Chagford, Devon£360,000 Freehold

New Street

This two-bedroom cottage, which dates to the 16th century, has been meticulously restored under current ownership

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This Grade II-listed cottage in Chagford sits in the heart of Devon’s Dartmoor National Park, its architecture steeped in the surrounding ancient landscape of tor-covered moorlands and deep granite-strewn valleys. This two-bedroom cottage, which dates to the 16th century, has been meticulously restored under current ownership with an understated palette that sits comfortably alongside the historic fabric of local granite stone and reed thatch.

Setting the Scene

Chagford played a central role in the historic Devonshire tin industry, having been chosen as one of the only Stannary Towns in Dartmoor in 1305. In the centuries that followed, the town was one of the most prosperous economic centres in the county, with the tin industry remaining a driving force until the 19th century. The resulting townscape is one that is characterised by a patchwork of architectural styles and rural vernaculars, a condition that is demonstrated on New Street by the shifting rhythm of rubble, ashlar, rendered, thatched and tiled cottages. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

Across from the medieval Church of the St Michael, this cottage sits at the northern end of New Street, the seam of its thatched roof nestled low in the row of granite houses. The front door, set into a traditional lime rendered façade, is painted is a deep green tone to match the frames of the casement windows. The current owners have restored the cottage to meld its vernacular character and original features with high-performing and contemporary finishes.

The door opens to a useful porch, where there is space to hang coats and kick off boots after a muddy walk on the moor. Beyond this, the ground floor is arranged as an open plan kitchen and living space with a simple poured concrete floor complements the white-washed walls. To the right of the plan an impressive inglenook fireplace of exposed granite takes centre stage. Atop the raised slate hearth sits a wood-burning stove; a seat by the fire with a favourite book makes for a cosy spot for hunkering down on a winter night. Timber panelling and built-in cupboards around the fireplace are painted in ‘Toad’ by Little Greene.

At the other side of the plan is a well-appointed kitchen of black cabinetry. Here, a door opens to the cottage garden, ideal for dashing out to pick some herbs to add to a meal. There is plenty of space in the middle of the room for a dining table, and tucked away in the back corner are the laundry facilities.

Tones of deep green continues on the first-floor landing, coating the stairs, balustrades and the timber frame of a large window. A sisal carpet runs throughout the landing and both of the bedrooms. The vernacular character of the cottage is evident in the primary bedroom, where undulating rendered walls and timber beams are painted in ‘Vapour’ and ‘Country Redwood’ by Benjamin Moore. The deep red hue imbues the room with a sense of warmth as light filters through the panes of a casement window. Here, there is a useful nook for books and a deep, built-in storage cupboard. The second bedroom takes on a cooler palette, with timber panelled walls painted in Little Greene’s ‘China Blue’ and views are over the neighbouring cottages of New Street.

Also on the first floor is a perfectly formed shower room. The walls and exposed timber beams are washed in a tranquil cream, and the large rain-style shower is lined with matching mosaic tiles.

The Great Outdoors

A glazed door opens from the kitchen to a cottage garden at the rear of the house. Patios are organised over two terraces: one makes a lovely place for a table and chairs to sit beneath the over-hanging thatch roof, and the other makes a bright space for cultivating pots of herbs and greens.

Meandering past the boundary fences, which are draped in wonderfully fragrant honeysuckle, the vantage point at the back of the patio garden is perfect for admiring the traditional Devon reed thatch roof.

Out and About

Chagford is situated in the heart of the Dartmoor National Park, on the north-east fringes of open moorland taking in rolling hills, deep-cut valleys and expansive heathland. The River Teign meanders around the town, through the ancient woodlands of the Teign Gorge, past Castle Drogo and under Fingle Bridge. For those keen to explore this ancient landscape on foot or by bike, the Dartmoor Way and the Two Moors Way can be picked up in the village.

Half a mile from the town centre, perched on the banks of the River Teign, is Chagford Lido which opened in 1933, and today it is one of the largest, open-air, freshwater pools in the country. Beaches and seaside towns along the Devonshire and Cornish coasts can be reached in an hour by car. For those more inclined to cultural pursuits, the town is host to music, film and literary festivals.

Despite such a bucolic setting, Chagford offers wonderful daily amenities. An array of independent provisors, a post office, a pharmacy and a florist are arranged around the historic, octagonal Market House in the centre of the village. Blacks Delicatessen and the Fat Mouse Dairy stock a selection of English cheeses, Devon honey and local cider, among other delicacies. The much-loved Beachwood Bakery supplies fresh bread daily, as well as cakes, pastries and homemade ice-creams.

There are two good pubs in the the town. The Chagford Inn serves a changing menu of seasonal fare alongside a selection of ales and ciders. The Three Crowns pub was once a 13th century manor belonging to Sir John Whyddon, and a seat by the fire under the mullioned windows of the old house is a wonderful spot to relax with a drink. Less than a 10-minute drive from the cottage is Gidleigh Park, a Michelin-starred restaurant set in a grand Edwardian country house on the banks of the North Teign River.

Chagford is within easy commute of Exeter and Plymouth, which can be reached by car within 40 minutes and an hour, respectively. For travel to the capital, trains run direct from Exeter St David’s to London Paddington in two and half hours.

Council Tax Band: C

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.

History

Archaeological remains from the Bronze Age suggest that communities have inhabited the area around Chagford for 4,000 years, but it was during the Middle Ages that Chagford emerged as a prosperous and important town. Initially, the village grew around the wool trade, but the natural landscape of thin soils and metal-laced granite outcrops steered it to become a centre for the tin industry.

In 1305 Edward I granted a town charter to Chagford that allowed it the authority to hold one of the four Devon Stannary Courts alongside Ashburton, Tavistock and Plympton. Tinners were required any goods that they mined in Devon to one of these Stannary towns where it would be weighed, assessed and stamped, and it was here that a duty payable to the Crown was levied. As Devonshire tin mining was such a great source of revenue for the Crown, the Stannary towns became the most important administrative centres in the county and were allowed to create their own Parliament which took precedence over Common Law.