leigh barton churchstow, nr. kingsbridge, south devon, tq7 4ag

Leigh Barton 

Churchstow, Nr Kingsbridge, 

South Devon

LEIGH BARTON 

CHURCHSTOW, NR. KINGSBRIDGE, SOUTH DEVON, TQ7 4AG 

Kingsbridge 3 miles, The Coast 4 miles, Dartmouth 12 miles, Plymouth Air & Ferry Ports 19 miles, 

Exeter M5 and Air Port 43 miles, Totnes 11 miles, Salcombe 8 miles (distances approximate) 

Dating from the thirteenth century, a delightful Grade I Listed Country House of amazing character and history, 

standing in 3 acres of gardens and grounds, together with Gate House, Medieval south and west ranges, 

wo bedroom traditional stone barn conversion and further barn conversion. 

Principal Farmhouse – hallway, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility, cloakroom. Master bedroom with en suite bath, 

3 further bedrooms and three staircases. Family bathroom. Wet room. All Listed Grade I. 

The Ranges – two large rooms with potential for studios, offices, store rooms or magnificent party rooms (subject to consent) 

Ground floor storage and workshop areas. Listed as site of Special Scientific Interest. 

The Gate House – magnificent first floor room. Listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. 

Leigh Pound House – two storey traditional stone attached barn conversion completed 2007 – 

kitchen, sitting room, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Listed Grade II. 

The Stables Cottage – two storey detached traditional stone barn partially converted. Listed Grade II. 

Garaging, cobbled walkways, gardens and grounds 

In all 3 acres (1.225 ha), but with the option to purchase a further two fields immediately adjoining of 7.95 acres (3.22ha). 

Viewing by appointment only 

These particulars are intended only as a guide and must not be relied upon as statement of fact. 

Your attention is drawn to the important notice on the last page of the text. 

14 CATHEDRAL CLOSE, 

EXETER EX1 1HA 

Tel: 01392 201748 

enquires@drewpearce.co.uk 

MANORSIDE, FORE STREET 

SOUTH BRENT, DEVON TQ10 9BQ 

Tel: 01364 646170 

ruralproperty@luscombemaye.com 

62 FORE STREET, 

KINGSBRIDGE TQ7 1PP 

Tel: 01548 857474 

stuart.hext@luscombemaye.com

SITUATION: 

Leigh Barton is situated in the heart of South Devon’s 

glorious South Hams countryside on the southern edge of 

the Avon Valley and within an area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty. The centre of the delightful estuary and 

market town of Kingsbridge is less than 3 miles distant and 

the coastline at Thurlestone and Bantham is a short drive. 

The contrasting but pretty and active community villages 

of Aveton Gifford and Loddiswell are both only 

approximately a five minute drive and the property lies 

close to midway between the ever popular river and 

estuary towns of Dartmouth and Salcombe. The local 

villages are well equipped with primary schools, village 

halls, public houses, general stores and parish churches 

and Kingsbridge has an useful range of traditional 

businesses as well as some national chain stores. Hospital 

and excellent community college with secondary and 

sixth form education, leisure centre, swimming pool and 

many other amenities. Plymouth and Exeter with their full 

choice of shopping, education and leisure facilities, as 

well as inter city railway, air and ferry ports are both within 

a thirty/forty minute drive. 

Water sports are available close by. Eighteen hole golf 

courses at Thurlestone, Bigbury and Dartmouth. 

LEIGH BARTON: 

Leigh Barton is now a delightful country house 

magnificently restored by its current owner, who has 

farmed Leigh Barton Farm since 1962 and who occupied 

the farmhouse with his family in the 1960’s before vacating 

as a tenant when the house, gate house and ranges were 

acquired by the Department of the Environment in 1974 

and then purchasing the property from English Heritage in 

2000 to complete the internal restoration following English 

Heritage’s completion of the external repairing and reroofing, 

plus a small amount of internal work in 1998. 

