2 Bed Houses To Rent in St. Giles in the Wood

St. Giles in the Wood’s rental market mirrors the village’s rural Devon character, with homes ranging from historic terraced cottages to substantial detached family houses. Current available rental data puts average rent at £1,250 per month, although the small number of listings means that figure cannot show the full spread of properties on offer. What it does show is the premium attached to space and privacy in this countryside setting, where gardens and open views command strong interest from tenants who want genuine rural character. In the village core, Victorian terraced cottages built by the Rolle Estate, often of local stone or brick with slate roofs, still set the tone for renters looking for period detail rather than modern convenience. ---NEXT---

Prices in the EX38 7JP postcode area have proved resilient over the long term, with StreetScan data showing growth of 44.6% over the past decade and 21.6% over the past five years. The picture is cooler now, though, as values have slipped by around 3.2% over the past year and sit 9% below the 2023 peak of £259,441. Sales are rare here, with only three property sales recorded in EX38 7JP over the last 17 years, the most recent in July 2024, which says a lot about how infrequently homes change hands in this tiny area. Average rent in St. Giles in the Wood is currently £1,250 per month based on available rental data, and because listings are limited that figure may not capture the full range. The village housing mix is mostly owner-occupied, so rental homes can be thin on the ground, even though turnover still happens when residents’ circumstances change.

Renting in St. Giles in the Wood means looking closely at the details of a very old rural housing stock, much of it Victorian or earlier. Homes built in the 19th century by the Rolle Estate often have solid brick or stone walls without cavity insulation, so poor ventilation can bring condensation problems in occupied rooms. Damp checks matter, especially in ground-floor rooms and basements where moisture gathers, and original sash windows should be inspected for repainting or repairs that sit with the landlord. The slate roofs on these older places are usually sound, but slipped tiles and failing pointing can lead to expensive, disruptive repairs.

Because St. Giles in the Wood sits in the River Torridge valley, flood risk should sit on the checklist when a rental is being considered. Check where the property lies in relation to the river, and ask about any past flooding before committing to a tenancy. Homes on higher ground towards the eastern edge of the parish may be better protected than places nearer watercourses and low-lying land. Historic buildings across the village may also come with listed building controls or conservation limits, which can affect what changes tenants can ask for and what permission the landlord needs for maintenance. If the property is a flat, ground rent and leasehold terms need clarifying too, since those costs vary sharply from one home to the next and are not always obvious from the advert.

For families, schooling is centred on nearby Great Torrington, around 2.5 miles west of the village. Several primary schools in the Torridge area hold good or outstanding Ofsted ratings, and the Great Torrington schools are the nearest option for most local households. That means younger children can get to school without long journeys, keeping the village’s community feel intact and leaving time for after-school clubs without a draining commute. Parents should still check current Ofsted reports and catchment boundaries before choosing a rental, as places are allocated by proximity and demand can outstrip supply in popular zones.

Secondary schooling is available in Great Torrington and across the wider Torridge district, with school transport running from outlying villages such as St. Giles in the Wood so students can reach the right provision. For sixth-form and further education, Barnstaple, about 12 miles away, is the usual destination, with all-round secondary schools offering sixth forms alongside the North Devon College campus for vocational and academic study. Families also need to think about the home itself, because many properties here date from the Victorian era or earlier. Homes built before 1919 may have solid walls without cavity insulation, which affects warmth and energy use, although many families are drawn to the generous room sizes and traditional features of these period houses.

Daily life in St. Giles in the Wood follows the pace of rural Devon, and the population of 547 residents gives the village a notably close-knit feel. Set in the River Torridge valley, the landscape has been shaped by centuries of farming and conservation, with rolling hills, mature hedgerows and traditional farmland creating a strong year-round backdrop. The area’s history runs deep too, with records showing settlement here since at least 1086, when Dodscott was noted in the Domesday Book, and Way Barton having been acquired before 1242. The Rolle Estate still leaves its mark on the village, not least through the Victorian terraces it built, which continue to define the centre.

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Rosemoor Garden, in the south-west of the parish, is both a major draw and a local employer, bringing visitors through the year for horticultural displays, educational events and seasonal exhibitions. Members of the RHS get reduced-price entry to Rosemoor, so residents can reach attractive gardens and cafes with only a short walk from the village centre. Great Torrington, the nearest market town, supplies the essentials, including a Co-operative supermarket on Market Street, independent shops, a pharmacy and the town library, while Barnstaple offers a wider range of retail and healthcare services about 25 minutes away by car. The Devon Wildlife Trust also works in the surrounding countryside, giving residents a chance to support environmental stewardship and enjoy protected natural spaces along the River Torridge.

Getting around from St. Giles in the Wood matches the village’s rural setting, so most residents depend on private cars, with local bus services filling in the gaps to Great Torrington and nearby villages. The A39 Atlantic Highway runs through Great Torrington, giving straightforward access to Barnstaple to the north and Exeter to the south for those who drive. For commuters, Barnstaple is around 25 minutes away by car, while Exeter can be reached in roughly one hour depending on traffic on the A361 and M5. Stagecoach and other local operators run the bus network, but services are limited compared with urban routes and do not always fit standard working hours.

Rail links are available from Barnstaple station on the Tarka Line, with services to Exeter St. David’s taking about one hour. From Exeter, fast trains open up Bristol, London Paddington and the wider national rail network, so village residents can still make business trips and day journeys. Cycling is possible too, with Devon’s quiet lanes and scenic routes offering rewarding local rides, although the hilly terrain demands a fair level of fitness and works better for leisure than for everyday commuting. Off-street parking or garage space is usually part of a rental property here, which is a welcome advantage in a rural area. Given the limited public transport, private vehicle ownership is close to essential for day-to-day life in St. Giles in the Wood.

Getting to grips with the financial side of renting in St. Giles in the Wood helps prospective tenants budget properly and avoid awkward surprises during the application process. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 controls what landlords and letting agents can charge, with deposits capped at five weeks rent for properties with annual rents below £50,000. For a terraced cottage at £1,250 per month, that comes to £1,442, held safely in a government-approved deposit protection scheme such as the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits, or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Holding deposits are limited to one week's rent and are refundable if the tenancy goes ahead or if the landlord decides not to proceed with the application.

New renters in St. Giles in the Wood should set aside money beyond the deposit and rent in advance so the move goes smoothly. If the letting agent asks for professional referencing, the cost is usually £100 to £200 per applicant for credit checks and employment verification. Gas, electricity, water and broadband set-up can also call for deposits and advance payments, and those can run to several hundred pounds depending on the provider. Contents insurance is sensible even in a rental home, especially where furniture and belongings would be costly to replace. Homes without mains gas may also need heating oil deliveries, an ongoing expense that moves with market prices and should sit in the monthly budget for the property.