Thornbury Manor, Thornbury, Holsworthy, EX22 7DD

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Set within almost 7 acres of wonderfully untamed gardens, meadow, orchard, and woodland, plus a field of just over 8 acres, Thornbury Manor is a remarkably handsome, unlisted country house that masterfully marries its 1850 origins as a simple Keeper’s Cottage with grander Victorian and Edwardian iterations. Spanning approximately 3,900 sq ft, the four-bedroom home has been thoughtfully restored by a conservation specialist using a palette of traditional materials—including local lime render, tectonic slate, and reclaimed materials—preserving a rich patina of history while offering a flexible, free-flowing canvas for modern living.

The History & Design: The west wing retains the evocative texture of the building's earliest days, complete with lime-washed stone walls, slate flagstones, and a winding cottage staircase. This opens into the later, grander principal rooms, defined by exceptional volume, wide circulation spaces, and a sequence of six magnificent south-facing bay windows and French doors that flood the interiors with light.

The Living Spaces: The ground floor is anchored by a vast, dual-aspect Drawing Room, a Sitting Room and a formal Dining Room, each connecting effortlessly to the gardens and to the sunny southern terrace. The heart of the home is a wonderfully social, traditional Devon kitchen, complete with a separated back-kitchen area and a wood-fired Esse range that provides both culinary focus and gentle warmth.

The Grounds: A romantic tapestry of mature and wilding grounds. The formal lawns roll into a wildflower meadow where wild flowers now flourish, punctuated by an exquisite Hartley Botanic ‘Victorian’ glasshouse and an established orchard and bluebell-filled woodland. The boundaries are protected by veteran sweet chestnuts, oak, and beech trees, creating a microclimate where wildlife thrives.

The Adjoining Field: Included with the estate is an additional, adjoining 8.4-acre field and shaw. Having been naturally wilding for several years, this south-east sloping landscape has become a vibrant sanctuary for self-seeded oaks, native fauna, and rare wild orchids. With mown paths woven through the tall grasses and dedicated spots to sit or camp, this parcel offers superb ecological merit alongside clear potential for equestrian or agricultural conversion.

Outbuildings & Scope: A pair of former holiday cottages offer immense potential for studio spaces, independent annexes, or holiday lets. Being unlisted, the manor offers rare flexibility for multi-generational living or off-grid, sustainable upgrades.

Services & Utilities: The home is connected to mains water and features high-speed fibre broadband connectivity and good mobile coverage. Background warmth is provided via an oil-fired central heating system alongside modern, efficient 'ecoburn' woodburning stoves and a wood-fired Esse range cooker, which provides hot water, heating and cooking facilities (with the estate's private woodland offering a self-sufficient fuel source). Drainage is handled via a private wastewater treatment plant with built-in capacity to support the future restoration of the holiday cottages, while an on-site well provides a sustainable backup for garden irrigation.

The Location: Thornbury Manor enjoys a private position accessed from a quiet public lane, perfectly balanced between countryside tranquility and town convenience. It sits just minutes from the busy market town of Holsworthy (home to a Waitrose) and within easy reach of several vibrant North Devon towns. The estate is also ideally positioned for exploring the dramatic open sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, and coves of the North Devon and Cornish coastlines, as well as the wild expanses of Dartmoor.

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