Your own little slice of Haven down in Devon
Situated in the desirable environs of Newton Ferrers, this estuary-side property has views that will never get old


It takes a certain amount of confidence in the quality of your property to name it The Haven. The implication would be that it would have to be a home of the highest standard, something approaching a ‘dream house’.
I imagine each of us have our own ideas of what perfection might look like. I, for example, enjoy my cricket, so would like my own pitch. Someone who likes horses (not me) would be keen on menages, or something like that, and paddocks, so that they can spend time with their giant unpredictable animals.
However, certain things strike me as universal. I think a kitchen island would be pretty much a staple for all these days, as would a top-tier bathroom with all the trimmings. If there’s one thing I know about most humans, it’s that they certainly would find heaven by spending time near the water.
Which leads me back to The Haven, near Newton Ferrers. This four-bedroom property – for sale with Marchand Petit for £1.95 million – certainly ticks the ‘near some water’ box, situated as it is above Newton Creek, which feeds directly into the River Yealm.
I’m trying to think of the correct way to describe the general atmosphere of this place. Nautical feels a little serious, so perhaps ‘seaside chic’ is what we’ll aim for — lots of white, lots of soft-blue hues, plenty of large windows throughout, seashells and wood.
Every bit of this property does what it can to make the most of the sensational setting, making sure it would never be more than a moment that you would lose sight of the Yealm and the Atlantic beyond.
The ground floor is set for entertaining, with large open-plan spaces forming the kitchen, dining and living rooms. Two bedrooms occupy the remainder of the ground floor, while the other two (including the master suite), take up the first floor.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Outside, the gardens wrap around the property and provide plenty of space to sit and enjoy the view with a coffee, as the photographs are desperate to prove, while a garage provides somewhere to park. The property offers water frontage with a mooring, subject to permission from the harbourmaster.
I’m not sure where I’d put my cricket pitch, and it seems unlikely that a horse could be stored here for long. But overall, I think The Haven just about lives up to its name.
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
Riverside living in a New-England style hillside home
Where the Truro and Tresillian Rivers meet, five bedroom Rivergarth is suitably positioned to take advantage
The Country Life Podcast
Listen to all the episodes of the Country Life Podcast.
Quentin Blake’s former home for sale, and it’s as wonderfully higgledy-piggledy as his illustrations
This 570-year-old house was until recently the home of the iconic children’s illustrator Quentin Blake. We stepped inside to take
James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
The most expensive postcodes outside of London have been revealed
Some are not so surprising. Some are quite surprising. Most are still quite close to London. All are costly.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
Meet the willow weaving artist whose work is popular on both sides of the pond
This summer, Laura Ellen Bacon's work stars in two different exhibitions.
By Carla Passino Published
-
The most expensive postcodes outside of London have been revealed
Some are not so surprising. Some are quite surprising. Most are still quite close to London. All are costly.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A £1.5 million flat on the street where wig and pen once met
It doesn't get more central London than Fleet Street.
By James Fisher Published
-
A spectacular coastal estate in Dorset set on its own private peninsula
This 160-acre estate is part nature reserve and part country home, with a beautiful Arts-and-Crafts home at its heart.
By Arabella Youens Last updated
-
A converted bothy on the shores of Loch Tay from which to enjoy the fresh tastes of Spring
Waterfall Cottage offers four bedrooms and a garden that stretches right down to the lapping waters.
By James Fisher Published
-
An idyllic home in Hampshire that's perfect for the musical mind
Lyewood House sits in 3.5 acres and comes with a purpose built recording studio and an outdoor heated pool.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National Park
Old House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
From 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.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A converted monastery for sale where the chapel has become the most incredible swimming pool we've seen in years
You can't help but wonder what the Trappist monks who once owned this 80-acre site in Devon would make of how the place has turned out.
By James Fisher Published