Dartmoor’s wilds can been spied from the playfully Gothic windows of late-Georgian Highfield House, a six-bedroom villa in one of the most sought-after parts of Totnes, some 25 miles from Exeter. On the market with Marchand Petit at a guide price of £1.25 million, Highfield is mere minutes away from the town centre but offers secluded luxury behind its high walls and stunning views from its hilltop garden.
An orangery and a sizeable cellar are only some of the charms this beautiful period property has to offer. Described as ‘one of the great houses of Totnes’, Highfield is awash with high ceilings and intricate cornicing.
Built in 1825, the house still holds the level of quality and luxury it doubtless held as one of the first residences to be built in the area.
Improvements in 2012 brought with them the orangery, an ideal spot to paint or photograph from, with a consistently gentle light and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
The kitchen is handsome and well decorated, with a large central counter and plenty of workspace.
The garden has been carefully tended and enjoys sun all year round, sloping away from the house with mature shrubs and flowered borders. One can only hope that a turn in the weather will give these views the clear days they deserve, but it's hard to imagine even rain spoiling the undulating countryside stretching out before the house.
Deceptively petite from the outside, Highfield is situated over four floors, with a large cellar (complete with wine store), three sitting rooms on the ground floor and eight bedrooms (plus a further study) over the top two floors.
The views from the topmost bedrooms, all painted in neutral shades and fitted with wide windows, are simply exquisite.
All of this hides behind solid wooden gates, giving Highfield the privacy many move away from the city to obtain and enjoy.
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
Credit: Alamy
Seven golden rules for selling a country house
With coronavirus now seemingly past its peak in Britain, we're tentatively beginning to look ahead to how life will get
Get your home's lighting just right: Seven questions answered
Few things are more important for the atmosphere of your home as the lighting. Interior designer Emily Todhunter shares her
How to design a truly sociable kitchen: ‘It’s hard to believe that there was a time when a kitchen was simply a room for cooking and washing-up’
Kitchens have long been the hub of family life, but designs don’t always reflect that. Amelia Thorpe spoke to kitchen
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
Exploring the countryside is essential for our wellbeing, but Right to Roam is going backwardsCampaigners in England often point to Scotland as an example of how brilliantly Right to Roam works, but it's not all it's cracked up to be, says Patrick Galbraith.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for saleThe five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
