Refreshingly untouched by time, the picturesque village of Lee on the north Devon coast, between the holiday resort of Ilfracombe and Bull Point lighthouse, is strung out along the slopes of a deep wooded combe, bordered on three sides by rolling Devon countryside and on the fourth by the Bristol Channel.
At the head of the combe known locally as Fuschia Valley, where in summer the hedgerows are ablaze with scarlet flowers, stands Lee Manor, a solid, stone-built, late-Victorian manor house set in 49 acres of gardens and woodland with access to a secret cove and far-reaching views out to sea over Lee Bay.
Now back on the market with Strutt & Parker after a ‘Covid break’, the house, which is unlisted, was built in 1896–98 for Charles Drake Cutcliffe, the squire of Lee, whose coat-of-arms is inscribed on a wall of the entrance porch. Selling agent Oliver Custance Baker quotes a guide price of £3.95m for Lee Manor, which was renovated throughout by the owners when they bought it some 30 years ago and has been meticulously cared for ever since.
Approached through electronically operated wrought-iron gates and up a wide tree-lined drive flanked by rhododendrons, the house offers more than 8,000sq ft of well-proportioned living accommodation centred on an impressive reception hall with an open fireplace, a stone mullioned stained-glass window, wide, three-tiered staircase and minstrel’s gallery.
It boasts three reception rooms, a study, kitchen/breakfast room, spacious master suite, six further bedrooms with en-suite facilities and a cellar with games room and bar.
Lee Manor is currently on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £3.95 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Lee: What you need to know
Location: In the heart of the Fuschia Valley in North Devon, just a stone's throw from the coast. Woolacombe is 3 1/2 miles to the south west and Ilfracombe is 2 1/2 miles further up the coast.
Atmosphere: The quiet, secluded village is home to the Grampus Inn and a village church. Day-to-day amenities can be found in both Woolacombe and Ilfracombe.
Things to do: Explore the wonderfully secluded Lee Bay Beach or take long walks through the pretty countryside. Surf at Woolacombe or enjoy its 4-mile-long stretch of beach. Visit the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe or head to the market town of Barnstaple (13 miles) for its weekly market and shopping facilities.
Schools: Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School, Ilfracombe Church of England Junior School and Woolacombe School are within the local area.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
The Airlander wants to save our skiesA new hybrid aircraft promises eco-friendly aviation. Designed and built in the UK, can it be the future of air travel?
-
Why don't we know how long the UK coastline is?Welcome to the Coastline Paradox, where trying to find an accurate answer is more of a hindrance than a help.
-
Classical style meets fun and flair in a seven-bedroom manor in CornwallAt Polstrong Manor, the current owners have combined period charm and elegant modern interiors to create a flamboyant country home 10-minutes from the beach.
-
Two halves make a sublime four-bedroom home in Kent's North DownsA contemporary extension to a traditional clapboard house brings light and life to Lavington House.
-
The week in property statistics: Service charges reach record highPlus, how first-time buyers prop up the mortgage market, why you need to move north if you want to live by yourself, and house-price growth slows
-
A seven-bedroom oast house for sale in East Sussex, where your dreams can run riotUnlisted, yet full of character, this property in the High Weald National Landscape is an eccentrically furnished family home that screams fun.
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in NorfolkWillow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
-
A Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse that's part of the fabric of Bath's historyWith 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
-
17 delightful homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeOur round-up of some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life this week includes a wonderful Cotswolds home and a happily affordable cottage in the West Country.
-
'This is the most money you'll spend on anything ever': The things that really matter when buying your first home in LondonIt’s easy to dream of what the ideal first-home in London might be, but when the cost of living in the capital is this expensive, being near a Gail's isn't as important as you think it is.
