Restored Gothic Villa in Exmouth opens to the public this weekend

Withycombe House, the former Hillcrest school in St. John’s Road has been painstakingly restored to form luxurious homes as part of a new housing development by C G Fry & Son.  The multi award-winning independent developer is holding an open-weekend to view this magnificent house on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8^th June from 10 am – 4 pm.

 This is a unique opportunity for locals and visitors alike to view the Gothic style villa built c. 1850 which was Grade II listed in 1949 and retains many unique architectural features.  Latterly the period manor was converted into a school for day pupils and boarders by Devon County Council and since the school’s closure; the site has remained derelict for several years before its recent renovation.

The majestic house occupies a lovely sylvan setting amidst unspoilt woodland and parkland setting in a delightfully secluded location not far from the East Devon coast and the centre of this popular estuary town.  Withycombe House offers a rare opportunity to live in quality, well designed homes with real character and all the convenience of being in town with local amenities and close to the coast.    It offers a choice of luxurious and spacious three and four-bedroom houses, three-bedroom cottages and two- bedroom apartments.

The event will be in Plot 2 Withycombe House, a magnificent three-bedroom west facing period home boasting beautifully presented spacious accommodation, a superb drawing room and fabulous kitchen.

For more information please contact the C G Fry & Son sales team on: 01395 282982 or email: hillcrestsales@cgfry.co.uk

Photographs by Jonathan Gooding   

www.cgfry.co.uk

HAPPY COUPLE MOVE INTO ‘CRACKING’ NEW HOME IN RECORD TIME

Husband and wife Mal and Chrissy Sawdy 

Husband and wife, Mal and Chrissy Sawdy relocating from Queensland, Australia, have finally found their dream house, located at Balidon Place, Yeovil.   The Ex-pats completed all legal requirements and even arranged new carpeting throughout the new four-bed detached property before moving in within just eight working days from the first viewing in time to celebrate Christmas in their new home.

The award-winning development located on the desirable West Coker Road is built on the site of the former Yeovil Maternity Hospital by Dorchester-based developers C G Fry & Son.  Each of the detached houses are built in a traditional style with Georgian proportions and varying architectural detailing.  Balidon House, the former Yeovil Maternity Hospital has been restored and converted into twelve spacious apartments which have all now been sold.

Mal retired from the Fire Service and wife Chrissy took early retirement from the NHS in 2007 before emigrating ‘Down Under’.  Now back in the UK, the couple carried out an extensive search to find the right house in the West Country primarily in the counties of Devon, Somerset and Dorset to be near Chrissy’s family. 

Mal Sawdy comments: “It’s been a long and weary search to find the right place in and around the A303 corridor and unfortunately a couple of properties we made offers on fell through.  All our belongings and furniture were on a ship sailing to the UK and we had nowhere to live which was putting us under a lot of pressure particularly with the festive period approaching.  We found the C G Fry site just by chance.  We were feeling very cranky and the last thing we wanted to do was look around another house.  Jo Warren at the sales office, however, welcomed us with a calming smile and a very pleasant manner.  She didn’t pressurise us and gave us time to look around in our own time.  I have experience in the building industry and was very impressed by the quality of the build and attention to detail.  We returned the next day and said we would take it.  We had to return to Australia to tie up some loose ends and during that time Jo was very helpful in pushing things through quickly and smoothly with the help of two very good solicitors and she even arranged all the carpeting on our behalf.”

Chrissy Sawdy says: “I really like the open design of the development and the double garages and generous gardens.    It is unusual for developers to allow so much space for each property and accommodate plenty of parking space rather than try and cram in more houses.  The place is heaven and it is a proper house with chimneys and a fireplace which makes a lovely focal point in the lounge.”

www.cgfry.co.uk