Idyllic 750 acre seaside estate of Bantham sold for £11.5 million.
Considered one of the greatest unspoilt villages in South Hams, Bantham Estate is located within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The estate itself comprises of Bantham Ham, Bantham Beach, 21 residential village properties, two substantial farmhouses, Bigbury Golf Course, 589 acres of agricultural land, the estuary of the River Avon leased from the Duchy of Cornwall and several boat houses. It also boasts an inn, The Sloop Inn (privately owned), and a village shop (included in the sale of the Estate).
Lieutenant Commander Charles Evans purchased Bantham in 1922 and since then it has remained one of the largest family-owned estates in Britain. Until now, the estate has been managed by Evans Estates (1956) Limited. His decendants have gone to great lengths to maintain Charles Evans’ ethos of keeping the village, Bantham Ham and Bantham Beach as unspoilt as possible.
Prompted by a death in the Evans family, the estate went up for sale earlier this year. The sale has been controversial, with local tenants concerned for the future of the hamlet.
The National Trust emerged as a possible buyer after deciding to bid for just the beach and coastline for £7 million. However it was Nicholas Johnston of the Great Tew Estate in Oxfordshire who finally completed.
Nicholas Johnston said, “I am delighted to have agreed and concluded the purchase of the beautiful Bantham Estate in Devon. Inevitably, there has been a great degree of public interest in both the sale process and the identity and intentions of the new owner. I would hope that our existing Estate at Great Tew in Oxfordshire and the long term, coherent and considerate management of this equally beautiful village, farmland and landscape would reassure those genuinely concerned about the future of Bantham. We look forward to bringing another long period of family ownership to this unique Estate, ensuring that the aspirations of the previous owners are preserved and that the employees, tenants and visitors to Bantham can continue to enjoy all that makes this village and wider Estate so special.”
The purchase of the Bantham Estate has been one of the most historic and highly anticipated sales in Britain. For more information, please contact Strutt & Parker.
