The current iteration of this characterful Grade II-listed home in Dulverton, Somerset, dates to the late 18th or early 19th century and is filled with handsome period features. It lies within Exmoor National Park, Europe’s first designated Dark Sky Reserve; the town itself plays host to an annual Dark Skies Festival. Spanning three storeys, the house has five bedrooms and a series of well-proportioned living spaces, apt for both entertaining and comfortable daily life. A lovingly cultivated garden extends at the rear, where a variety of mature specimen trees creates an enhanced sense of privacy.

Dulverton is tucked into a steeply wooded valley where the River Barle meets the River Exe. Ancient routes have converged here for millennia, and traces of habitation from as early as the Iron Age remain visible today. The river and Barle Valley are both designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest for their biodiversity, where species such as river otters, kingfishers and rare varieties of plants can be found.

This house lies in the centre of town and is thought to have originated as a longhouse, with later Georgian additions. Once a large mansion, it was divided into two generous residences, this home and its neighbour, in the 1980s. The current owners have overseen extensive works, including rewiring, replumbing, new bathrooms and a new kitchen. Original windows have been restored, while other period features have been carefully retained. What was once a courtyard garden has also been expanded into a marvellous walled garden planted with an age-old fig tree, wisteria, a tulip tree and roses.