Benville House

Imbued with character inside and out from its charming flagstone floors upwards, this wonderful Georgian house set in rolling Dorset hills perfectly embodies what country life is all about.

Benville House is a traditional Grade II listed 18th century stone house situated in a glorious rural location in the lovely hamlet of Benville. Set back from a quiet country lane behind a stone wall, the house’s pretty Georgian façade is made up of local honey-hued Ham stone with rusticated quoins, stone gable-copings, adornment of wisteria and a thatched roof which was recently renewed in 2019.

The house has been sensitively restored by the current owners who have successfully modernised the house into a comfortable family home without surrendering any of its charm. The house is well proportioned and sensibly laid out throughout and retains bags of original features including sash and crittall windows, shutters, window seats, oak ceiling beams, reclaimed doors, stone flagstones and pine floors which have been recently uncovered and carefully restored. Many of the rooms are dual aspect and all enjoy wonderful views of the garden and spectacular local landscape, including hills on the nearby Melbury estate.

A gravel driveway sweeps around the side of the house to the rear of the property where there is plenty of parking for several cars, as well as vehicular access to the stables. The front door is topped with a pretty painted classical porch and leads through an internal glazed inner hall into the front hallway with original Blue Lias flagstone floor and sight right through the house to the back garden through a half-glazed side door.

Ground Floor

To one side of the hall sits the dual aspect drawing room with shutters, wooden floor smart inbuilt regency bookcases, and open fire with marble chimney piece, to the other side sits a cosy separate sitting room with open fire and stone chimney piece. The dual aspect dining room also includes an open fire with classical carved chimneypiece and herringbone parquet floor.

The generous dual aspect family kitchen with its flagstone floor is located at the back of the house. It has been refurbished by Neptune with beautiful fitted limed oak units lining the walls and space for a breakfast table to comfortably sit at least eight people in the centre of the room. Integrated appliances include a wine fridge, as well as an oil-fired 4-oven AGA. The kitchen also has an adjoining pantry with traditional stone shelf, and a scullery/utility room with butler’s sink next to the back door, where further white goods, coats, boots and washing can be hidden away.

There is also a downstairs loo, wine cellar, and a further reception room which currently serves as a large boot/tack room but could alternately be used as a ground floor playroom or study.

Upstairs

Upstairs is similarly well-laid out with restored antique pine floors throughout. There are five lovely bright and airy bedrooms, one of which is currently being used as a study.

The spoiling dual aspect principal bedroom is accessed via its own separate corridor. It has views over the front and back of the house with extensive large inbuilt cupboards an adjoining bathroom with bath, and an upstairs study with fireplace which could alternately be used as a large dressing room or additional bedroom. There are three further double bedrooms and two further bathrooms. This floor also includes a linen cupboard and a half landing which is currently being utilised as a playroom but could otherwise accommodate a desk.

Garden and Grounds

The plot extends to 7.45 acres in total. This is made up of 0.75 acres of garden surrounding the house. A private walled garden sits to one side of the house with outdoor dining terrace, generous lawn, abundantly stocked formal borders, and a smart dovecote and aviary.

A kitchen garden with raised beds planted with vegetables and cutting flowers sits beyond next to an outdoor swimming pool. Further lawn and an orchard are located on the other side of the garden plot. A separate 6.7 acre paddock with ménage is located a field away. The current owners also have a long-standing arrangement with the neighbouring landowner for an adjoining paddock which is approximately 5.5 acres.

Benville is a small unspoilt hamlet which sits within the parish of Corscombe. The area has a rich local concentration of prehistoric archaeology, including an ancient set of standing stones known locally as The Devil's Arm Chair.

Renowned writer and Dorset man through and through, the author Thomas Hardy references Benville in his novel Tess of The d’Urbervilles. Hardy describes the central character Tess passing an inn called The Sow and Acorn (a wonderful 16th century pub in the neighbouring village of Evershot), and walking along Benville Lane on her journey to Emminster (Beaminster) in the hope of appealing to her father-in-law, Parson Clare.

The hamlet’s appearance has changed little since Hardy’s time as despite its small size, Benville has a large array of lovely historic buildings and most of the houses in the hamlet are listed.

There is something romantic about this area of Dorset which has retained much of its rural integrity

The tranquil hamlet of Benville is situated within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, nestled in the gentle, rolling hills of the Dorset Downs. The nearby village of Corscombe, just under two miles away, offers a village hall, cricket ground, and the excellent pub, The Fox Inn. Another superb pub, The Acorn, can be found in the village of Evershot, 2.8 miles away.

The charming market town of Beaminster is around 5 miles away, offering a range of excellent pubs, restaurants, a greengrocer, butcher, and two doctor’s surgeries, along with dental and veterinary services. For a broader selection of amenities, the towns of Crewkerne and Bridport are about 8 miles away, while the county town of Dorchester is 15 miles.

The area offers a range of sporting facilities, including hunting with the Cattistock Hunt and golf at Dorchester (Came Down), Yeovil, and Sherborne. The nearby seaside towns of Bridport and Lyme Regis are easily accessible, along with a stunning selection of Jurassic Coast beaches, such as The Hive Beach with its renowned Hive Beach Café, West Bay, and Chesil Beach.

Local attractions also include the Southwest’s premier agricultural event, The Melplash Show, as well as an abundance of scenic country and coastal walks, along with bridleways for riding.

Transport

For those looking to commute, nearby mainline stations at Yeovil Junction and Crewkerne have regular direct services to London Waterloo taking from approximately 2 hours 27 minutes and 2 hours 32 minutes respectively.

The A303 to the north provides straightforward access to the Southwest and to London via the M3.

Fantastic Schools

There is a fantastic choice of schools nearby including Bryanston, Perrott Hill, the Sherborne schools, Leweston School, Milton Abbey and the Thomas Hardye school in Dorchester.