High above the Taw estuary, a four bedroom home with a roof terrace where the water turns to gold

Eblana stands high above the Taw estuary in the quiet village of Ashford. From its roof terrace the land falls away over open fields to the water and on the far bank the hills of North Devon roll on to the horizon. The tide fills and drains the estuary below you through the day. As evening comes the water turns silver and then gold, and the last of the sun lights up the front of the house.

This detached four bedroom home has 1,885 sq ft of living space and a garage, with gardens on every side. It comes with no onward chain. One family has loved the house and garden for many years and you can see it everywhere. Acers, azaleas, specimen trees and flowering shrubs have grown into a setting a new owner could not create in a lifetime.

A low stone wall with pillars runs along the front of the plot, with an open field across the lane. Gates open onto a block-paved driveway with room for several cars, which leads to the garage with its power, light and workbench. Next to the garage a long glazed greenhouse catches the sun. A separate pedestrian gate opens onto a herringbone brick path that winds between raised beds to the front door.

The ground floor

Oak floors run through the hall and into the main rooms. The sitting room measures 19 ft 4 by 18 ft and gets light from two sides. A wide archway divides it into two areas. One is a sitting room arranged around the fireplace. The other is a study or TV room in front of a large picture window that looks over the garden to the estuary. On a bright afternoon the sun pours across the oak and into the room. It is a room for long winter evenings and full houses at Christmas.

A door from the sitting room leads to the principal bedroom, 15 ft 10 by 11 ft 11, with a full wall of mirrored wardrobes and two windows over the garden. Its en suite has twin basins set into a long marble counter with cupboards beneath, a bath, a separate shower and a heated towel rail. Having this suite on the ground floor lets the house serve a family now and a couple later without a move.

The kitchen measures 13 ft 9 by 9 ft 10 and has grey and cream shaker units, marble-effect worktops and a double Belfast sink beneath a wide window over the garden. There is space for an American fridge freezer, a dishwasher and a washing machine. A door opens straight onto the rear terrace for summer meals outside. The dining room of 11 ft 11 by 9 ft 10 has windows on two sides and works equally well as a second sitting room or a home office. A cloakroom completes the ground floor. Outside on the west side, a store opens off a small courtyard.

The first floor

Bedroom two is a double at the front of the house, 13 ft 10 by 11 ft 9. Its picture window looks over the roof terrace and straight down the estuary. You wake up to water and open country. Bedrooms three and four sit at the back above the garden and measure 12 ft 1 by 11 ft 4 and 10 ft 1 by 9 ft 4. Each takes twin beds with ease, and one has a full wall of built-in shelving and cupboards. A shower room with a curved walk-in shower and a rainfall head serves all three bedrooms.

A door from the landing opens onto the roof terrace. It has a frameless glass balustrade and room for a table and chairs, and it looks across the front garden, the field and the estuary to the hills beyond. This is where you will take breakfast in summer and bring guests at the end of the day.

The garden was planted with patience. Specimen trees, flowering shrubs and perennials fill the front and side gardens and give colour through the year. When we photographed the house in October, the asters were in flower, the holly was in berry and the maples had turned copper and gold.

Terraces follow the sun around the house, so there is always a seat in the light. Behind the house a wide paved courtyard with a raised white wall makes a sheltered place to eat outdoors, and a palm tree stands above it. Steps lead up to the higher garden, which looks back over the rooftops to the fields. Purple and green Japanese maples shade a second paved terrace, with a timber shed, a pergola and beds for soft fruit and vegetables. A wooded bank behind the plot keeps the garden private.

Room to grow

The plot gives scope to extend the house or to build a further dwelling, subject to planning consent. A growing family can add space here, and a buyer looking further ahead can see a long-term opportunity.

The solar panels on the south-facing roof earn an income from the national grid and offset running costs.

Ashford lies on the north bank of the Taw between Barnstaple and Braunton. The village is small and quiet, and daily essentials are a few minutes away. The Tarka Trail runs along the estuary below the village. It is a traffic-free route for walking and cycling, into Barnstaple in one direction and on to Braunton and the coast in the other.

Barnstaple has national and independent shops, the Pannier Market, a cinema, a leisure centre and North Devon District Hospital. Braunton has independent cafés and surf shops and opens onto Braunton Burrows, the dunes at the heart of the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere. Saunton Golf Club, with its two championship links courses, is a short drive west. The beaches at Saunton Sands, Croyde Bay, Putsborough and Woolacombe are all within about twenty minutes, and the open moorland of Exmoor is within half an hour.

