Halewood, Barbadoes, Tintern

Why we love it

High on the wooded slopes above Tintern, the little hamlet of Barbadoes feels a world away from the busy valley road below. Halewood sits here in its own pocket of countryside, surrounded by trees and meadows, with neighbours close enough to be reassuring but far enough away to give real peace.

The cottage has been restored and carefully extended, and it strikes a lovely balance between old and new. Beams and bare stone walls give it warmth and character, while a modern kitchen, an oak-framed garden room and a heated swimming pool make it a joy to live in. It's the kind of place that works just as well as a family home as it does as a weekend bolthole.

What really sets it apart, though, is the land. The two paddocks are registered wildflower meadows with local wildlife site status, alive with orchids and wild flowers in season, and deer are regular visitors.

Inside

A solid stable door opens into a dining room with a fireplace, built-in display cupboards and oak floors that run on through much of the ground floor. On one side is a snug with a stone fireplace and a new wood-burning stove, currently used as a music room. A stone-walled hall with a bespoke oak staircase leads to a second, larger sitting room with its own wood burner and French windows onto the garden, and there is a downstairs cloakroom.

At the far end of the house, the kitchen is the real heart of the home. Locally made wooden units, an AGA, a granite-topped island and plenty of room to cook and gather make it a sociable space. It opens into an oak-framed garden room that catches the morning sun, with French doors out to the pool terraces and the treetops beyond. A practical utility room sits alongside.

Upstairs, the principal bedroom has fitted wardrobes, an en suite shower room and its own private terrace overlooking the pool, with steps leading straight down to it. Two further double bedrooms, each with its own character, and a family bathroom complete the first floor.

Outside

Electric gates open onto a driveway lined with post-and-rail fencing, with parking for several cars. Around the cottage, landscaped gardens are planted with specimen trees and mature shrubs, and there is a heritage-style greenhouse, cold frames, a vegetable patch and a small orchard. The heated pool, warmed by an air source heat pump, is surrounded by sun terraces and sheltered by a tall laurel hedge.

Beyond the gardens, the land slopes gently away to an enclosed pond, fenced for chickens and ducks, and to the two paddocks, framed by mature woodland. A timber workshop offers scope for a studio or annexe, subject to planning permission.

The setting

Tintern is only a short drive down the hill, with its famous abbey, riverside walks, pubs, cafés, a shop and a doctor's surgery. The Wye Valley Walk and Offa's Dyke Path are close by, and Chepstow and Monmouth are both within easy reach for schools, supermarkets and the train.