Wallis, who died in 1836, leaving the estate to her eldest son, the Revd Samuel Wallis, a gentleman scholar and founding fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford. Wallis immediately commissioned the Plymouth-based architect George Wightwick, a former assistant to Sir John Soane, to build him a new villa in the picturesque Italianate style. Trethill House offers more than 6,700sq ft of accommodation on two floors, including a reception hall, five impressive groundfloor rooms, including a drawing room and dining room with original fireplaces and far-reaching views over the grounds, a fine library, a sitting room and a study. The kitchen boasts an Aga, modern integrated appliances and space for a large breakfast table. A substantial cellar could be developed into further accommodation if required. Two staircases lead to the first floor, and six good double bedrooms, including the principal bedroom suite that has a large bathroom en suite, plenty of natural light and a balcony from which to admire the coastal views. There are also three family bathrooms. Further accommodation is available in the detached coach house, which provides garaging, stabling and equestrian facilities on the ground floor, with a twobedroom apartment on the first floor. The grounds combine beautiful landscaped gardens, meadows and lawns, mature woodland, streams and waterfalls, and a number of paddocks suitable for grazing or exercising horses. A wide variety of flora and fauna includes more than 150 magnolias and a scattering of bluebells, interspersed with well-placed seating areas from which to admire the views. Far from the madding crowds of surfers that descend on Padstow, north Cornwall, in their droves and wetsuits between May and September, the peaceful hamlet of St Breock, a mile from Wadebridge on the edge of the Camel Estuary AONB and six miles from Padstow, once stood on the site of a palace and deer park owned by the Bishops of Exeter until the Dissolution. Here, Sarah-Jane Bingham-Chick of Knight Frank’s Exeter office (01392 423111) is handling the sale, at a guide price £3.5m, of secluded St Breock Place, an imposing, Grade II*-listed former rectory set in more than seven acres of lovely gardens, grounds and woodland. The house dates from the late 17th century with earlier origins, and was extended in the early to mid 18th century.
In 1790, it was the home of the rector of St Breock, the Revd John Molesworth, and his wife, Catherine (née St Aubyn), of the St Levan family from St Michael’s Mount, who married that year. In the past, the 6,795sq ft house was configured as two separate homes, each with its own kitchen and front door, a Georgian wing and an older, 16th-century section at the rear. Built of the local stone under a Delabole slate roof, St Breock Place is approached through formal granite posts up a sweeping drive to a gravelled parking area. The idyllic, south-west-facing garden has been designed to take full advantage of the elevated setting and cleverly planted to
provide colour and interest throughout the seasons. The main entrance hall leads into the dining room and through to the southfacing drawing room and library. The welldesigned kitchen is roomy and rustic, with a stone floor, a central island and a fouroven oil-fired Aga. The first floor houses the principal bedroom suite, two guest bedrooms with bathrooms en suite, three further double bedrooms, two family bathrooms and a playroom/sitting room. The main house is served by two high-speed broadband connections, with additional living space provided in the two-bedroom stone coach house on the eastern boundary, which has its own entrance and private garden area.
Imagine your toes in the water
Falmouth-based agent Jonathan Cunliffe (01326 617447) and Savills Auctions in London (020–7824 9091) have joined forces in a bid to find a taker for the ultimate renovation project, that of Water’s Edge at 48, Trefusis Road, Flushing, one of the most valuable and exclusive addresses on the south Cornish coast. With spectacular views across the world’s third-largest natural harbour, the house offers direct water frontage via a set of private steps that wind down to the beach, and its own boathouse, below. For sale for the first time in 33 years, Water’s Edge is one of only nine Edwardian-style, detached, south-facing houses with water frontage on this exclusive road. Built in the 1920s and now in need of complete refurbishment, the 4,235sq ft house, which is unlisted, sits at the top of its elevated, one-third-of-an-acre plot, looking out over sloping gardens to Falmouth harbour and beyond, with scope to create terracing to maximise the views and grounds. It is currently laid out over three levels with accommodation including four reception rooms, a master suite and five double bedrooms. An auction date has been set for May 31, with offers over £2m being considered prior to auction.
