Chagford, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ13

Higher Stiniel is situated on the edge of an idyllic tiny hamlet of five dwellings in a peaceful, rural Dartmoor setting, off a quiet country lane, surrounded by its own land. The house is Listed as being of historic or architectural interest, grade 2, and stated as being late 15th to early 16th century, originally an open hall house, with major 16th and 17th century improvements, enlarged in the late 17th century and modernised in the early or mid 19th century: ‘Higher Stiniel is both an interesting and attractive farmhouse situated in an exceptionally picturesque Dartmoor hamlet which contains other important listed buildings’.

The traditional through passage Dartmoor farmhouse, built of granite beneath a partly thatched and partly slate roof, has considerable character and charm, combining the comforts of modern living with notable period features such as exposed granite walls and fireplace, axial chimney stack, cruck beams etc. With its south-facing façade with large sash and leaded light windows, the rooms provide well presented, light and airy accommodation.

Off the cross-passage hall, with exposed granite block wall, is the delightful sitting room with its stone fireplace with granite jambs and former bread oven. A door leads into the family room with fitted bookcases, wood burner and French doors to the garden. To the other side of the hall is the dining room and fitted kitchen, with AGA. At the rear is the utility room and walk-in larder, the back door and, connecting to the party barn, is an L shaped conservatory with sitting and dining areas and French doors to an enclosed courtyard terrace with shrubs and plants and providing a lovely, sheltered suntrap.

On the first floor is the large principal bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, as well as three further bedrooms and family bathroom.

Gardens and grounds
The gardens are a particular feature of Higher Stiniel, including the south-facing walled garden to the front of the house with level lawns and shrub and plant borders, and a further large level lawned area to the rear, interspersed with ornamental trees and shrubs including oak, maple, cedar, apple, rhododendron and hydrangea.

There is an excellent and useful range of traditional stone barns and outbuildings around the house, two of which are thatched, including the party barn, further barns, roundhouse, hayloft and stables, forming a most attractive and interesting cluster of historic traditional Dartmoor stone buildings, two of which are separately listed.

The party barn opens to a former cider orchard paddock with two productive old apple trees and the lovely grounds provide an idyllic setting for the house and buildings. There are five fields of well established wild flower meadows and over two thousand native trees have been sensitively planted for wildlife and shelter. From the top of the land are beautiful Dartmoor views towards Hookney and Birch Tor and there is also a delightful hidden valley bisected by a bubbling stream running through wet meadows as well as some mature woodland and a mossy granite boulder glen. The property is a haven for wild flora and fauna including deer, owls, foxes, birds of prey etc.

Stiniel is an 'exceptionally picturesque Dartmoor hamlet' (Historic England) with quintessential Dartmoor buildings of granite with either slate or thatch roofs, positioned in a small valley approximately 1.5 miles from the equally attractive small country town of Chagford. Chagford is a picturesque stannary town on the north-easterly edge of Dartmoor.
Chagford has been voted “Best rural place to live in Britain” by the Sunday Times and boasts a wide range of conveniences and speciality shops including a Post Office, surgery, dentist, pharmacy, family butcher, wine shop, bakery, greengrocer, two delicatessens, various restaurants, cafés, pubs and a large hardware and household store. There are three hotels including Bovey Castle which has excellent facilities including a superb 18 hole golf course, tennis, heated indoor pool, spa and excellent dining and the world famous Gidleigh Park close by with it's Michelin starred restaurant. Further afield is the market town of Okehampton which has a large Waitrose supermarket.

The village has a primary school, pre-school and Montessori. The Cathedral City of Exeter has a good selection of private schools, including The Maynard and Exeter School. The nearby ancient stannary and market town of Tavistock has Mount Kelly which is also a private school.

The A30 at Whiddon Down, is 4.5 miles away, giving good, quick access to the cathedral city of Exeter and the M5. Exeter offers a wide range of amenities befitting a centre of its importance including excellent shopping, dining, theatre and recreational pursuits. There are regular rail services to London Paddington from Newton Abbot and Exeter. Exeter Airport has a growing number of national and international flights, including daily flights to London City Airport.

Chagford is perfectly situated for Dartmoor's vast array of activities such as Riding, fishing, walking and cycling which are all within easy reach of the property. It also boosts excellent sport facilities including a football pitch, cricket pitch and pavilion, bowling club and a seasonal open outdoor river fed community swimming pool.