This “immaculate” house for sale was once home to a renowned novelist and sits in Dartmoor National Park.

Thornworthy House, in Chagford, dates back to 1840 and was originally built as a sporting lodge.

In the 1950s, Thornworthy became the home of English novelist Mary Wesley, who is best known for ‘The Camomile Lawn’ as well as a dozen other books, across which she sold more than three million copies.

Wesley started as a children’s book author before moving onto writing for adults in later life. Her first successful novel, ‘Jumping the Queue’, was published in 1983, when she was 71. Over the next decade she published nine more adult titles, frequently being featured in ‘best-seller’ lists, and in 1995 was awarded with a CBE for services to literature.

It is understood to be during her time at Thornworthy that Mary started her writing career, and Thornworthy is even referenced in her work.

The property is a six bedroom Victorian country home situated within 4.4 acres of gardens and grounds in an elevated position, offering far-reaching views over the moors.

Entering the home, the hall leads into an open plan kitchen and breakfast room with a newly restored AGA, a Smeg oven with a pizza stone, and a freestanding feature island.

There are four reception rooms, including a formal dining room and a snug, both of which have wood burners, a grand drawing room with an open fireplace and sash windows, and a garden room with a vaulted timber roof.

Completing the ground floor is a boot room, and stairs to a cellar which has been converted into a treatment room.

Upstairs, two bedrooms sit on a half-landing, both of which have en-suite bathrooms, while on the first floor are three further bedrooms and a shower room, and on the second floor is an additional bedroom suite.

Included in the sale are the barn cottage and bothy, which have been renovated and finished to the same style and quality as the main house.

The cottage is made up of a sitting room, a kitchen and two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, and the bothy features a living area, fully-fitted kitchen and bathroom with a walk-in shower.

The property is approached via a tree-lined driveway through formal gardens, bordered by mature shrubs and trees.

The grounds include a pond, a round house, a kitchen garden, a greenhouse, a tennis court, a stable block and paddocks.

The property is on the market with Savills for a guide price of £2,500,000.

Greg Crosse, who is marketing the property on behalf of Savills Exeter, commented: “Rich in local history and renovated to an exquisite level of detail, with considerable design flair, Thornworthy House is a simply outstanding property. A very exciting lifestyle opportunity.”