Brampford Speke, Exeter, Devon, EX5

Peaceful, private and south-facing, Ponsford House stands in large, mature gardens backing onto its own bluebell wood. The property is a perfect, lovingly maintained, link detached home and is very well presented.

Dating back to 1580, Ponsford House is positioned in sight of the beautiful 15th century church tower. Originally a thatched Devon farmhouse, it was lovingly enhanced in Georgian/early Victorian times, as well as comprehensively renovated in recent years. It is a beautiful family home with an abundance of history and character. The front of the house is southfacing and looks across its enclosed cob walled front garden with mature trees, neat hedging and sweeping gravel driveway. The gardens extend across lawns towards an apple orchard and estate fenced native deciduous woodland, that is carpeted in turns by snowdrops, primroses and bluebells. There are several peaceful seating and dining areas to capture morning, afternoon and evening sun. The house itself has warm, light-filled and spacious rooms with excellent ceiling height and beautiful views over its private gardens and stunning trees. The accommodation is laid out so that all the principal rooms on the ground floor and four of the home’s five bedrooms face south allowing natural light to pour in through the windows. The house has a homely feel, with an inglenook fireplace recently fitted with a wood burning stove in the sitting room, timber flooring including original oak parquet, some fine beams and exposed 17th century oak panelling on the landing. The spacious kitchen/dining room, with painted cabinets, fitted dresser, cream four oven AGA and adjacent sunny conservatory with stone flooring, is perfect for relaxing couples, busy family life and impressive entertaining. Upstairs off a central corridor with original cottage latch doors are five bedrooms, a large walk-in store cupboard and two bathrooms. The two largest bedrooms are double aspect and all have beautiful rural views.

Ponsford House and its stunning grounds are set privately behind a high rendered traditional cob and stone wall topped with tiles. The house is approached via wrought iron gates, opening onto a sweeping gravelled drive which leads to a large parking area and stone double garage in front of the house. Level lawns, dotted with a variety of mature, broadleaf trees and established shrub and flower borders stretch out from the house on three sides, with a walled terrace extending out from the conservatory and providing a wonderful outside dining and entertainment space that catches the rays of the late evening sun. Within the grounds, a short distance from the house, with its own gravelled drive area and patio garden, is a self-contained guest annexe called Garden Cottage, currently a successful 5* rated air bnb with a good income. It would equally make a fine home office. There is also a large stone built garage/workshop, a beautiful summerhouse, kennels, two timber garden stores and a tree house. Beyond the formal gardens, the land extends further to a more wild area of woodland, with pretty paths leading through wild grasses, flowers and established trees. This is a completely private place, carpeted throughout the seasons with snow drops, daffodils, Devon primroses, wild allium and bluebells. It provides a quiet place to escape and for children to play, camp, swing in and climb trees and enjoy bonfires- truly magical.

Ponsford House is in a prime village location, set well back from the lane running through the quiet village of Brampford Speke, on the western side of the idyllic Exe Valley. The village, set above the river on red sandstone cliffs, has a thriving community, with a parish church, village hall, primary school and an excellent pub, The Agricultural Inn. Brampford Speke is surrounded by some of Devon’s most beautiful and unspoilt countryside with numerous walks from the door, including access to the River Exe for ‘wild swimming’. Enjoying the peace and quiet of village life, it is only 3.5 miles from Exeter, with all that one would expect from a city with a cathedral and university, including a wide range of excellent shops, theatres, restaurants, leisure and sports facilities, including well regarded golf courses. The house is less than 15 minutes drive to Exeter St Davids station (mainline to London Paddington 2 hours 14 minutes) and Exeter Airport (10 miles). The village is conveniently only 2.5 miles, along an easy double track lane, from the A377 which provides access to both the city and surrounding arterial road network that includes the M5 and A30. The wider area has an excellent choice of schools from both state and independent sectors. This includes Exeter School, The Maynard School, Exeter Cathedral School and Blundells- all accessible within 20-30 minutes.