COTSWOLD HOUSE AND SEPARATE COTTAGE IN STUNNING, SOUGHT-AFTER VILLAGE

A rare opportunity to purchase a wonderful house and separate cottage suitable for family and home-based business. The property also includes garage and outbuildings for renovation / conversion

SUMMARY

* Substantial 3 bedroom terraced house constructed of Cotswold stone on four floors, separate Cotswold stone 4-room cottage, off-road parking for two cars, Cotswold stone-built garage, useful and historic brick-built outbuildings for renovation, and front and rear gardens

* Period features: house, cottage and garage in Cotswold Stone construction with original Elm floorboarding to most of main house, some original panelled doors and some ledge/braced doors, original flagstone floor in cellar, parquet floor in cottage, three working fireplaces and two additional working chimneys

* Situated in an elevated position set back from the road, with stunning views, in sought-after Cotswold village. Close to Blockley C of E Primary School, park and other amenities yet away from noise and traffic - the best of all worlds

* Convenient for rail connections to Oxford & London, within easy reach of cultural and shopping centres at Stratford-on-Avon and Cheltenham, and one hour’s drive from Birmingham International Airport

* Gas central heating to house and annex, almost all windows double or triple-glazed, Broadband available, phone line to both properties, TV (freeview available) and FM aerials

DESCRIPTION

3 Northwick Terrace is a spacious, stone-built house offering fabulous family accommodation, lots of character and a superb location. The self-contained cottage is zero-rated for council tax and gives potential for a variety of additional uses including accommodation for a relative, B&B or a home-based business (the current owners run two web-based businesses from this building). The house, cottage and garage are of substantial Cotswold stone construction, and have the security advantages of close neighbours while feeling very self-contained and quiet.

It would be possible to convert the garage to provide ground floor accommodation with a mezzanine floor subject to planning consent as this has been granted in one other similar case in this terrace.

The property is part of a handsome terrace built by the Northwick Estate in 1806. It is situated opposite Blockley park and set back approx 33 metres (110 ft) from the road with a series of terraced lawns and patio area which forms the front garden to the property.

The main house is arranged on four floors and features a bespoke Kitchen with fitted appliances, solid maple doors and Granite worktops; separate dining room; lounge with large fireplace and far-reaching views; terraced patio and lower lawn; newly-converted cellar with flagstone floor; cloakroom; three bedrooms (one ensuite); family bathroom and adjacent lobby/laundry area with plumbing and ventilation for washing machine and tumble dryer. The house has gas central heating provided by a high-specification Vaillant combination boiler with wireless thermostat / timer unit and thermostats to all radiators. Velux windows or bespoke secondary glazing to all but one window, and triple-glazing to the cellar window. It features some exposed stone walls and ceiling beams. It has very good sound insulation from neighbouring properties and from external noise.

The cottage has a main ground-floor room currently used as an office, a kitchen and upstairs bathroom area currently used as storerooms, and a main first floor area currently used for music recording and storage. It has a separate gas central heating system with thermostatically controlled radiators and double- or triple-glazing to all but one window, again offering very good security.

Rear garden, Cotswold stone-built garage and outbuildings for renovation.

A rare opportunity to purchase: the current owners have lived in this property since 1990.

House: council tax band E. Cottage: zero-rated for council tax.

LOCATION

Blockley is a beautiful Cotswold village which has been described as the “best kept secret in the Cotswolds”. Its church dates from the 1100s and the village has three shops, two pubs and a school, and a range of historic cotswold stone mill buildings and homes, making it a wonderful place to explore and live. The village is away from main traffic through-routes and yet has easy access to road and rail links.

Stratford-on-Avon and Oxford cater to cultural interests and are easily reached by car and by road / rail respectively, and a variety of shopping is available in Moreton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Cheltenham.

Moreton railway station is about 10 minutes’ drive from Blockley, and has a direct train service to Oxford, Reading and London. Birmingham International Airport, one of the best regional airports in the UK, is an hour’s drive away.