The property consists of a remarkable set of buildings, 

together with the two barn conversions, being once part 

of the freehold tenancy of Buckfast Abbey and lying in 

the wonderful peaceful and tranquil valley of the river 

Avon, approximately 1.5 miles upstream from the upper 

tidal reaches at Aveton Gifford. Accessed by a minor 

country road, bounded by high hedges with oak trees, the 

property is secluded yet very easily accessible to all the 

amenities listed above under situation. 

2 

In the middle ages the property belonged to the Legh 

Family who were free tenants of Buckfast Abbey. In the 

early part of the fifteenth century the Family began a 

campaign to upgrade the property and high quality guest 

ranges were built behind the main dwelling house (south) 

and a formal gate house was added to the front (north). 

During the sixteenth century, following a number of deaths 

in the Legh Family, the property passed by marriage and 

in the late seventeenth century Leigh Barton was acquired 

by a Mr. Martin Ryder, whose tomb is situated in the 

nearby Churchstow Church. By 1746 the Ryder Family 

were leasing Leigh Barton as a tenanted farm and in 1768 

it passed out of their hands through a number of 

subsequent owners until 1974 when the site was taken into 

guardianship by the Department of the Environment and 

subsequently transferred to English Heritage who, during 

the 1990’s carried out the major external restoration works 

to the Farmhouse, Ranges and Gate House. 

The farmhouse, which has a much longer structural history 

than the other buildings since it was in constant use as the 

main farm dwelling from medieval times up to 1974, in 

isolation from the Ranges, has little to distinguish it 

between a large number of other traditional farmhouses 

surviving in the locality. Numerous alterations and partial 

rebuilding seems to have followed the standard three 

room, through passage plan and developed from a 

building largely open to the roof, which gradually 

became infilled with upper floors. The principal service 

room had a small Cock-Loft constructed to perhaps 

create a sleeping platform, this being latterly enlarged 

into a comfortable sleeping chamber with stone staircase 

and garderobe. In the sixteenth century the first floor was 

installed and timber screens used to split the rooms. In the 

early seventeenth century the east end of the house was 

completely rebuilt and the open hall was floored to 

provide rooms on both ground and first floor levels. At this 

stage the house became fully two storied. The farmhouse 

therefore has a rich and complex building history belied 

by its simple exterior, like many medieval Devon houses. 

The sophisticated Lodging Ranges by contrast are of a 

single date and other than having been carefully and 

sympathetically restored, do not appear to have been 

substantially altered. The fifteenth century Gate House 

contributes to the overall quality of this exceptional 

property and again has been similarly restored. 

Leigh Barton offers prospective purchasers an exceptional 

opportunity to acquire an outstanding range of restored 

Grade I and Grade II Listed Buildings, together with two 

further cottages for possible occupation by dependent 

relatives, staff or letting purposes to create income. The 

vendor has, in recent years since completion of the 

restoration of the farmhouse, divided the house to create 

additional letting income. 

THE FARMHOUSE – CONSTRUCTED TO THE 

NORTH OF THE COURTYARD AND 

INCORPORATING PART OF THE WEST RANGE 

GROUND FLOOR: 

Access to the farmhouse is from the three sided part 

cobbled courtyard, open on the east and abutting the 

entrance drive. Stone steps lead up to a magnificent 

medieval doorway opening into a cross passageway with 

back door on the north to cobbled yard and Gate House. 

A new entrance door on the north elevation also leads to 

the cross passage. 

Front Hall 5.27m x 1.68m. Delabole cut slate floor. Oak 

internal doors to kitchen and west staircase with pine door 

to sitting room. Beamed ceiling. Radiator. 

Two stone steps lead down to the Kitchen 5.63m x 4.83m 

An “L” shaped room with window to the west over the 

garden. Flagstone floor and beamed ceiling. Oil fired 

Rayburn with small range of pine floor units with Belfast sink 

laid in and granite worktop. Plumbing for washing 

machine. Two radiators. Stone steps to Utility Room 

4.66m x 3.19m. Fitted lattice mullion window to the west, 

exposed stone walling and oak floor and ceiling. Oak 

studded door to the West Range. Plumbing for washing 

machine. 

