Church Street, Axmouth, Seaton, Devon EX12

38 Church Street is a handsome detached period cottage in the heart of the village. Believed to date from the 16th century, the house is Grade II listed and has been the subject of a comprehensive and sympathetic restoration, blending original character with the comforts of contemporary living. Period features have been carefully retained throughout — exposed beams and timbers, attractive fireplaces with woodburners, and built-in window seats — while considered new additions include Portland stone flooring across the ground floor, elm boarded floors to the first floor, oak doors and underfloor heating throughout. Elm, historically the timber of choice for vernacular English cottages of this period, has been used in keeping with the property's character.
A panelled front door opens into the entrance hall, with the living room beyond and the sitting room to one side. Both reception rooms have fireplaces with timber lintels, woodburners and built-in window seats overlooking the village.
At the rear of the house, the kitchen/dining room forms the heart of the home: a well-appointed kitchen with exposed roof timbers opens into a bright dining area beneath skylights, with French doors leading directly onto the terrace and garden. A utility room, cloakroom and ground-floor bedroom with en suite shower room complete this level — well suited to guests or as a self-contained suite for multi-generational use.
A turned Portland stone staircase rises to the first-floor landing, where oak doors lead to the principal bedroom with dressing area and en suite shower room, a further double bedroom, and the family bathroom.The property is heated throughout by an energy-efficient air source heat pump system.
French doors from the kitchen/dining room open onto a gravel terrace running the length of the house, beyond which lies a large, level, enclosed lawned garden with views up to the surrounding countryside. A yard area sits to one side, with a pedestrian gate opening onto Chapel Street, where a brook runs alongside the property and around the front down Church Street.
Planning permission has been granted for the construction of a garage, offering further scope to enhance the property.

Axmouth is a pretty village on the banks of the River Axe, set within the East Devon National Landscape and close to the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village has two popular pubs, a church, a village hall and a small harbour suitable for launching and mooring a boat, alongside the Axe Yacht Club.
The Axe estuary is a haven for wildlife and a paradise for birdwatchers, with riverside walks along the estuary and through Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve.
Seaton, on the other side of the river, offers a long esplanade, pebble beaches, independent shops, supermarkets, a doctors' surgery, hospital, fitness centre and primary school. Further east along the coast is the picturesque town of Lyme Regis, with its famous Cobb harbour, Regency seafront, and an excellent selection of independent shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants. The nearby market town of Axminster also provides a good range of local amenities, including a weekly market.
The Jurassic Coast offers spectacular walking along the South West Coast Path, taking in charming villages and towns such as Beer, Branscombe, Sidmouth and Lyme Regis. Local golf courses include Axe Vale (about a mile away), Lyme Regis, Honiton and Sidmouth.
Secondary schools in the area include the renowned Colyton Grammar School, The Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis, and a selection of private schools in Exeter and Taunton.
Axminster station provides mainline rail connections to London Waterloo. Honiton offers access to the A30 and onward to the A303 towards London, and Exeter Airport is within easy reach.