LOCAL legend has it that a king once slept at Eastfield House, Cheselbourne. In those days back in the 1600s, the house was called Mayden Revil and there is some debate over whether the king in question was Charles I.

The Grade II listed former farmhouse was built in the 17th century and provided employment for many of the villagers as well as water from two wells and bread from numerous bread ovens.

Agriculture was the cornerstone of the property’s existence and Eastfield’s thatched roof remained a familiar sight until 1890 when it was removed and a slate roof put on.

The Bennett family ran it as a farm for a century from 1850, but it ceased to be a farm shortly after the Second World War.

John and Ann Hunt bought the house in 1993 and, while digging their garden, they have made several finds including a small medicine bottle, a musket ball or piece of shot and a toy china elephant of some age which has joined John’s collection of more than 400 elephants.

He said: “The history of this place fascinates me because people have been living here for a long, long time.

“There is definitely a presence in the house and on a number of occasions in the sitting room and on the bridge by the compost heap I have been completely enveloped by the smell of old farmer’s shag tobacco which has not been around for years and years.”

Ann said: “I am interested knowing that all these people lived here before us and that so many families were brought up here.

“I particularly like the fact that a former owner of the house set up the very first Women’s Institute in Cheselbourne in 1917, the same year as the county WI was founded. That made Cheselbourne one of the oldest WIs in the country although it has recently disbanded.”

Eastfield may well be an extremely lucky house judging by the numerous horseshoes which have been found in the garden and grounds.

Other pieces of old metal horse tack have also been found. One of the original farmers regularly rode his horse round the property boundaries every day.

The couple particularly like their ‘snug’ area, a small room facing west looking out over the garden.

John said: “It has four bread ovens in it and the original window shutters still exist there. They still have their original anti-burglar locking bars.”

Ann said: “We have very thick walls here, up to three feet in places, and it gives the house an ideal temperature which is warm in winter and cool in summer.”

John, who is an expedition organiser, said: “We have been married for 41 years and this house is the longest we have ever stayed in one place.

“We have made a decision to leave because we want to find a smaller home to end our days in where we will never move from again, but it must have the “wow” factor of Eastfield House which will be quite a task. We will also be sad to leave the village but we hope to stay in the area.”

Ann said: “I will be sad to go, sad to lose Eastfield, but it is probably time to move on.”