FOR centuries, British diplomats, entre- preneurs and high-flying executives who ply their trades in the Middle East, Asia and beyond have dreamed of spending their golden years in a quiet unspoilt corner of the West Country. Corners don’t come much quieter or more unspoilt than the east Devon hamlet of Upexe, which sits between the villages of Thorverton and Silverton in the lovely Exe Valley, eight miles north of Devon’s county town, Exeter.
International banker Andrew Dixon and his wife, Wendy, had returned from Hong Kong via the Middle East, when, in 1997, they seized the chance to buy the enchanting, Georgian Upexe House, set in 3¼ acres of well-tended grounds overlooking the Exe, from another globe-trotting businessman who was leaving the UK. The house, listed Grade II, had been beautifully renovated and was ‘in first-class condition’, to the extent that, during their 24-year tenure, all they needed to do was add the orangery and do ‘the odd bit of painting here and there’.
Although, according to its listing, Upexe dates from the 18th century and boasts ‘a good 18th-century interior with an early18th-century dog-leg staircase’, the presence of much earlier windows and stonework suggest that its origins may be medieval or even Saxon, given that Upexe was a trading outpost on an important river-crossing in ancient times. The owner’s records reveal that the present house was built in 1800 by J. A. Gardner Esq, a barrister, who incorporated these rare medieval elements into the building’s classic Georgian design.
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra May 26, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
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The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
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'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
