Country cottage appeal close to urban convenience

Many people dream of that little place in the country, but if you work in town that might not always be practical. Unless, that is, you can find a country cottage, complete with the traditional pretty gardens, only a short distance from urban convenience.

If that sounds like an impossible dream, then just to the south of Swindon, a bustling and thriving commercial centre, is some beautiful countryside leading up in two distinct steps to the Marlborough Downs.

And on the plateau between the steps is Overtown, a small community of mainly period homes where the Marlborough office of Dreweatt Neate is offering Parsloes Cottage for sale at a guide price of £500,000.

The cottage is Grade II-listed and, like many of its contemporaries, is rich in natural materials. Upstairs, for instance, polished wood flooring is a principal feature while on the ground floor there are Fired Earth stone floors.

But that’s not to say the cottage has got left behind by modern trends. The kitchen, by Mark Wilkinson, is of showpiece standards with polished granite work surfaces, an island unit incorporating a microwave, a dishwasher, and, as its crowning glory, a Stanley stove for cooking that also supplies hot water and heating.

The kitchen is open to the dining room which has a bench window seat and internal window shutters and additional reception space is provided by the sitting room which, like the dining room, has an open fire.

Three bedrooms on the first floor make this a comfortable family home. There are two bedrooms, plus the family bathroom, at one end of the house while at the other is a luxurious split level master suite with dressing room and shower room. At the centre of the first floor is a large landing with a study area.

A five bar gate gives a real country cottage feel to the approach and it opens onto a sweeping gravel driveway with ample parking and access to both a secure garage a open barn that gives extra parking / storage space. The gardens lie to the front and side of the cottage and feature a paved terrace, expansive lawns, and well-stocked borders. To the rear, a wisteria-covered arbour leads to a vegetable garden with magnificent views across open farmland.

For more information visit dnproperty.co.uk.