Old Engine House is a barn conversion within the small Grade II listed Rowden Court complex, located in the middle of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), with the South West Coast Path on the doorstep and beautiful beaches and historic villages to explore close by.
History of Rowden Court:
Rowden Court dates from 1884 and was originally a range of farm outhouses on the former Revelstoke estate; the Old Engine House contained a horse engine used for powering threshing machinery, as well as chopping and crushing fodder. The first Lord Revelstoke – Edward Baring of the Baring Brothers Bank – lavished money on his then 3,000-acre countryside estate, including commissioning a nine-mile carriage drive, which is now part of the nearby South West Coast Path.
The property:
Old Engine House is a spacious converted barn, comfortably sleeping up to five adults across three bedrooms. There is a well-equipped kitchen, a family bathroom with full-size bath and power shower, and a large living area with a high vaulted ceiling. There is also a mezzanine level which doubles as a home office.
Guests can also enjoy use of the 1.5 acre landscaped communal gardens, tennis court, BBQ facilities and games/laundry room.
Well-behaved dogs are warmly welcomed, but will need to be kept on a lead in the communal areas.
The local area:
Old Engine House is set in the beautiful South Devon countryside, but is only a few minutes from the beach and local villages! On foot from Rowden Court, you can access the South West Coast Path and Stoke Beach, as well as the local villages of Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers.
Just a few minutes in the car and you will find Mothecombe Beach: a fabulous sandy beach expanding over some 130 acres at low tide, with the popular School House café and award-winning Surfing Cow ice-cream farm close-by. A little further afield are the beautiful Bigbury-on-Sea and Bantham beaches, with other coves to explore in-between.
The South Hams part of the South-West Coast Path is particularly dramatic, with cliff-top views across to other parts of the coast. Now owned by National Trust, the former Revelstoke Drive forms part of the coast path from Rowden Court to Noss Mayo, so is relatively flat and easy to navigate. Also nearby is Dartmoor, offering a wealth of walking and cycling trails to explore.
The attractive local villages of Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers lie either side of Newton Creek and the River Yealm, and are connected via a Voss in low tide. Noss Mayo has two excellent waterside pubs – the Ship Inn and the Swan Inn – whilst Newton Ferrers hosts local amenities and The Dolphin Inn. There are numerous other local villages to explore: Holbeton, Modbury and Ringmore to name a few. “Ocean City” Plymouth is only 10 miles away and its waterside is particularly interesting, noting its importance in seafaring history. Plymouth is also home to the National Marine Aquarium, the largest in the UK and heavily involved in ocean conservation work.
Please ask if you would like some more information on things to see and do!