As you might imagine, we see a lot of lovely homes here at Country Life. From irresistible chocolate box cottages to sprawling Scottish estates, and from pretty family homes in the Home Counties to swish London penthouses.
With such a range of sizes, shapes, locations and budgets, it's self-evidently impossible to start talking about what the best house ever is. And yet when The Shotts came along, that's the exact conversation that we found ourselves having.
'Is this the best house ever?' came the question on the editorial team group chat, along with a link to the listing. 'YES!' came the first of several replies, just moments later. And while we still wouldn't pretend that it is definitely the best house ever, we'd defy anyone not to grin and coo at the combination of an outrageously beautiful location with a magnificently flamboyant interior. It's the ultimate antidote for every soulless, greige-decorated box you've ever come across.
‘The current owners spent three years painstakingly renovating the house into a unique family home in a class of its own, with a magical, fairytale feel,’ say agents of seven-bedroom Shotts Manor — just below Haytor and 17 miles from Exeter — the interiors of which manage to combine Italianate villa with gypsy caravan and everything in between.
Moroccan tiles feature heavily: the owners commissioned them specially for the house, and it took the tilers nine months to install them. But just as much a part of the house are the breathtaking Dartmoor views, with the house’s entire design centred on the sunrise. There’s also a retro-style oval slate-framed open fire, carved doors from India, handpainted walls in viewing gallery The Nest and, as well as a staircase, a playful slope leading from first to ground floor.
The awe-inspiring home is currently on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £3.5 million, and its global-inspired interiors are nothing short of breathtaking, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.
Artistic flair runs throughout, no least in the kitchen, with its green and white tiled flooring, dramatic stand-alone sink and hand-painted touches from a 'noble Scottish artist.'
Little Shotts is a two-bedroom cottage in the grounds, finished in the same playful style and providing excellent guest accommodation or let out as holiday accommodation.
Also within the grounds is Tiny Shotts, a garden office with adjoining shower room, an outdoor living room and a footpath through woods to the west will lead you to The Rock Inn.
The Shotts is a rare find — a celebration of global style that is somehow right at home in the midst of the Dartmoor National Park.
The Shotts is currently on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £3.5 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Haytor: What you need to know
Location: In the Dartmoor National Park, about 9 miles west of Newton Abbot, just under 5 miles from Bovey Tracey — also known as 'The Gateway to the Moors' and approximately 20 miles south of Exeter.
Atmosphere: The pretty village is home to The Rock Inn — a well-regarded, local pub, as well as gastropub Tinpickle and Rhum.
Things to do: The surrounding National Park provides a wonderful backdrop with plenty of outdoor activities, from walking, riding and cycling. The Cathedral city of Exeter is easily reached and home to a theatre, museum, extensive shopping facilities and restaurants, whilst Bovey Tracey and Ashburton provide a good mix of boutique shops and day-to-day amenities.
Schools: There are plenty of reputable options in the area, including primary schools at Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Bovey Tracey, Stover School, Blundell's in Tiverton, St. Peter's in Lympstone, Exeter School and The Maynard School.
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 century-old enamelling technique used to create Van Cleef's lucky ladybird brooch — which has something in common with Country LifeThe technique used in the jeweller's Geneva workshop has been put to good use in its latest creation.
-
‘The best sleep in the sky’: What it’s like to fly in United’s Polaris cabin, approved by American icon Martha StewartUnited’s Business Class cabin goes by the name Polaris and Martha Stewart is a fan. So, how does it fare?
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