W.C. accessed from the utility room with wash hand basin. 

Joinery made enclosed cistern. 

On the east side of the cross passageway a pine doorway 

leads to Sitting Room 5.5m x 4.86m. Original beamed 

ceiling with oak flooring to the bedroom above. Delabole 

cut slate floor. Windows to the south over the courtyard 

with window seats. Massive stone fireplace with inset 

wood burner. Two radiators. There are many character 

features of this room but in particular the early sixteenth 

century timber screen, being the division between this 

room and the cross passageway, with elaborately carved 

spiral mouldings. This originally marked the west end of 

the open hall and first floor.

Dining Room (currently used as second kitchen) 4.86m x 

3.78m. Large window to the south overlooking the 

courtyard with window seat. Delabole slate floor and 

similar ceiling as the sitting room. Stone fireplace with 

pretty recess and oil fired Rayburn set in. Currently fitted 

out with joinery built oak wall and floor kitchen storage 

units, plate drainers and Belfast sink laid in the worktop. 

Radiator. Door to Utility/Boot Room 2.82m x 2.59m with 

stable door to courtyard. Slate floor. Worcester oil fired 

boiler. Electric meters and control cupboard. Joinery 

made pine staircase (3) leading to en suite bathroom at 

first floor. 

Cloakroom/Wet Room. A fully tiled room with pressure 

shower, W.C. and wash hand basin. Plumbing cupboard 

housing hot water cylinder and pressure vessels. 

FIRST FLOOR: 

The first floor, which is accessed by three staircases with 

the eastern end providing direct access to the en suite for 

the master bedroom. 

From the sitting room, a half turned seventeenth century 

stone staircase (1) which leads to the principal bedroom 

at the head of the stairs with a wonderful plasterwork 

frieze. 

Master Bedroom 5.07m x 3.90m. Window to the south 

with window seat. Magnificent stone fire place with 

massive stone lintel over. Oak floor. Radiator. Doorway 

with slate and stone steps to en suite bathroom 3.07m 

(average) x 3.16m. Window to the east. Rolled bath, 

W.C. and wash hand basin. Door to staircase leading to 

utility room. 

Bedroom 2 5.45m x 5.06m with views to the south through 

double windows with window seats under. Original 

partition screens dating from the late sixteenth and 

seventeenth century. Infilled with cob and supported by 

wooden laths. Door to bedroom three. 

From the front hallway (ground floor) a joinery made oak 

half turn staircase (2) leads to half landing and on up to- 

Bedroom 3 5.04m x 3.18m. Window to the north 

overlooking the gatehouse. Oak floor. Radiator. Hanging 

cupboard and panelling as described in bedroom two. 

From the half landing – family bathroom 3.56m x 3.16m 

with window to the west. A feature of this room is the 

3 

rolled cast iron bath (believed to date 1880, fully 

refurbished). Pedestal wash hand basin. Oak panelling to 

part walls. Tiled shower cubicle with pressure shower. 

Heated towel rail and radiator. Airing cupboard with 

shelving. Hatch to roof space. 

The Roof Space – a pull down loft ladder leads to an 

insulated and boarded roof space with storage or 

potential alternative uses. The superb roof structure of the 

property is available for inspection through the hatchway. 

Accessed off the half landing and situated in the 

garderobe is a superb old fashioned style W.C. Joinery 

made surrounds with oak flooring, wash hand basin and 

radiator. 

Bedroom 4 again accessed off the half landing with stairs 

leading down. 4.73m x 3.5m. Lattice windows to the west 

with oak shutters. Exposed stonework. Open fireplace 

with massive stone lintel over. Elm flooring. En suite W.C. 

inset into the garderobe in the corner of the bedroom of 

similar construction as previously described. Door to 

passageway leading to the south range. 

THE SOUTH AND PART WEST RANGES: 

Previously the lodgings ranges, these are built of the same 

stone as the Gatehouse and probably belong to the same 

period. Lying to the south and part west of the farmhouse, 

they help to create the enclosure of three sides of the 

small courtyard. The two principal rooms are the first floor 

chambers, lit by straight-headed, four-light windows. The 

first floor is accessed either by a passageway leading from 

bedroom four or by a flight of stone steps which open 

onto an external roofed gallery flanking the south side of 

the courtyard. 

