Pheasants Walk

May 2026

Pheasants Walk

This photograph shows is Pheasants Walk in 2026. It was built on a plot of land that was originally an apple orchard belonging to the Stucley Arms and was part of the Affeton Estate owned by the Stucley family. This story of Pheasants Walk starts with the orchard around 1940.

1900 approx.

West Worlington Village

This Ordnance Survey map of shows the location of the Orchard at the beginning of the C20th.

1973 approx

West Worlington Village

This Ordnance Survey map of shows the location of the Orchard in the year it was sold as a building plot.

Pheasants Walk, West Worlington – Setting the Scene

From the late C14th / early C15th the Stucley family had been the main landowners in the area of West Worlington, and with such a large rural estate the needed to either directly employ staff to undertake a variety of jobs mainly associated with farming or lined to supporting farming and rural life or lease farms and plots of land to tenant farmers. This required a large local workforce and to retain and attract the necessary workers the Stucley family built many cottages as dwelling for their employees. The village of West Worlington was original a collection of properties mainly providing accommodation for the significant number of estate workers that were required. In early Victorian England West Worlington would have been a ‘busy’ place. In 1841 there were 530 compare that to the population of 215 residents in 2021.

The Stucley Arms was built and owned by the Stucley family with the main purposes of been an Estate Pub for Stucley Estate Workers, a Community Hub offering a venue for Community Events and as a Recreational Venue for local residents.

A favourite Devon drink for many centuries had been Cider and to ensure there was always a good supply in the Stucley Arms. A plot of land adjacent to the pub was turned into an orchard and an Apple Press was constructed in the orchard.

By the late 1930’s the Stucley Arms was in poor condition and following a local authority health inspection in 1939 the landlord received a formal order to install a mains water system to improve the property’s sanitary conditions. However, by March 1940 the improvements had not been made resulting in the magistrates issuing an order to close. n an order by local magistrates when declined to the landlord failed to make the necessary improvements the

1943

Stucley Arms Closes

Pheasants Walk is constructed on the site, that in 1940 was the orchard of the Stucley Arms. Evidence shows that there was a Cider Press located in the orchard Cider been old in the hostelry. With the permanent closure of the Inn the orchard was no longer need to provide the apples to press for the cider.

Pre-!940

The Orchard

Before the closure of the Stucley Arms the orchard was well-maintained and kept in tidy order. The building showing with the boundary of the orchard was an apple press showing an apple press building.he Stucley Arms is the building immediately behind and to the right oft he orchard.

1940’s approx.

The Orchard and West Worlington

When the Stucley Arms closed and the orchard was not needed any more it was not maintained and became over grown and in essence was redundant.

1973

Examined Extract of the Title

This task was undertaken by Sir Dennis Stucley in preparation for the sale of the land that was the orchard.

26 October 1973

Conveyance Between the Property Owners (the Stucley family) and the Purchaser ( Byways Properties Ltd).

Stucley family who were the owners of the property I the Stucley Arms including the orchard, had decided to se;l the land that was the orchard. The purchases were Byway Properties Limited. Sir Dennis Frederick Bankes Stucley (and others )was sold the plot to Byways Property Ltd,

3 June 1975

Legal Mortgage

Byways Property Services entered into a mortgage with National Westminster Banks Ltd,.

17 September 1976

Conveyance

Byeway Properties Ltd to John Boothway

1 August 1978

Conveyance

Mr J Boothway sold the building plot for Dart House to P. A. Cox

1978

The construction of Pheasants Walk is near compleion

30 November 2003

Pheasants Walk changed ownership on this date

These are the photographs that appeared in the Estate Agents Brochure showing the East Facing Elevation of the house and parts the garden. showing a view of the house from the gate and a view of the gate from the house.

2004 / 2005

The owners had ideas to extend and improve the property to meet their needs and requirements. During 2005 they had plans drawn up and successfully applied for planning permission.

Ltd. were commissioned by the owners to prepare detailed plans and produce building regulations specifications

18 May 2007

Aerial View of Pheasants Walk

This is a Ariel view of Pheasants Walk following the completion of the development and improvement works

This photograph of West Worlington is taken from the field adjacent to the river and looking North to the village that is on the hillside facing South. facing South

This photograph shows the orchard in the foreground which is associated with the Stucley Arms and traditionally would have been a local source of cider. The outbuilding that is just visible on the orchard side of a boundary wall and in the photograph is directly below is showing as directly below the door of the Stucley Arms. The Stucley Arms closed in 1944, and the orchard was no longer required to press to make cider for sale in the hostelry. The orchard is the site of Pheasants Walk and the neighbouring property Dart House both of which were constructed in the 1970s.