… Cadhay - a mile from Ottery St Mary - is one of Simon Jenkins’ ‘England’s Thousand Best Houses’ and was one of 16 shortlisted by Country Life for their 2006 ‘Finest manor house’ award. It is mostly Tudor, built around 1550 by a local lawyer who married an heiress, Miss de Cadehaye. A long gallery was added in Elizabeth I’s reign. Jacobean additions created a lovely sheltered central courtyard, the ‘Court of the Sovereigns’, overlooked by four carved images of Tudor monarchs. Enclosed by the house and overlooked by most rooms, it has chequerboard-effect stone and flint walls.

Full of character but with modern comfort, Cadhay is a beautiful and welcoming place. It is Grade I listed and you can marry here – please ask us for more information. Approached along a shady avenue of limes, the whole house is yours and stands peacefully alone apart from a quiet ‘home’ farm beyond. The magnificent 3 acre garden, described in a magazine article as ‘understated, gracious and beautiful’, fades via a ha-ha into countryside and has fine trees, cedars, fountains and walkways, herbaceous borders, yew hedges, ½ acre lake which was originally medieval fishponds (unfenced – children beware) and huge lawns to enjoy (croquet available). There is also a walled garden with well-tended allotments and 50 acres of farmland around the house.

Inside, wonderful rooms, fine fireplaces, leaded windows, granite mullions, stucco ceilings, designer curtains, beautiful furniture, paintings.

The Georgian porch leads into the entrance hall off which is a study (TV) with comfy seating for 4, and the dining room with amazing carved stone fireplace (woodburner) and mahogany table/chairs seating 14 (extension to 20), surveyed by portraits of the ancestors.From the dining room, there are three fine interconnecting rooms for sitting in (totalling 70’): the living hall with 18th cent. furniture, oak floor with rugs, woodburner, comfy seats for 8, the main wooden 16th cent. gradual curving stairs; the library with woodburner, TV/DVD and comfy seats for 5; and the drawing room with Georgian panelling, comfy seats for 10, writing desk and ornamental fireplace. A small, flagstone-floored study leads to the flower room and garden beyond. Doors from the main rooms invite you into the enclosed Court of the Sovereigns with huge wooden table/benches for al fresco eating and summer evenings (additional seating and barbecue by west entrance). Large farmhouse-style kitchen with four-door Aga, electric range with halogen hob, microwave, butler sink, Welsh dresser, table/chairs seating 8; steps down to slate-shelved pantry (freezer, drinks fridge); scullery with sink and dishwashers; utility room (washing machine, tumble drier, Sheila maid). Back stairs beside the kitchen. Downstairs twin bedroom, Haydon, with huge stone arch and fireplace and, next door, a shower-room suite. Also, two separate loos.

Upstairs, are seven more very good-sized bedrooms, most with lovely views over the gardens; most with fine ornamental fireplaces:

Whetham – a corner room with contemporary double handcrafted half-tester (5’6"), view over the garden and en suite bathroom (bath plus hand-shower and washbasin)

The ‘Dressing Room’ - a smallish single bedroom (optional interconnecting door to Whetham)

The Nursery – a twin with panelling, double aspect windows and window seat

Sugar Plum – a corner four-poster double (5’) with Georgian panelling, window seat and double aspect windows, accessed via The Nursery or the Long Gallery

Barton – a lovely double aspect corner room with fine four-poster double (5’3"), lovely drapes

Reibey – a small single room with view to front of the house

Paulet – the master corner bedroom with a four-poster double (5’), carved stone fireplace (ornamental), double aspect windows and en suite bathroom (suite with roll-top bath plus hand-shower, and optional door to landing)

Two more bathrooms (suites plus hand-showers) and a separate loo.

On the same floor are the Long Gallery, stretching the width of the house with a fascinating display of historical items, and the quite magnificent Roof Chamber with the arch-braced roof from the original Great Hall and much fine oak furniture. This is one of the designated marriage rooms.

On the top floor are two separate attics, with four smaller bedrooms (sloping ceilings) which are comfy and smart:

The East Attic: two twin bedrooms, Peveril and Newton, with a bathroom (suite plus hand-shower and separate shower) and large anteroom with table tennis.

The West Attic: two twin bedrooms, McClintock and Peere Williams, and two bathrooms (suites with roll-top baths plus hand-showers) with a shared private sitting room (TV).

So that’s twelve bedrooms (4 double, 6 twin, 2 single), seven bathrooms, one shower-room, plus three separate loos. Sleeps maximum 22, including babies. Professional catering available. Wedding licence. Arrival after 6pm (summer months only). Cautionary Deposit £750. It is a fascinating and friendly home.