Entire home

Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space

Family-friendly holiday home in Totnes with an outdoor pool

Photo gallery for Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space

Pool
Living area
Living area
Interior
Private kitchen

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 9

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Outdoor space
  • Parking available

Explore the area

View map
Littlehempston, England
  • Place, Totnes Elizabethan House Museum
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Totnes Castle
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Devonshire Collection of Period Costumes
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Airport, Exeter (EXT-Exeter Intl.)
    ‪41 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 9)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

3 Single Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 4

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space

Built in 1963 this unique property is designed on the American ranch style home with a lower ground floor, covered front porch, patio and seasonal heated swimming pool. Having undergone a full renovation it is now ready for guests. Surrounded by gardens, fields and woods, Fernwood is the ideal place for a peaceful, relaxing family holiday.

Seasonal variations:
Until 22 Mar 2025 logs will be provided for the wood burner and open fire.

22nd Mar - 1st Nov 2025 the heated pool is available.

1st Nov - 21st March 2026 logs will be provided for the wood burner and open fire.

The space
Facilities:

There is a large open plan living space, with lounge, dining area and kitchen, ideal for those family gatherings, with amazing views down the valley to the hills beyond Totnes. There is another large living /games/ TV room downstairs with wide french doors opening onto the level lawn to the front of the house. There is no need to go further afield . Apart from the heated swimming pool, in the downstairs lounge you will find a pool table, darts board and various games for all ages. Explore the small lanes nearby or simply sit back, relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and great views.

Property layout:

This is a spacious property on two levels based on an American ranch style home with walkout basement. As the property was built on a hill the entrance, to the rear of the property, is at ground level, whilst the lower level to the front is also at ground level. Within the house there is a door to the stairs (which are narrower than usual) leading to the lower floor. There is also another outside flight of stairs leading from the covered porch to the lower french doors.

Upper level:

From the parking area, the entrance lobby leads into the upperspace with mahogany floor, comfortable dining for 8 -10 guests, large fully fitted kitchen and living area with sofa, chairs and TV, baby grand piano and wood burner. This triple aspect room benefits from a large picture window with amazing views overlooking the lawn below, the surrounding countryside with fields, horses and the occasional train winding its way down the valley. From the dining area, there is a door leading to the inner hall with bedrooms and family bathroom/shower room. From the ensuite bedroom there are french doors leading onto the patio with barbeque and swimming pool beyond. Also from the lounge area, there are french doors leading onto a porch, ideal for those lazy morning breakfasts, watching the wildlife in the trees. Outside steps lead from this balcony to the ground floor below.

Lower level:

From this upper lounge level, you will find a door opening to the stairs leading to the downstairs area. Here you will find a stone fire place, extra large TV, sofas, pool table, air hockey table and small bar. There is also a designated darts area with children’s games as well as competition dart board. French doors lead onto the lawn to the front of the property.

From this lounge/games area, a door leads to the large fourth bedroom with comfortable seating and king sized double bed and another leads to a utility/boot room with washing machine, additional fridge freezer, sink, back entrance door and shower room with toilet.

Outside:

Seasonal variations:

- 1st Nov 2024 to 22 Mar 25 a basket of logs will be provided for the wood burner and open fire.

- 22nd Mar - 1st Nov 2025 the heated pool is available.

In the grounds of the property there are many lawned areas, as well as a patio with barbeque, and terraced pool area. Here you will find a large area with ceramic tiling, solar and air source heated 4x10m pool, loungers, tables and wall lighting. The pool is heated by a bank of solar pipes as-well as a air source heat pump to maintain the heat. It is necessary to keep the solar blanket on the pool to retain heat and must be replaced after swimming each evening. If the blanket is not replaced, we cannot guarantee the level of heating will be maintained. There are steps up to the pool area from the patio.

Guest access
You will have sole access to the whole house, front lawn and pool area (when open). Please note there is land beyond the house which is restricted. Access up the drive and past the house will be used. This won’t disturb your stay.

Other things to note:
Wifi throughout the property and across the pool area.

Narrow stairs: please note the inner stairs are quite narrow.

No smoking or vaping in the property

No pets allowed due to the mahogany floors and pool liner.

No events without permission

No stag / hen parties

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Parking available

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House Rules

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
This property uses solar energy
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

Totnes

Located in Totnes, this holiday home is in a rural area. Totnes Castle and Compton Castle are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Dartmoor National Park and Cockington Country Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Paignton Zoo, or check out an event or a game at Plainmoor Stadium. Power boating offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with horse riding nearby.
Map
Littlehempston, England

What's nearby

  • Totnes Elizabethan House Museum - 5 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Totnes Castle - 5 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Devonshire Collection of Period Costumes - 6 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Dartington Hall Estate and Gardens - 9 min drive - 4.8 km
  • Cockington Country Park - 12 min drive - 15.0 km

Getting around

  • Totnes Station - 13 min drive
  • Exeter (EXT-Exeter Intl.) - 52 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Things Happen Here - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪The Albert Inn - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪The Curator Cafe & Kitchen - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Royal Seven Stars Hotel - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Totnes Grill - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool types include heated pools.

Is Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space?

On-site parking is available at the property.

Where is Rural house, private heated pool and plenty of space located?

This family-friendly Totnes holiday home is located in a rural location, 3.1 mi (5 km) from Totnes Castle, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Paignton Zoo and Cockington Country Park. South Devon and Palace Theatre are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 1 out of 2 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 2 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 2 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 2 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 2 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.0/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Colin M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property lives up to the photographs and is extremely well equipped with all items such as kitchen equipment bring in as new condition . Beds are comfortable if slightly soft for some of our family . The pool is large and kept nicely warm and the kids spent hours in there . The village pub is worth a visit but book if you wish to eat there as space is limited .
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Mollie D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice house, lovely pool and a very helpful host.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

About the host

Hosted by Ben

Host profile image

What makes this property unique

In 1963 John and Madge moved from South Carolina to Devon, having sold their farm in Spartanburg and began their search for the ideal place to build a family home. Farm land with planning permission at Littlehempston came onto the market and the Fernwood story began.

John, having served in the US military in UK and Europe, met Madge, whilst stationed in Plymouth. They returned to South Carolina after the war and built a home there, where they had a poultry farm and peach orchards. You will see some of their original trunks in the downstairs lounge. They had two daughters and after 17 years decided they would like to return to Devon where they had met.

Having returned from the States and found the land the family set to and created what we now know as Fernwood. John turning to organic market gardening and furniture making and Madge gardening and painting. Many examples of their woodwork and artwork can be found in Fernwood today.
The design and planning of Fernwood was firmly based on styles familiar to them in South Carolina. The large open plan areas, with the main part of the house on one level and a second lower level accessed from a door in the lounge and a fairly narrow staircase leading to the “walk out” basement below. The whole property is designed for those who enjoy the surrounding nature, with large windows affording great views, porch at treetop level, patio, pool and gardens.

New Type 2 EV charging point at the property. This is run on a pay as you go setup through the Volt Share app.

Please have a look at FernwoodHideaway .com for a full and detailed VR tour of the property.

Fernwood has always been a happy, peaceful home, a great place to live and is our family home. Please take care of it and most of all, enjoy your stay.
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