The House
In through the porch at the front of the main house is the games room leading to a utility room, and on to the living room, where in true country cottage style, there’s a wood-burner for the chillier times of year.
Right of the games room is the snug, leading through to the kitchen and to the dining room. The kitchen is spacious, well laid out and well-equipped; a big electric Aga sits in the inglenook that once housed the farmhouse range, there’s plenty of room to cook or for private caterers to create a celebration feast for you.
Like a lot of big old cottages, Big Thatch has two staircases; the one in the snug leads to Bedroom 1 and 2, a family bathroom and the Children’s Room* which is at the top of the stairs from the games room and leads across a landing to Bedrooms 3 and 4. The feels are so gentle and homely throughout the house; professionally designed interiors are in keeping with the original features of the cottage - all those beams, the bumpy walls, exposed stonework and leaded windows. In Bedroom 2 you can see part of the centuries old cobb wall.
The annexe is across the courtyard at the back of the house. It has an open plan kitchen/dining/living room and 2 ensuite bedrooms; the vibe is country checks with solid oak floors and doors.
The large gardens at Big Thatch are a dream, it’s like a world of your own where the hectic pace of life is forgotten and time slows down. Play on the lawns, dance around the walnut tree, take refuge from the blazing sun in the garden hideaway or the BBQ lodge, find a seat in the orchard and watch the sheep contentedly grazing beneath the apple trees. Life is good here, the days are long and the nights are peaceful.
*The Childrens Room has 2 extra beds available for children aged 12 years and under.
Local Area
Amble down the lane for a paddle in the ford, puff your way up to Culm Beacon where the views are astounding, then go for lunch at The Culm Valley Inn.
Head over to Sidmouth for a day by the sea, or to the picturesque coastal village of Branscombe, with its flower-hung cottages, two pubs and a beach café. A little further is Lyme Regis where you can take the kids to Dinosaurland Fossil Museum and the marine aquarium, catch a mackerel fishing trip and hook your supper.
Ride along the Grand Western Canal at Tiverton on a horse drawn barge, or hire Canadian canoes; come back for cream tea in the Canal Tea Rooms and Gardens; for historic houses, Killerton and Knightshayes are both within easy reach, for family trips Crealy Theme Park and Wildwood Devon are both brilliant.
Explore Exeter with all its shops and attractions; see the glorious cathedral, have a mooch in the RAM Museum, tour the underground passages, scale dizzy heights at Clip n Climb, go paddle boarding on the calm waters of the Exe estuary. Stack the memories high, turn moments into memories.