6 bedroom detached house for sale

Downmead is set on the edge of the charming village of Hemyock, offering exceptional views of the countryside and beyond. It is a good distance from its neighbours, set back from the passing lane and is screened by mature trees and hedging, which provide a high degree of privacy and peace. The house was built in 1934 and is a lovely example of a good-sized family house of the period. Its front is dominated by two impressive, south facing double storey bay which amplify the available natural light to give the interior a wonderful feeling of light and space. The house has been extended and improved to an incredibly high standard over recent years and today is beautifully presented throughout. The most recent refurbishments were undertaken by the current owners and include creating a ground floor annexe, a further self-contained annexe in the roof space and, most recently, a timber-clad, self-contained holiday studio in the grounds

The house is now perfectly geared to modern family living. On one side of the central entrance hall is the large, combined kitchen and family room, which has an open fireplace, ample space for separate seating and dining
areas and a well-equipped kitchen equipped with a large central island and a range of built-in electric appliances.
On the other side of the hall are the inter-connected cinema and gym/games rooms, which has an integral hot tub in one corner. At the rear of the house is a self-contained one-bedroom annexe. Upstairs there are a total of five double bedrooms and five bath/shower rooms, four of them en suite. Four bedrooms are on the first floor including a lovely principal bedroom suite with its own dressing room, shower room, WC and west-facing balcony. A suite of attic rooms in the roof space forms a self-contained annexe with its own living room with kitchenette.

Garden, Grounds and Outbuildings
The house is approached down a long, straight driveway ending at a good-sized parking area in front of the house and beside the attached double garage. There is further overflow/AirBnB guest parking at the start of the drive (total parking space for eight cars). The drive is edged with tall hedges with a level lawn on one side bounded by a stand of mixed native, broadleaf trees. Behind the house is a further level lawn studded with a mix of young specimen trees. On one side of the lawn and arranged along the property's western boundary fence is a summer house, greenhouse and
garden store. Directly behind the house is a gravelled area crisscrossed by paved paths with a substantial deck at its centre, which supports a covered bar and barbeque/dining area, from where the lovely views of the surrounding countryside can be fully enjoyed.

In one corner of the rear garden is a timber-clad and superbly equipped guest studio built a year ago and used as AirBnB holiday accommodation. It has proved extremely popular with guests and is one of the most loved homes on AirBnB, with a top 1% ranking. It incorporates an open plan family room and kitchen with uninterrupted views of the Blackdown Hills through glazed, bifold doors that open onto decking shaded by an old oak tree. It also has two good-sized double bedrooms, one with an en suite shower room plus a family bath and shower room. The studio is mutually private from the main house with a rear, paved courtyard equipped with a small hot tub and decking that just looks out over the surrounding countryside. Guests use the parking at the beginning of the drive, which is connected to the studio via a paved path.

Downmead sits in a fantastic, sought after position in the Blackdown Hills AONB on the edge of Hemyock, a large, historic village with about 4,000 residents. The village boasts a medieval castle, parish church, GP surgery, pub (The Catherine Wheel), primary school and post office/convenience store. The neighbouring village of Uffculme has a library and highly regarded secondary school. The nearby towns of Wellington and Cullompton offer a wide selection of large supermarkets to choose from between them plus a selection of local shops and businesses including dental and veterinary surgeries. The charming market town which is Taunton is also about 13 miles away which offers an excellent range of shopping and recreational amenities. Local transport links are excellent with the M5 only 15 minutes away and both Tiverton Parkway and Honiton station nearby offering regular train services to Paddington and Waterloo. There is also a good selection of schooling, both public and private nearby including Wellington School in Wellington, Exeter School, Blundells School in Tiverton and Queens and Kings College in Taunton. The Cathedral City of Exeter is about 25 miles to the southwest and offers a comprehensive range of amenities including a large modern shopping centre, theatres and international airport.