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Properties of the week
James Fisher
Give it a west Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are as desirable as ever
Cornwall, £3.5 million When it comes to Waterhouse, we may as well start with the awards. Winner of the Best New Build in Cornwall in 2020? Yes. Winner of the Green Apple Award for Building and Construction 2020? Sure is. Winner of the Cornish Buildings Group Award in 2020? Absolutely. With panoramic views of the Camel Estuary, this passive house is set in the heart of the action just east of Rock and is a standard-setter for design and sustainability (EPC rating of B). With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, Waterhouse is more than merely a holiday home and offers some 4,600sq ft of living space, mostly to an open-plan layout, all finished to a high standard and with the latest tech. I could go on about the recycled-paper insulation, ground-source heating or private filtered water supply, but, really, just look at that view (top). JB Estates (01208 862601) 120 | Country Life | May 24, 2023
Somerset, £1.5 million Wrapped in woodland on three sides, it would be easy for new owners of Combe Edge House to simply forget that the outside world exists. When entering the home, which is approached via an elegant ‘in-and-out’ driveway, a grand enclosed porch leads through to a spacious entrance hall with fireplaces. The interior is gracefully decorated, with the reception rooms featuring woodburning stoves, a generous kitchen and garden room and five large bedrooms. Outside, the property boasts three-quarters of an acre of gardens, mostly set to lawn, but with the aforementioned woodland on either side, a pond and a waterfall. The situation is ideal, too, with all the feel of the countryside, but only three miles from Bath city centre. Knight Frank (01225 325993)
Devon, £2.85 million South of Exeter, and only a few minutes’ drive from the River Exe to the east, sits glorious Oxton Mere, a Tuscan-style villa set in 19 acres of the best West Country-side. Privacy and seclusion are the name of the game here, with the house standing in splendid isolation at the bottom of a valley and with no near neighbours. The property, which is south facing, benefits from a flexible interior layout finished to a supremely high standard, with highlights such as a double-height entrance hall, a Shaker-style kitchen/dining area and seven bedrooms in total. Outside, the gardens extend to almost 20 acres and include formal areas, terraces for entertaining, paddock and woodland, and a picturesque two-acre lake stocked with rainbow and brown trout, as well as carp. Further accommodation is provided in the coach house and annexe, whereas further outbuildings include timber barns and a double garage. Savills (01392 455755)
Devon, £1.995 million A mere seven minutes’ walk from North Sands Beach near Salcombe stands the impressive Hanger Mill, once (you guessed it) a mill and now a glorious five-bedroom family home on the extremely desirable south Devon coast. Dating from 1760 and listed Grade II, the interior is awash with period features, such as exposed timbers, high ceilings and stone fireplaces. Benefiting from lashings of natural light throughout, the property can only be improved by its wonderful gardens, which feature lawns, shrubs and borders, as well as woodland and an orchard. Naturally, a stream runs along the western boundary and the original leat is still evident in the grounds. Salcombe itself is well within walking distance, and additional land may be available via separate negotiation. Luscombe Maye (01548 843593)
Cornwall, £675,000 In the heart of the charming village of Manaccan, itself only a mile from the famous creekside Helford village, Woodbine Cottage is a spectacular Grade II-listed thatched cottage that wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of this very magazine. The property occupies a beautiful village setting with rolling fields to the rear, and offers a wealth of charm and character throughout, such as exposed beams, stone fireplace and, of course, the elegant thatched roof. With lawned areas to the front and side, there is plenty of space for entertaining, and a nearby pub provides a great option for extended partying without worrying about your glasses getting broken. Lillicrap Chilcott (01872 273473) May 24, 2023 | Country Life | 121
Country Life International
Shared economy The ideal of owning a home overseas can be quashed by mundane realities. From fractional opportunities to resort homes with shared facilities, Agnes Stamp finds alternatives
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NLESS fluent in the native tongue, organising builders in Portugal, making an emergency call to a plumber in Greece or navigating the French legal system can be exasperating, especially if the project management is being executed from a British base. Alternative ownership opportunities offer turn-key solutions to the hassle of property maintenance and are ideal for those without unlimited holiday time. Co-ownership (also referred to as fractional ownership) feels more like a personal investment in a home than a timeshare and can allow access to multiple international locations, perfect for those who can’t commit to a specific country. For individuals who value a sense of community, safety, and a wealth of services in beautiful settings, resort ownership is an appealing alternative.
