Ropley ropes in Hampshire property buyers

Ropley is showing itself to be a Hampshire property hot spot, believes Matthew Hallett, of the Winchester office of Dreweatt Neate. Since he arrived at Dreweatt Neate in April, three properties in the village have been put under offer through Dreweatt Neate, the latest after going to best and final bids. Now Dreweatt Neate is offering two more properties in the village, which lies between Alresford and Alton.

The first is Lyewood Cottage, with a guide price of £950,000, which Matthew describes as “a most enchanting property and one of my favourite houses of the year so far”.

Lyewood Cottage is a medieval hall house which had box sash windows added in the early 19th century to give a light Victorian feel to a large thatched house that’s reminiscent of the quintessential thatched cottage and also still retains features from earlier periods.

“The cottage is in an exquisite position in two acres of cottage gardens and meadow on the edge of Ropley, which many regard as the perfect village.

“The Ropley community bought its village shop last year and runs it successfully. The village primary school is highly regarded and is an enormous attraction, particularly to those moving out of London. As well as its real sense of community and its several sporting clubs, Ropley is set in rolling countryside with great riding and is perfect for access to the bustling Georgian market town of Alresford (voted best market town in Britain by Country Life 2005), great schools and access to Winchester, Guildford and London.

“Lyewood Cottage has many family attractions, not least among them the elegant 26 foot sitting room with a curved bay window at one end and the large kitchen / breakfast room with space for both a table and sofa, making it the perfect heart to the house.

“Between these two is an ample dining / family room with a door to a utility /cloakroom while above are four good bedrooms and a family bathroom.

“On a larger scale, we are also marketing neighbouring Abots Croft farmhouse, a modern but hardly less interesting house that was built in the 1990s using many mature timbers as well as much fine modern oak joinery including a wide staircase that divides to arrive at both sides of a galleried landing.

“The staircase is a superb feature in an entrance hall that makes a grand introduction to the interior of the house. But the house will already have made a great impression thanks to the Michelmersh brick exterior, which is part laid to a herringbone design.

“Both the garden and dining rooms open onto the terrace and as well as the typical country kitchen with Aga there are also give bedrooms, to en-suite, plus a family bathroom.

“A range of outbuildings, when completed, will provide a two bedroom annexe and storage for business use as well as a three bay stable block, a further three bay stable, a garage / storage barn, and an ancient donkey barn. These buildings are an opportunity for a buyer to arrange the space to suit their own needs and tastes.

“There are pretty, formal gardens and beyond this are pony paddocks, a hay meadow, orchard, and sheep enclosure., extending to about 5.23 acres in all

“The size and nature of the property fully justifies the £1.5 million guide price. It is a measure of the popularity of Ropley is that we are already receiving interest from within the village community whenever a property comes onto the market there, showing how much people really want to stay there when lifestyle dictates a change in home size.”

For more details of either property, email winchester@dnproperty.co.uk.