Distances (approximate)

Barnstaple town centre 3 miles

Braunton 3 miles

Saunton Sands and Saunton Golf Club 6 miles

Croyde Bay 9 miles

Woolacombe 10 miles

North Devon District Hospital 4 miles

Barnstaple railway station (Tarka Line to Exeter) 3 miles

M5 Junction 27 and Tiverton Parkway 38 miles

Exeter 45 miles

Exeter Airport 50 miles

Bristol 100 miles

London about 200 miles, or about two hours by train from Tiverton Parkway to Paddington

Detached four bedroom house of 1,885 sq ft, plus a garage of 18 ft by 10 ft

Roof terrace with a glass balustrade and views over the Taw estuary

Ground floor principal bedroom with en suite bath, separate shower and twin basins

Sitting room of 19 ft 4 by 18 ft with oak floors and estuary views

Kitchen with Belfast sink and direct access to the rear terrace

Separate dining room or home office

Gated driveway with parking for several cars, and a long glazed greenhouse

Mature gardens on all sides with terraces, shed and kitchen garden

Scope to extend or add a dwelling, subject to consent

Solar panels earning an income from the national grid

No onward chain

Accommodation

Ground floor: entrance hall, sitting room 5.89m x 5.49m, dining room 3.63m x 3.00m, kitchen 4.19m x 3.00m, cloakroom, principal bedroom 4.83m x 3.63m with en suite, store

First floor: landing, bedroom two 4.22m x 3.58m, bedroom three 3.68m x 3.45m, bedroom four 3.07m x 2.84m, shower room, roof terrace

Outside: garage 5.49m x 3.05m, greenhouse, shed, gardens on all sides

Total area: 2,065 sq ft (191.8 sq m) including the garage

Tenure: freehold, title DN665539, whole freehold included

Council Tax: band F, North Devon District Council

EPC: E (53), with potential D (68)

Heating: oil-fired central heating with double glazing

Electricity: mains, with solar panels on the roof

Water: mains, metered

Drainage: mains foul and surface water

Broadband: no connection at present. Check available speeds at checker.ofcom.org.uk

Mobile signal: the sellers report no issues

Parking: garage, driveway and on-street

Not listed, not in a conservation area and no tree preservation orders

Flooding: about five years ago surface water flooded part of the garden when a silt trap had not been cleared. The water did not reach the house. A garden wall fell and has since been rebuilt to a higher standard. Clearing the silt trap once a year prevents a repeat.

Viewing: strictly by appointment with the sole selling agent

Photographs only hint at the view from the roof terrace. Book an afternoon viewing and stay to watch the light change over the estuary as the day ends. I will show you around myself and answer every question about the house, the plot and the area.

Particulars: These details are provided as a general outline for intending purchasers and do not constitute, nor form part of, any offer or contract. Descriptions: All descriptions, dimensions, references to condition, necessary permissions, and other details are given in good faith and believed to be correct. Purchasers must not rely on them as statements of fact and should verify accuracy by inspection or otherwise. Warranty: No person employed by By Design North Devon & Exmoor has authority to make or give any representation or warranty in relation to this property. Measurements: All measurements are approximate. Wayleaves and easements. The property is sold subject to any wayleaves or easements, whether or not they are referred to within these particulars. Floor plans are for illustrative identification only and may not be to scale. Photography: Photographs are provided for general information only and should not be assumed to include any items shown. Images are not materially altered but may be enhanced for marketing purposes (e.g. skies, twilight effects, digital staging). Services: Services, systems, and appliances have not been tested and no guarantee of condition or functionality is given. Purchasers should satisfy themselves as to suitability and working order. Due Diligence: Buyers are responsible for verifying matters such as flood risk, private drainage compliance, planning consents, covenants, and all other property-related details before viewing or incurring expense. Availability: Properties may be withdrawn or sold at any time. Buyers should confirm availability and up-to-date information prior to viewing. Money Laundering Regulations: In compliance with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended), all purchasers must provide proof of identity, address, source, and proof of funds before any sale can be agreed. By Design North Devon & Exmoor use Credas, an FCA-regulated provider, to complete these checks. A fee of £50 plus VAT per buyer applies. A secure link will be issued. The property status cannot be changed to Sold Subject to Contract or a Memorandum of Sale produced until all checks are satisfactorily completed.