FIRST FLOOR CHAMBERS: 

A) East - 8.46m x 5.18m. Carefully restored stonework, 

wonderful exposed roof timbers and floored out with part 

oak and part elm flooring. Shuttered window to the south. 

B) West - 6.16m x 5.18m. Of similar construction to the 

east chamber with elm flooring. Garderobe in the 

southeast corner. This chamber has a magnificent roof 

structure with jointed cruck and arch-braced trusses. 

GROUND FLOOR: 

Originally the kitchen with a large fireplace at its eastern 

end. The fireplace formerly spanned the full width of the 

room. This area is now used for storage purposes. 8.24m x 

5.21m. 

Accessed from the garden through a doorway leading 

into the Western Range and also accessed internally from 

the utility room, is a workshop/garden store. 4.58m x 5.26m 

and 5.78m x 5.2m. Exposed stone walling with elm 

boarded ceiling above and earth floor. 

SERVICES: 

Mains water and mains electricity. 

The central heating and hot water is from the Worcester oil 

fired boiler in the boot room and immersion heater in the 

hot water tanks. The two oil fired Rayburns are for cooking 

purposes only. 

Private drainage. 

GENERAL SPECIFICATION/ FINISHES: 

The work was undertaken by a local builder who acted as 

project manager working together with the vendor, who 

carried out a substantial amount of the internal fittings 

and finishes himself. Some 300 sq.m of French oak was 

sourced and imported from France for the internal doors 

and floors. A number of the windows are stone mullioned 

with oak shutters. The cobbles were purchased and laid 

and some 28 tons of lime plaster and 600 kgs of lime wash 

was used throughout. The work was overseen by 

Plymouth based Architects and an Archaeologist. When 

the vendor purchased the property his vision was to 

“provide a cosy home full of character, whilst preserving 

an important historic building”. On viewing prospective 

purchasers will be able to see that this vision has been 

sympathetically and painstakingly achieved. 

THE GATEHOUSE AND CURTAIN WALL: 

Abutting the minor Council Highway, situated to the north 

of the small cobbled yard on the north side of the 

farmhouse, this late medieval Gate House, being a site of 

Scientific Interest, stands alongside the sunken lane which 

passes by the farmstead on the north Comprising a nearly 

rounded headed archway with inset double opening 

timber doors to the road with arched timber wicket 

pedestrian door, a newel staircase rising on the eastern 

side of the passageway to a first floor chamber with two 

mullioned-transomed windows, original fireplace, look out 

slots and garderobe (latrine). 4.18m x 2.67m

The Gate House, which is incorporated into a high 

defensive stone wall (the curtain wall), which extends for 

up to 8m either direction gives full protection to the north 

side of the farmhouse. The Gate House and Curtain Wall, 

as are the south and west lodgings, are faced with large 

finely cut slate stones from the Kingsbridge area, some of 

which are up to 2m long. The upper chamber of the Gate 

House incorporates a protected Bat Roost. 

CAR PARKING/GARAGE: 

The external areas surrounding the farmhouse, Gate House 

and Ranges are set mainly in grass with areas of cobbling. 

Ample space for car parking and Garage situated on the 

east side of the drive and inset into the garden area of the 

Pound House Barn having been carefully landscaped to 

reduce impact. Oak slatted front doors, concrete floor 

and pre-stressed concrete roof with garden above. 

5.23m X 3.27m. Light and power. 

LEIGH POUND HOUSE: 

A traditional attached barn conversion with the adjoining 

portion being retained by the vendor (separate access). 

Only recently completed and as yet unoccupied, this 

traditional stone barn conversion, which faces south, 

provides protection to Leigh Barton on the east. 

