One of the prettiest villages in Wiltshire is the picturesque parish of Teffont. It is a rural idyll of two halves: Teffont Magna and Teffont Evias.

Much of the ancient parish of Teffont in Wiltshire lies on the chalk downs by that rise between the valleys the the Wylye and Nadder. Nestled below the downs at Springhead a stream emerges which runs through the village. There is an abundance of history from the area dating 846 AD encompassing the Ice Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Saxons, Normans, Romans up to the 19th Century. At the time of the Norman Conquest the village was divided into two being Teffont Magna and Teffont Evias.

The scenery is spectacular and walking through the area is not to be missed. The village hosts a summer fete in July every year so come along if you are passing through the area and enjoy a warm welcome from the locals.

Teffont Magna

Also known as Upper Teffont lies along the main road and along a road which leads to the downs. Several cottages, which are built of local stone and date from the 17th and 18th Century are built along the bank of the fast flowing stream with stone bridges spanning the stream to the road.

Teffont Evias

A chocolate box village, peaceful and beautiful. Take time to enjoy the walks following the stream through the village. Cottages date from the 16 Century with thatched roofs and arched leaded windows.

Teffont Churches

Teffont Magna st edward king of the saxons. church of england

The church is a very simple one dating from the 13th Century with a well worn flagstone floor. The porch shelters some interesting graffiti etched on to the door jambs and appear to be medieval ships. Hanging from a beam is the original 13th Century bell which although now cracked and not in use is thought to be one of the few in England from that period. The carved oak screen (originally a rood screen) dating from the 16th Century is one of the few which survived in Wessex during the Reformation.

teffont evias st michael and all angels church of england

It has been suggested that there probably was a church here in 1100 but records show the church was here in 1200. The church is built of local Chilmark stone (similar to that of Salisbury Cathedral). In the north east corner of the church is an impressive tomb with three stone effigies in armour. The oldest is that of Harry Ley who purchased the manor of Teffont Evias from Henry VIII in 1534 and died in 1537.

amenites in teffont

howard’s house

A 1623 Dower House is now a wonderful hotel with a very pretty terrace and gardens in which you can enjoy a morning coffee, lunch or a welcome glass of wine during the summer. Elegant interiors and delicious food are served in the restaurant. The bedrooms mix old and new providing a comfortable but not overly plush or fussy accommodation. Fresh flowers, cracking fires, deep sofas and newspapers give a warm homely feel to this beautiful Grade II listed property dating from 1623.

Howard’s House offer Gourmet Getaways including a 7 course tasting menu and a hamper of homemade goodies to take home with you. If romance is in the air why not stay in the Four Poster bedroom! Don’t forget to bring your walking boots or wellies and enjoy the many outdoor pursuits the area has to offer.

manor farm livery teffont magna

Manor Farm offer full outsized outdoor school together with a sandbarn, hard standing areas, horse walker and a 60 x 20 metres incorporating mirrors for training mirrors and a Martin Collins activ-track surface. They also offer a wide range of livery services too which range from full to holiday.

Zoe Gregory is the on site yard manager who has previously worked for an international gold medal eventer as well as competing herself in all disciplines. She has evented up to intermediate level and advanced level dressage.

property for sale or rent in teffont

Are you looking to move to the Teffont Area. With its pretty stone cottages and thatched roofs, this is a picture perfect place to buy a rural property. If you are thinking of selling your house in Teffont or looking for a property for sale or rent, we can help.

Swallowcliffe is a small village in the heart of Wiltshire with less than 200 residents. It lies 13 miles (21kms) to the city of Salisbury. There is a strong sense of community within the village and there are many events and things to do in and around the village.

History of swallowcliffe

From medieval times until the 20th century Swallowcliffe remained a rural backwater with its inhabitants engaged in agriculture and associated crafts and trades.

The industrial revolutions saw a shift with workers leaving for the towns and cities whilst the demand from incomers who sought accessible country abodes to “improve” for full or weekend use expanded. By the Millenium the transformation of the old village was clear with only a few inhabitants could claim to be “born and bred” in Swallowcliffe.

Swallowcliffe archeological discovery

A Saxon bed buried dating to the 17th Century was discovered with a reused Bronze Age barrow on Swallowcliffe Down in 1996. The burial was that of a young female aged between 18 and 25 laid on an ash wood bed with elaborate iron work fittings and surrounded by a collection of high quality grave goods (see full report by English Heritage).

Things to do in Swallowcliffe

With less than two hundred residents one can expect to discover a strong sense of community with many events and things to do around the village such as music evenings, the Swallowcliffe Society together with computer, art, debating and luncheon clubs.

The Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe

There has been a local pub in Swallowcliffe since 1852. In 2015 The Royal Oak Swallowcliffe was rebuilt and refurbished using local craftsmen and artisans.

A pretty village pub, The Royal Oak offers delicious food and 6 bedrooms for overnight stays. Offering wines, spirits and local ales and as well as tasty lunch and dinner menus, The Royal Oak is a wonderful blend of traditional 19th architecture and fresh modern interior design.

Fovant is a pretty medium sized village in the southwest of Wiltshire.  It is located on the A30 between Salisbury and Shaftesbury in the Nadder Valley.  It’s name is derived from the Old English fobbefunta meaning “spring of a man called Fobbe”.

