Exford, Minehead, Somerset

A remarkable ring-fenced farm within Exmoor National Park with spectacular views

Three/four bedroom farmhouse (not listed)
Courtyard of traditional barns
Enclosed farm building/workshop
Further Modern Farm Buildings
Extensive Pasture Farmland & Woodland
Extensive frontage onto the River Barle
Fantastic Outriding & Sporting Options

About 222.57 acres (90.05 ha) in total
Guide Price £2,300,000
Available as a whole

Farmhouse
Situated in the centre of the farm and nestled within a courtyard with a striking southerly aspect towards the valley below, the farmhouse is perfectly located to create an excellent family home with unrivalled views. The accommodation is set over three floors, with entrance from the front courtyard into a south facing Sun Room which leads into the main Living Room with a log burning stove. To the rear is a Dining Room with a Shower Room to the side and a separate door leads to a good size farmhouse Kitchen with oil fired Rayburn, a separate Pantry and access to a Utility/Boot Room with sink and plumbing and beyond that a Study / 4th Bedroom which has a stone fireplace.The bright and airy first floor landing leads to the south-facing Principle Bedroom with En Suite Bathroom and a second Bedroom with an En Suite Shower Room. The 3rd Bedroom on the second floor is open plan with a window at each end of the room, each with excellent views. This room has some potential for sub-division and an En suite bathroom to the side. The house is in need of some updating throughout and offers excellent potential. It is not listed.

Garden & Outside Space
There is ample garden space for a range of family uses, including a good size lawn to the rear of the house and an area to the front of the courtyard which maximises enjoyment of the incredible sunsets and extensive views.

Outbuildings
A range of single storey traditional outbuildings form a courtyard to the front of the house. These currently provide stabling and storage and there is potential to reinstate a former double garage. To the side of the courtyard is a detached single storey former piggery. Any or all of these buildings could potentially be repurposed and improved into accommodation, workspace, stabling or other uses (subject to planning).

Farm buildings
There are a range of modern farm buildings including a fully enclosed store/workshop with concrete floor and roller shutter door; a hay/straw barn with lean to machinery/implement store; and a good quality livestock barn.

The Land
The land extends to around 223 acres (90 ha) in all, of which 139 acres (56 ha) is laid to permanent pasture in easily managed field parcels. Fields are bordered by mature hedgerows, banks and livestock fencing and there is spring fed water troughs all around. There is around 19 acres (8 ha) of rough grazing, predominantly alongside the River Barle, with water available from the river. The current owners also rent approximately 143 acres (58 ha) of adjoining land.
Approximately 35 acres (14 ha) of woodland was clear felled in around 2016. The woodland has a number of rides and tracks throughout and has been partially restocked under a Woodland Grant Scheme. There is excellent conservation and wildlife potential on the farm and an abundance of flora and fauna.

Sporting
There are excellent sporting opportunities at the property, with game shooting rights being in hand and excellent scope for a small shoot. There are tracks and rides for hacking within the boundaries of the farm and access to bridlepaths and common land for extended riding. Hunting rights & fishing rights are owned by others. Please contact the selling agent for further details.

Planning
There is very good potential to extend or replace the current farmhouse to create an impressive family home, potentially incorporating adjacent barns and creating secondary accommodation and/or holiday lets (subject to planning). Interested parties are invited to make their own enquiries at the Local Planning Authority.

There is ample garden space for a range of family uses, including a good size lawn to the rear of the house and an area to the front of the courtyard which maximises enjoyment of the incredible sunsets and extensive views. A range of single storey traditional outbuildings form a courtyard to the front of the house. These currently provide stabling and storage and there is potential to reinstate a former double garage. To the side of the courtyard is a detached single storey former piggery. The land extends to approximately 223 acres (90 ha) in all, of which 139 acres (56 ha) is laid to permanent pasture in easily managed field parcels. Fields are bordered by mature hedgerows, banks and livestock fencing and there is spring fed water troughs all around. There is around 19 acres(8 ha) of rough grazing, predominantly alongside the River Barle, with water available from the river. The current owners also rent approximately 143 acres (58 ha) of adjoining land. Around 35 acres(14 ha) of woodland was clear felled in around 2016. The woodland has a number of rides and tracks throughout and has been partially restocked under a Woodland Grant Scheme. There is excellent conservation and wildlife potential on the farm and an abundance of flora and fauna.

Pickedstones Farm is wonderfully located within a spectacular Exmoor landscape. Enjoying a position at the end of a no-through road, the house is centrally located on the farm and enjoys extensive views over the Barle valley and beyond within a truly remarkable setting. The popular & pretty villages of Simonsbath, Exford & Withypool are close by with a range of local amenities including pubs, hotels and local shops whilst the busier town of Dulverton lies 14 miles away and the coast at Porlock 12 miles to the north.

Sporting and Recreation
One of the great benefits of living within Exmoor National Park is the prime access to extensive sports and recreation across the region. Exmoor is renowned for its hunting, fishing, shooting and horse riding and Pickedstones Farm is excellently placed for all of these, including direct access to Withypool Common and fantastic hacking from and on the farm. The farm’s landscape offers excellent shooting potential as well as access to some of the country’s finest game shoots nearby.

Schools
West Buckland School, a leading independent school for boys & girls aged 3 to 18, is located 15 miles away and there are a range of other schooling options in the area, including Blundells at Tiverton and an excellent primary school in the nearby village of Exford.
General

Method of sale
Pickedstones Farm is offered for sale as a whole by private treaty.

Tenure
The property is sold freehold with vacant possession on completion.

Services
Mains electricity
Private water
Private drainage system to a septic tank
Oil fired central heating supplemented by a wood burning stove

Wayleaves, easements and rights of way
The property is being sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights including; rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements and quasi-easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water and gas and other pipes whether referred to in these particulars or not. There are two public bridleways over the land. Further details are available from the vendor’s agent and OS maps.

EPC
Band D

Council Tax
Band E (£2,394 2024/25 payment)

Schemes
The majority of the land is entered into an Entry Level Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship scheme with effect from 28th February 2025. We understand this can be renewed on an annual basis. The options include grassland management, hedgerow management, permanent grassland with low inputs and stone faced hedge bank management. The purchaser will be deemed to have full knowledge of the scheme(s) and will take it on and comply with the scheme from completion if necessary. The vendor will retain any ELS/HLS payments payable up to completion. Further details are available from the vendor’s agent.

Designations
The farm is within Exmoor National Park and includes part of two SSSIs (the River Barle SSSI and South Exmoor SSSI). A corner of the farm is designated open access land.

Sporting, timber and mineral rights
All sporting timber and mineral rights are included in the freehold sale, in so far as they are owned.

Fixtures and fittings
All items usually regarded as tenant’s fixtures and fittings and equipment, including fitted carpets and curtains, together with garden ornaments, temporary buildings and statuary, are specifically excluded from the sale. There are two buildings in the rear garden of the farmhouse which are not included. These may be available to the purchaser by separate negotiation.

Covenants and/or restrictions
There may be restrictions / covenants listed on the Land Registry Title deed, please ask your solicitor to review title and advise you further.

Local authority
Exmoor National Park

VAT
Any guide price quoted or discussed is exclusive of VAT. In the event that a sale of the property, or any part of it, or any right attached to it, becomes a chargeable supply for the purposes of VAT, such tax will be payable in addition.

Health and safety
Given the potential hazards of a working farm we ask you to be as vigilant as possible when making your inspection for your own personal safety, particularly around the farm buildings and machinery.