General Description 

Random stone under slated roof, timber windows and 

doors with double glazed units. Access from courtyard via 

4 

raised cobbled pathway leads to:- 

Front Door Part glazed entrance door leading to 

Entrance Hall Reclaimed pitch pine floor with pine 

architraves and solid timber doors, wall lights, smoke 

detector. Power point, Honeywell central heating 

thermostat. Doors to:- 

Bedroom No.1 5.00m (max into French window recess) x 

2.75m. Pitched pine floor; radiator; 2 wall lights; double 

half glazed doors to courtyard. Door to spacious 

understairs cupboard with electricity meters and 

consumer unit. Three brace solid pine door; oak ceiling 

beam; power points as fitted. TV point and telephone 

point. 

Bedroom 2 4.95m (max into French window recess) x 

2.82m. Radiator; power points as fitted; TV point; 

telephone point; 2 uplighters; oak ceiling beam; pitched 

pine floor with pine architraves and skirting; half glazed 

door onto courtyard with lovely open views of gardens 

beyond. Three brace solid pine door; metal door and 

curtain furniture. 

Bathroom Quarry tiled floor; pedestal wash hand basin 

with shower bath and low level WC suite in white. Mira 

mixer shower over the bath with glazed side screen Tiled 

splashback; mirror with integrated lighting and shaver 

point over. Part tiled walls;. Pine skirting; recessed 

spotlights; extractor fan; radiator with towel rail over. 

Airing cupboard; door onto landing; 2 slatted shelves as 

fitted. 

Oak staircase with 1 /2 twist leads to:- 

Sitting Room 3.85m x 4.41m A lovely room with vaulted 

ceiling and exposed timber pegged trusses; exposed 

timber window headers with slate windowsills; 2 double 

glazed windows and large French doors leading out onto 

paved courtyard area. Solid oak floor with oak skirtings 

and architrave; radiator; 4 uplighters; smoke alarm; wood 

burning stove with slate hearth; oak three brace door to 

boiler cupboard with Worcester gas fired central heating 

boiler with separate thermostatic timers for ground and 

first floor. Television point and telephone point. 

Storage Area above Boiler Room with boarded floor. 

Access hatch from Sitting Room. 

Cloakroom Oak three brace door; low level WC suite 

and pedestal wash hand basin; tiled splashback; wall 

light; plumbing for washing machine; oak floor; oak skirting 

and architraves. Thermostatic control for central heating. 

Kitchen Breakfast Room 4.49m x 2.75m A light room 

with quality range of oak fronted kitchen wall and base 

units under blue pearl granite work top with small granite 

upstand; tiled splashbacks; integrated appliances include 

double electric oven with grill and 4 ring ceramic hob with 

stainless steel extractor over. Under worktop fridge and 

separate freezer plus dishwasher. Window overlooking 

gardens and grounds plus glazed door onto paved 

courtyard area. Velux roof light; spotlighting as fitted with 

additional uplighter; radiator; solid oak floor; exposed 

feature roof trusses; telephone point.

EXTERNALLY 

Generously paved with bricks of muted shades is a terrace 

area with surrounding wall and part fencing. Levelled 

lawn area providing potential for attractive and spacious 

gardens. 

Oil tank. Underneath the garden of the Pound House is 

the garage, as previously described. 

THE STABLE BARN 

A very pretty stone barn situated on the south side of the 

entrance driveway for which a planning application has 

been submitted for a change of use from games room 

and storage to a domestic unit allied to the main 

property. The external elevations have been completely 

renovated to include new joinery to all windows and 

doors, fascia boards, new roof covering and rain water 

goods. Internally, insulated block walling, rendering, part 

slate floors, first floor pitch pine flooring and services, 

leaving the final fitting out to the purchaser’s own 

requirements. The submitted planning application will 

provide the following accommodation:- 

Western lean-to 4.6m x 4.4m – front entrance door 

leading into hallway with two steps to main living room. 

Cloakroom with W.C. and wash hand basin and half turn 

staircase to first floor. 

Main Barn. 7m x 4.4m. Living room with windows to the 

south and French window on the north. Oak flooring. 

At first floor level, in the main barn, a single bedroom 

overall dimensions 7m x 4.4m, with three windows to the 

north and Velux windows on the south. En suite 

Bathroom. 