Fovant Badges

The Fovant Badges are a set of regimental badges cut into a chalk hill, Fovant Down.  They are located half a mile (800m) southwest of Fovant village.  They were created by soldiers garrisoned nearby who were waiting to go to France during the First World War with the first badge in 1916.  They are clearly visible from the A30 which runs through the village.

After the outlines were cut into the grassy hillsides they were filled with chalk from nearby slopes with up to 50 tons per badge.  The badges too an average of 50 men  six months to complete.

Eight of the original twenty remain and are scheduled ancient monuments and recognised by the Imperial War Museum as war memorials. Further badges have been added more recently.

Current Badges (left to right)

1. Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (only the central part remains)
2. 6th (City of London) Battalion, Royal London Regiment (City of London Rifles) (claimed to be the first badge cut here)
3. Australian Commonwealth Military Forces (the largest 51m x 31m)
4. Royal Corps of Signals (cut in 1970 to commemorate the 50th anniversary
5. Wiltshire Regiment (added 1950)
6.  5th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)
7.  8th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)
8.  Devonshire Regiment

The Fovant Badge Society holds an annual Drumhead Service which is attended by the Australian High Commissioner, local mayors and Members of Parliament.  These services fund the upkeep of the Badges.

Fovant Camp

During World War 1 Fovant Camp was the most southwestern in Wiltshire. It house 20,000 men in prefabricated wooden huts with 30 men to each hut. A photograph dated 1910 shows Winston Churchill (then Minister of Defence) on Fovant Down with senior officers and dignitaries watching manoeuvres and exercises.

Fovant Down

Fovant Down is also the site of Chiselbury Iron Age hill fort. This makes Fovant Down one a several downs in Wiltshire to claim a hillfort as well as a hill figure.

Village Services

Pubs

Good news for Fovant! The local pub is now in the process of refurbishment and should be open for business in the near future.

Local services

Fovant Stores welcome you selling everything in there one stop shop.

Fovant’s Doctors surgery provides healthcare complete with an in house pharmacy.

A local garage providing a friendly breakdown service. Call Levers garage on 01722 714243

Rural View has a range of houses for sale in the Fovant area. Whether you are looking for a period cottage or a more modern home we can help find your family the perfect rural property.

There’s something about living near a cricket pitch whilst a game is in progress. The thwack of leather against willow followed by a polite round of clapping must surely be an integral part of village life on a summer’s day. A game of mysterious rules, strange traditions and bizarre terminology but for many cricket is an essential part of living in the country even if they don’t play or even understand what it’s all about.

Cricket is a very sociable sport and still largely played in a gentlemanly and friendly spirit between the two teams and has the ability to unite different generations and backgrounds. The traditions and rituals are an essential part of the game including the preparation of the wicket, changing room banter, toss, the fielding team clapping in each new batsman, gargantuan teas, dozing in a deck chair at cow corner and post-match beer. It is also the subject of many a conversation in the village pub over the winter months.

Most our local teams such as Dinton Cricket Club, Chalke Valley Cricket Club and Shrewton Cricket Club welcome new members irrespective of age or ability. If you are looking for properties for sale or rent in South Wiltshire near a cricket pitch get in touch with us and we should be able to point you in the right direction.

For anyone interested in reading more about the joys of village cricket or wanting to grasp the concepts of the game and its language, Si White, a friend of mine and fellow team mate at Damerham Cricket Club, has written an excellent, information and funny book called The Effing C Word. I even get a couple of mentions in it!

Selling your Rural Property?

Imagine this – you are selling your rural property, your estate agent has arranged plenty of viewings and you have received an offer which you are delighted to accept. Fantastic, excitement all round and you can start making plans now that you have found a willing buyer.

However, there is still a long way to go before reaching the golden certainty of exchanging contracts and as we all know there is many a slip twixt cup and lip.

Conveyancing

Stage two is where the conveyancing process kicks in and over a sometimes lengthy period any problems are rooted out by the purchaser’s solicitor – and this is crucial because we have come across plenty of examples where sales are bogged down or even terminally delayed by complications that could so easily have been sorted out before marketing even commenced. Common examples of these include problems with Title, making sure that boundaries are registered correctly and indeed if the property is not registered then sorting out the first registration; easements (rights of way); planning consents, listed building consents and building control approval if alterations have been carried out during the property’s history; a discharge permit for the septic tank if there is one and it’s not exempt; restrictive covenants in favour of a neighbour; the list goes on and while some buyers may take a view on a few glitches, others will be hesitant to do so and mortgage lenders certainly won’t.

As Agents we always strongly suggest to our clients that they iron out the creases prior to marketing, and while we understand that when selling a house they have already moved on emotionally, the practicalities remain.

Information on your home

A few years ago we had to endure the imposition of Home Information Packs which covered this very process, and more. They were unpopular and unworkable for a variety of reasons, but the principal was spot-on, that relevant and up to date information would be immediately available to the buyer so that an exchange of contracts should not be delayed. Here in South Wiltshire we face another delaying factor with the time that local authority searches are taking to be returned, but that’s another well publicised gripe which we have covered before now.

Our advice, therefore, is simple – if you want a stress-free move speak to your solicitor before you go to market and make absolutely sure that what you are selling has no grey areas which will delay or even scupper a sale. It will no doubt cost you a bit of money, but if you are a motivated seller then you will be more incentivised to do it and your solicitor will have to spend valuable time ironing out the creases anyway.