What a home! Check out this property, complete with stables, indoor arena, 60 acres, a pool and more…
This beautiful and imposing country house in an elevated parkland setting above the Exe Valley in mid-Devon comes complete with some great equestrian facilities and over 60 acres.
The south-facing Sanctuary sits between the villages of Thorverton and Shobrooke, with views across the Exe Valley to Dartmoor, and easy access to Exeter, Tiverton and Crediton.
Communication links to the area are good, with the M5 motorway accessed at Tiverton or Exeter. There are two mainline train stations in Exeter and also a station at Tiverton Parkway providing regular direct links to London Paddington in about two hours. Exeter International Airport has an ever increasing number of flights to UK and international destinations, including a daily flight to London City Airport.
Local equestrian centres include Bicton Arena (18 miles), Coxleigh Barton (43 miles) and Wellbeck Equestrian (14 miles). Chard Equestrian, hosts of regular affiliated showjumping and dressage competitions, is just over an hour away.
Hunting in the area is with the Tiverton.
Local equine vets Western Counties Equine Hospital (18 miles), will be on hand should your require them.
Offered for sale by Savills, this property is on the market with a guide price of £6.5m. Let’s take a look around…
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Equestrian facilities include a steel-framed indoor arena measuring about 46m in length, and a further covered area which houses six stables, a feed room and tack room. There are a further four stables within a stable yard. There are numerous bridle paths in the area and quiet lanes for hacking. Dartmoor to the south and Exmoor to the north offer extensive hacking opportunities further afield.
Lawns surround the house and there is a lower walled garden and terraces with its listed ‘crinkle crankle’ wall overlooked by the kitchen/breakfast room and accessible from the swimming pool complex. Sitting above this garden is a walled kitchen garden with productive beds and fruit trees. To the south of the property is a former lawn tennis court, now used as a croquet lawn.
The property sits in the middle of its own land with pasture surrounding the house and gardens. To the south is parkland interspersed with a number of mature trees. Beyond the former Victorian dairy, there is access to further pasture and a field divided into smaller grazing paddocks, as well as a turnout area. To the north of the arena, there are two further fields with access onto Raddon Hill. Flanking the pasture on the north and eastern boundary is a belt of mature woodland.
The Sanctuary is not listed and has been restored and extended in recent years. The entrance hall leads into the reception hall, which, in turn gives access to the principal reception rooms. These include a panelled triple-aspect billiard room. The drawing and dining rooms have bay windows and are separated by the staircase and sun room, the latter having doors and steps leading to the gardens, and have views across parkland in front of the house.
Overlooking an enclosed cobbled courtyard is a conservatory, accessible from the study, which also leads to a snug. Beyond is the kitchen/breakfast room. This space has a triple aspect and doors that lead out to the gardens. There are fitted units with a large central island, integral appliances and electric Aga.
A staircase from the kitchen leads to the first floor and there is access to a second study. To the rear of the building, there is a large boot room with separate cloakroom and utility room.
On the first floor, a galleried landing gives access to two principal bedrooms, both with a southerly aspect and bay windows. One has an en-suite bathroom with separate shower, the other has a dressing room with fitted cupboards and wardrobes. Across the corridor is a further bedroom, used as a second dressing room, which connects to an en-suite bathroom.
The west wing has four further bedrooms with the use of a family bathroom. The east wing includes four additional bedrooms, two with en-suite bathrooms, a second family bathroom, and a separate laundry room.
The indoor swimming pool/gym area can be accessed via a staircase from the kitchen. This space has doors leading to an enclosed terrace and lower garden. There are changing rooms, shower and separate plant room.
There are a range of outbuildings at The Sanctuary. A large proportion are original and many are two storey and linked to the house. There is also secure garaging. At ground floor level, there is a self-contained flat with a sitting/dining room, kitchen, bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
The first floor is accessed by two staircases and includes a games room and an office, which links with a series of storerooms. This space (subject to the necessary consents) could be used for further accommodation if required. A covered walkway which leads through to the gardens and walled kitchen garden links the outbuilding to the property where there are two further stables/outbuildings and a boiler room. The drive continues past the house and traditional outbuildings reaching a former Victorian dairy, which has a series of ground floor rooms and loft storage above. This has a lapsed planning permission to convert to office accommodation with car parking.
As you enter the property, immediately to the right is a detached red brick Lodge. This building has two reception rooms and a separate kitchen on the ground floor. At first floor level there are three bedrooms and a bathroom.
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Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.