Abruzzo, Italy, from €95,500 (about £84,500) Situated in the medieval hill town of Casoli, with panoramic views of the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, Palazzo Ricci is a fractional-ownership concept that resides in an exquisitely renovated 18th-century palace. Marrying the perks of staying at a hotel with home ownership, the fully-furnished one-, two- and three-bedroom residences enjoy 10,000sq ft of beautiful private gardens and an elegant outdoor pool. Inside, Roman baths, a games room, gym, spa and a bar keep residents entertained. Palazzo Ricci (00 39 348 724 5032; www.palazzoricci.club)
Alcácer, Portugal, from €3.79 million (about £3.35m) Only one hour from Lisbon and 15 minutes from the sleepy fishing villages of Melides and Comporta, Spatia Melides is a secluded 170-hectare (420-acre) estate with direct access to the sandy beaches of Pinheirinho. The spacious and airy three- and four-bedroom residences benefit from a 24-hour concierge, valet, maintenance, housekeeping and security service, as well as private pools, outdoor kitchens and fire pits. Shared five-star resort facilities include a hammam spa, sauna and steam room, a fully-equipped gym, pilates and yoga studio, indoor and outdoor pools. Savills (020–7409 8135; www.savills.com) 122 | Country Life | May 24, 2023
9000
Algarve, Portugal, €20 million (about £17.7m) Set on a vast 26,156sq ft plot with panoramic views of the Quinta do Lago lake and North Atlantic ocean, this fully-furnished, seven-bedroom, 10-bathroom modern villa benefits from spectacular facilities, including an indoor pool, 20m outdoor pool, private spa and fully-equipped gym. Residents can entertain in the glass wine cellar, cinema room and bar with indoor/outdoor living areas and enjoy access to the five-star Quinta do Lago resort facilities (located in the protected nature reserve of Ria Formosa), including the North, South and Laranjal golf courses and extensive multi-sports complex. (00 35 128 939 2754; www.quintadolago.com)
Sciacca, Sicily, from €2.39 million (about £2.18m) Surrounded by 230 hectares (570 acres) of secluded olive groves in south-west Sicily, the open-plan three- and four-bedroom private villas of the Verdura Resort overlook the shimmering blue Mediterranean Sea. Each villa benefits from a fully-equipped kitchen, a 60sq m infinity pool, pergolashaded terraces (which make perfect reading nooks) and full access to the shared fivestar resort facilities, including spa, gym, beach, tennis courts, two championship golf courses, bars and restaurants and concierge assistance. Knight Frank (020–7861 1553; www.knightfrank.com)
Europe, €425,000 (about £376,000) for 1/17 share Allowing access to not one, but four luxury homes with local charm, August’s Signature Collection is a creative solution for roving Europhiles who enjoy year-round destination holidays. With residences in Mallorca, Chamonix, Tuscany and the south of France to pick from—each comfortably sleeping 8–10—this concept curates the best of city, rural and alpine living. August Collection (020–3973 9120; www.augustcollection.co.uk) Agios Nikolaos, Crete, from €700,000 (about £619,000) Set into the dramatic hillside, each of the Elounda Hills residences enjoys unobstructed views of the Mirabello Bay and the Aegean Sea beyond. The 55-hectare (138-acre) resort aims to become the leading ultra-luxury, sustainable destination in the Mediterranean, encompassing optimised renewable energy sources, water and waste recycling, plastic-free zones, ‘fish-to-fork’ dining and colourful botanical gardens. The two-, three- and fourbedroom open-plan apartments enjoy a range of boutique marina perks, including seasonal mooring for superyachts, a private beach club, health and wellness centres, bustling restaurants and bars. Elounda Hills (00 30 698 045 5044; www.eloundahills.eu) May 24, 2023 | Country Life | 123