Eastern lean-to 4.6m x 3.1m, accessed from the living 

room with doorway leading to the entrance drive and 

garden. Kitchen/diner. 

This is a very attractive barn with hipped roof and sets off 

the approach to Leigh Barton. 

SERVICES TO THE STABLES & LEIGH POUND 

HOUSE: 

Mains water and electricity are connected 

Private drainage to tank, shared with adjoining retained 

property. 

5 

THE GARDENS & GROUNDS: 

Leigh Barton stands in a total of some 1.225 ha with the 

farmhouse having an area of garden laid to lawns and 

flower beds with a lower terracing of vegetable gardens, 

situated to the west. This offers peace and seclusion with 

no over view from the occupants of the two barn 

conversions. The Pound House Barn has its own private 

garden situated to the north, currently laid to lawn. To the 

south of Leigh Barton is an area of some 1.5 acres plus, 

laid to grass and planted with a mixture of hard and 

softwood trees to create a park like effect. There will be a 

covenant requiring the purchaser to retain this area in a 

similar fashion. 

ADDITIONAL LAND – 3.22 HECTARES: 

The vendor will, by separate negotiation, agree to sell two 

adjoining fields accessed either from the County Highway 

or through a gate positioned below the vegetable 

garden. This will offer virtually another 8 acres and would 

be ideally suitable for those wishing to have additional 

land for equestrian or hobby farming purposes (coloured 

blue and green on the plan). Further details from the 

Agents. 

VIEWING 

Viewing is strictly by appointment with the joint sole 

Agents. 

DIRECTIONS 

From the A38 devon Expressway to the north, leave the 

dual carriageway at Wrangaton, approximately 1 mile 

west of South Brent. At the top of the slip road turn left 

and continue due south crossing over Kitterford Cross for 

some 3.5 miles. At California Cross, leaving the pub on the 

right hand side and just past the BP Filling Station fork left 

signposted Kingsbridge and Loddiswell, continue for a 

further 3 miles, heading south towards Kingsbridge, pass 

through the village of Loddiswell, down the hill and over 

Loddiswell Bridge then up the hill for a further mile passing 

Aune Valley Meat Farm on the left hand side and 

continue for a further half mile to Sorley Cross. At the large 

crossroads on the brow of the hill turn right signposted 

Kingsbridge, Salcombe. Proceed for approximately 

quarter of a mile to the first turning right, signposted Leigh. 

Turn right and continue for approximately half a mile 

down the hill and the entrance to Leigh Barton is the third 

of three small entrances in a row on the left hand side, just 

before reaching the Gate House. 

THE GRANITE CIDER POUND 

Situated to the east of the Stables is a magnificent cider 

pound. This is NOT included with the property, but is 

available by separate negotiation. Details from the joint 

Agents. 

COUNCIL TAX 

The property is in Band D and the amount payable for 

2007/08 is £1359.74 

VIEWING 

Strictly by appointment with the agents. *The comments 

made by the vendor and estate agent are not factual in 

any way. 

DISCLAIMER 

Tenure The agent has not had sight of the title documents 

and therefore the buyer is advised to obtain verification 

from their solicitor or surveyor as to whether the property is 

leasehold or freehold. All measurements quoted are 

approximate. The fixures, fittings & appliances have not 

been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given 

that they are in working order. Internal photographs are 

reproduced for general information and it cannot be 

Inferred that any item shown is included in the sale. 

Council tax & business rates, etc You are advised to 

contact the local authority for details. Ordnance survey 

maps ©Crown copyright 2001. All rights reserved. Based 

on Ordnance Survey data (not to scale). 

Drawings/sketches/plans/etc This representation is 

provided for general guidance and is not to scale. 

General disclaimer Every care has been taken with the 

preparation of these Sales Particulars, but complete 

accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If there is any point, 

which is of particular importance to you, we will be 

pleased to check the information for you. These Particulars 

do not constitute a contract or part of a contract.

leigh barton churchstow, nr. kingsbridge, south devon, tq7 4ag

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