ACCOMMODATION: MAIN HOUSE

Entrance via white-painted stable door with twin deadlocks and wireless doorbell (2 receiver units can be place anywhere in the house) to

KITCHEN 2.9m x 3.1m (9'6" x 10'2") max

Range of bespoke fitted eye-level units with beautifully-flamed solid Maple doors. Lighting under. Floor-level bespoke fitted units also with solid Maple doors and drawers. All work surfaces are 25mm (1”) dark Green Maratika granite with matching upstands to walls. Matching Maratika granite window cill. Double stainless-steel sink, smaller of which has powerful ISE waste disposal unit. Built-in Siemens dishwasher, built-in self-cleaning DeDeitrich electric fan / rotisserie oven with Siemens gas hob over, low-noise extractor / light in wooden hood with ventilation to exterior, built-in separate Siemens fridge and freezer, built-in Siemens self-cleaning combination Microwave and fan oven. 7 double electric sockets, separate overhead light and switch for outside light. Triple casement window with secondary glazing, some exposed stone to walls, and patterned hard-wearing insulated flooring. Also included are spare wood / cupboard fittings, some spare flooring and all instructions for each of the built-in kitchen appliances, helping with future maintenance.

DINING ROOM 4.5m x 2.8m (14'9" x 9'2") max

Beamed ceiling, single radiator, double casement window with secondary glazing, two alcoves with shelving, storage cupboard (former fireplace with working chimney) with exposed stone. Fitted carpet, solid floor. Halogen spotlights with dimmer. Panelled door to

LIVING ROOM 4.35m x 4.7m (14'3" x 15'5") max

Fireplace with large opening and substantial amount of exposed cotswold stone. Fitted carpet and Elm floor boarding. Small high-level shelves over doors to dining room and lobby. Beam to ceiling. Two double casement windows with secondary glazing and door with secondary-glazed window. Views over terrace and garden to Blockley Park to hills beyond. Full-length, full-width curtains with pull-cord. Alcoves with shelving and power points. 3 double wall-lights with dimmer switch. TV and FM aerial points. Large single radiator. Panelled door to staircase leading down to

RECEPTION ROOM 2 / PLAYROOM (BASEMENT) 5.11m x 4.35m (16'9" x 14'3") max

A very useful space for hobbies, as a playroom or even occasional guest use. At the top of the stairs, new consumer unit (new earth spike has been fitted and certificate available) with 2 double sockets to shelving underneath, forming useful area for storage / charging of small electrical items. Exposed stone walls and stone stairs with wood treads, and cupboard over with iron hinges. Insulated flagstone floor to cellar, mixture of exposed stone walls and ventilated plasterboard walls. Exposed ceiling beams. Triple-glazed window with light well and grating over. Two independent sets of halogen ceiling spotlighting, switch for ventilator fan. 3 double sockets and 2 tv aerial points. Two double radiators.

CLOAKROOM 0.9m x 1.8m (2'11" x 5'10")

Vailliant 850E combination boiler with wireless timer / thermostat unit, which can operate anywhere in the house. Small basin and toilet with built-in cistern. Small single-glazed window. Fitted carpet.

LOBBY / STAIRS with panelled door to living room

FIRST FLOOR:

LANDING

Fitted carpet over elm floorboards and single socket. Modern pine panelled door to bedroom 2 and old wood panelled door to


MASTER BEDROOM 4.62m x 4.34m (15'1" x 14'3") max

Built-in double wardrobe with shelving, elm floorboards, feature cast-iron fireplace with mantel over. Exposed ceiling beam. Triple window with secondary glazing and views to distant hills. Single radiator. Wall lights on dimmer with pull cord, and separately-switched main light. Panelled door to laundry area / bathroom.

BEDROOM 2 3.95m x 2.48m (12'11" x 8'1") max

With partial sloping ceiling. Radiator. Twin wall lights with dimmer. Fitted carpet. Velux window. Feature arch-topped door to laundry area / bathroom.

LAUNDRY AREA 1.91m x 1.73m (6'3" x 5'8") max

Exposed ceiling timber. Built-in cupboards with plumbing and electric sockets for washing machine and ventilation for tumble dryer, with cupboards above. Fitted carpet. Door to

FAMILY BATHROOM 2.75m x 2.10m (9'1" x 6'10") max

Exposed ceiling timbers. White suite comprising bath with stained wood trim at base, basin and toilet. Alcove with shelving. Airing cupboard with slatted shelving and switched point for electric heater. Dormer window. Fitted bathroom carpet

SECOND FLOOR

Stairs with partial elm treads and fitted carpet. Top landing area with useful cupboard. Door to

BEDROOM 3 3.80m x 3.31m (12'5" x 10'10") max - L-shaped

Wonderfully-shaped room with arched, double-glazed triple window giving views to distant hills, cast-iron fireplace with some exposed stonework, large clothes cupboard with built-in light. Exposed ceiling timbers. Fitted carpet over Elm floorboards. Double radiator. TV aerial point. Door to

ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM 1.26m x 1.77m (4'1" x 5'9")

High-capacity Mira electric shower in angled glass enclosure. White toilet and basin. Built-in cupboards to one wall. High-quality blue/white tiling to shower enclosure walls and partially to other walls. Striplight and double spotlights. Radiator / towel rail. Extractor fan. Exposed ceiling timbers. Fitted bathroom carpet over hardboard and Elm floorboards. Velux window.

