Nestled on the green floor of a wooded, steep-sided valley lies an enchanting, russet house, the newest part of which dates back to 1580; the oldest 1150. The Theeds have been there more than 40 years, renovating it into a splendid home, with flagstone floors, thick oak doors (from their own timber), enormous fireplaces, and, above all, character beyond estate agents' wildest dreams. Then there is the garden: not huge, but including a towering Wellingtonia and Magnolia campbelli, parterre, birdsong and peacocks. Here, at Combe Sydenham, I was treated' to five-star hospitality.
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