House for sale in Bishops Court Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX5.

The house has evolved from its medieval origins when it was the country palace of the bishops of Exeter to its most recent remodelling in the 1860's, carried out by William White, a pre-eminent architect of the Gothic Revival style.

Today the house Is largely unchanged since then and is considered to be one of White's most important domestic buildings.

Most of the reception rooms including the kitchen face west to catch the afternoon sun, whilst the dining room, library and chapel are east-facing and are lit by the softer morning light as well as providing a dramatic and beautiful front façade.

The interior is equally eye-catching with White's gothic detailing evident at every turn. All the rooms have tall ceilings and are well lit by natural light that pours in through tall, gothic arched windows and the interior is decorated with fine carved stonework, detailed joinery and gorgeous tiles and stencilling.

The house has a centrally positioned reception hall that backs onto a corridor that stretches from the chapel at one end to the main staircase at the other and provides access to all the reception rooms. This layout is reflected upstairs as well where there are eight large double bedrooms and five bathrooms, all with lovely views over the park and the surrounding countryside.

The first and second floors of the former domestic staff wing of the house have been converted into self-contained apartments, which are accessed via a walled, cobbled courtyard on the southern side of house and from there via a dedicated staircase.

The tenants also have their own parking area out of sight from the main house. Adjacent to this parking area and screened by mature trees are a unique assemblage of medieval buildings: a Grade I listed, stone built tithe barn dating from 1376 together with a magnificent Grade I listed stable block built of Heavitree stone dating from the early 1400's, both in need of some restoration. The stable block is a remarkable building and is thought to be the largest and most complete example of a purpose-built medieval stable to survive in the British Isles.

The barn and stable block are set at right angles to one another and along with ancillary outbuildings, which Include garaging and a building housing the bio-mass boiler and wood chip silo, form a delightful, cobbled stable yard.

The gardens and parkland that surround the house provide a wonderfully private setting and contain many fine specimen trees and shrubs. The grounds have been managed to re-wild and encourage nature to proliferate in an unspoilt environment close to the River Clyst.

The many mature trees in the park have been supplemented with the planting of thousands of young broad-leafed trees and shrubs of varying ages in copses that create an attractive, low maintenance and environmentally responsible parkland. A strip of older woodland forms a screen between the house and Exeter and leads to a two acre lake with its own island.

Further Amenities:
Standalone secondary accommodation
Gate lodge
Period / heritage / historic / listed
Private chapel
Parkland
12+ Parking spaces

Junction 30 M5 1.4 miles, Exeter Airport 2.1 miles, Exeter city centre 5.5 miles,
Exeter St. David's station (Paddington 2 hours 7 minutes) 5.7 miles
(All distances and times are approximate)