ACCOMMODATION: COTTAGE

Two-storey cotswold stone building situated across driveway from main house entrance.

Please note: room dimensions for the cottage are being added shortly

MAIN GROUND FLOOR ROOM 4.27m x 3.74m (14'0" x 12'3") max

Entered via reinforced Oak door with twin deadlocks and additional old lock with large key. A wonderful room with two painted stone walls with alcoves. Fireplace and old bread oven above, with cast-iron door. Parquet floor throughout and remaining walls of unpainted stonework. Built-in seating with matching fabric to window cutains. Exposed ceiling timbers. Spotlights on 3 dimmer circuits. Radiator. Double window with additional sealed-unit secondary double-glazing, triple window to side aspect with window locks and additional sealed-unit secondary double glazing. Telephone point (extended via underground cable from main house, but could be configured as a separate number using the second installed phone line to the house). Old ledge and brace door to

KITCHEN / STOREROOM 2.16m x 2.58m (7'1" x 8'5") max

Range of old units and sink with plumbing for hot and cold water. Sealed-unit double-glazed windows with fitted window locks. Exposed ceiling timbers. Single radiator.

FIRST FLOOR

Stone steps and wooden balusters to

MAIN FIRST FLOOR ROOM 4.27m x 3.74m (14'0" x 12'3") max

Wooden floor, exposed ceiling timbers to interior of pitched roof. Radiator. Double window to front with additional sealed-unit secondary double glazing. Old ledge and brace door to

BATHROOM / STOREROOM 2.44m x 2.58m (8'0" x 8'5") max

With old but working bath, basin and toilet. Glow-worm gas combination boiler. Single-glazed window to side aspect and small secondary-glazed window to rear aspect.

EXTERNALLY - REAR OF PROPERTY

The property shares a driveway with the others in the terrace but has ownership of its own section. Parking space for two cars to the side of the cottage. Outside lights and tap.

GARAGE

Cotswold stone building with double wooden doors and side door (currently boarded up). Roof space partially boarded for further storage. Concrete floor. This has potential for conversion to living space with mezzanine floor, with utilities extended from cottage. Potential for connecting the cottage and garage together.

STORAGE AREA

To the rear, behind the annex, is a small area which has been used as a log store. This area could be roofed to provide dry storage if desired. Steps up to

REAR LAWN Irregular shape: approx 37sq metres - smallest dimension 5m (approx 121sq feet - smallest dimension 25ft)

A useful level grassed area which is ideal as an additional play area or for cultivation. Bordered by

OUTBUILDINGS

Old brick-built outhouses made of local Blockley brick. The brickwork is well-pointed in most places, and with appropriate replacement roofing would make a valuable dry storage area for bicycles / garden equipment in the two central spaces; either side of these there are two historic 2-hole Cotswold privies.

The garden area hidden behind the two outbuildings is currently for sale (September 2007). This area cannot be built on and is not visible from the property but could form a useful extension to the property.

EXTERNALLY - FRONT OF PROPERTY

PATIO AREA

Paved in artificial flagstones matching the colour of the buildings. Outside tap. Cotswold stone retaining wall to front, steps down to

TERRACED LAWN

With retaining walls, this is a level lawn ideal for children’s paddling pools or as a further sitting / barbecue area. Cotswold stone retaning wall to front, steps down to

MAIN LAWN

A long lawned area with paved pathway leading down to the Cotswold dry-stone boundary wall and road. Path continues to one side, enjoying a right of way to a gate giving access to the road.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tenure: Freehold

Tax: Band E (house), ZERO RATED (cottage).

ALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES, FITTED CARPETS and ALL FIXTURES SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THESE DETAILS ARE INCLUDED IN THE SALE

A boundary map and copies of the land registry documents are available.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

These particulars have been prepared in all good faith to give a fair overall view of the property. If there is any point which is of specific importance to you, please check with us first, particularly if travelling some distance to view the property.

These particulars, whilst believed to be accurate are set out as a general outline only for guidance and do not constitute any part of an offer or contract. Intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements of representation of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their accuracy.

Advertiser contact details
Name: Mark Harmer
Email: Contact the Advertiser
Ad Ref: 142152