Whitchurch Road, Handley, Nr Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3

A handsome period family home with courtyard range of buildings standing in a mature garden setting next to the Church.

ACCOMMODATION

- Vestibule
- Staircase Hall
- Cellar
- Separate W.C.
- Drawing Room
- Dining Room
- Sitting Room
- Walk-in Cloaks
- Back Porch
- Kitchen with Breakfast Area
- Boiler Room
- Utility Room
- Master Bedroom with En-Suite Shower Room
- 5 further Double Bedrooms
- Family Bathroom
- Shower Room

OUTSIDE

- Garage
- Workshop
- Mower/Garden Store & Log Stores
- Lawned Gardens
- Well-Stocked Borders
- Mown Paddock
- In all about 1.16 acres (0.47 ha)

DISTANCES
TATTENHALL – 2 MILES
CHESTER – 8 MILES
WREXHAM – 12 MILES
WHITCHURCH – 13 MILES
LIVERPOOL – 26 MILES
MANCHESTER – 46 MILES
(DISTANCES APPROXIMATE)

DESCRIPTION

The Old Rectory is a handsome period house dating from the late 19th century which was commissioned by the Church of England and designed by the celebrated architect Charles Ould. Built in 1884 the property is constructed of brick with distinctive stone mullion windows and tall chimneys beneath a tiled roof with gables and dressed stone finials. Internally the property offers extremely generous and well-appointed family accommodation having been fully modernised and yet retaining many original features including panelled walls and doors with deep architraves, tall ceilings, moulded cornice work and staircase and feature fireplaces to the principal rooms.

A pine panelled front door opens into a vestibule with tiled floor and panelled screen with Crittall windows and a door opening into a staircase hall. The hall has a tiled floor beneath an impressive pitch pine staircase and beneath which access is gained to a cellar comprising two rooms one of which has a series of wine bins. At the end of the hall is a downstairs cloakroom with a low flush w.c., pedestal hand basin, built-in cupboards with shelving and tiled floor. To either side of the staircase hall are the principal reception rooms both of which enjoy a southerly aspect overlooking the gardens. The drawing room has an open fire place with dog grate and stone inlay beneath a wooden mantle. Within the room is a bay window with stone mullion window, window seat and picture rail. The dining room has a decorative cast iron fireplace with tiled and marble inlay beneath a carved wood surround and decorative panelled over mantle. To either side of the fireplace are built-in cupboards and display shelving together with walk-in glass & china cupboard. The room has a pine boarded floor, moulded ceiling cornice and a picture rail. At the end of the hall is a family sitting room with westerly aspect. It has a decorative cast iron fireplace with tiled inlay, marble surround, built-in book shelves and moulded ceiling cornice and picture rail. Off the staircase hall is an inner hall with oak style laminated floor extending into a walk-in cloak’s cupboard with hanging rail & shelving. From the inner hall double doors open to the back porch with back door and storm porch serving the rear courtyard.

Off the inner hall access is also gained to the kitchen which incorporates a breakfast area. The kitchen has oak lined wall & base units finished in grey & cream beneath granite work surfaces including a central base unit. The kitchen appliances include a Neff electric oven & grill, Neff hob with brass extractor hood and integrated fridge. A separate run of base units beneath a granite work surface incorporates a Franke stainless steel sink unit together with plumbing for a dish washer. The kitchen has an oak style laminated floor which extends into the breakfast room area which contains an oil fired two oven Aga in a tiled recess with cupboards to either side. Off the kitchen is a boiler room housing a Worcester central heating boiler and directly opposite is the utility room. The utility room has fitted wall and base units under work surfaces incorporating a stainless steel sink unit, plumbing for washing machine, oak style laminated floor and back door to the garden.

The first floor accommodation is accessed via an elegant pitch pine staircase with half landing off which is a cloakroom with low flush w.c. and hand basin. Off the galleried first floor landing is a master bedroom with en-suite shower room and three further double bedrooms served by a family bathroom. The master bedroom has a double aspect, stone mullion windows, moulded ceiling cornice and built-in pine wardrobes with cupboards above. Bedrooms 2 & 3 both have decorative cast iron grates, built in wardrobes with storage and moulded ceiling cornices. Bedroom 4 which is currently used as a study is a double bedroom containing built-in wardrobes with storage above and shelving to the side and moulded ceiling cornice. The family bathroom has a panelled bath with shower fitting, pedestal basin, tiled shower cubicle with glazed screen, heated towel rail, wiring for spotlights, part tiled walls and laminated wood strip floor. From the principal landing the pitch pine staircase ascends via a half landing to a galleried second floor landing with eaves storage cupboards. Bedrooms 5 & 6 are both double bedrooms with cast iron fire grates, stone inlays and pine mantles. Within bedroom six is a built-in cupboard housing the hot water cylinder. Both bedrooms are served by a separate shower room which has a Mira shower with tiled walls and glazed screen, pedestal hand basin, low flush w.c., heated towel rail, downlighters, laminated wood strip floor and walk in eaves storage cupboard.

OUTSIDE

To the rear of the house is an enclosed courtyard with black painted double gates and high wall flanked by an attractive range of traditional brick outbuildings beneath a tiled roof. The principal range is two storey incorporating a garage, former tack room and workshop from which access is gained to a lofted storage area on the first floor. This range of buildings is suitable for conversion to an annexe/cottage for dependant relative or holiday lets or home office together with other uses subject to the availability of planning permission. The return range is single storey incorporating former piggeries and outhouses which currently comprise an outside w.c. together with domestic storage for coal & logs. Behind the courtyard range is a further brick & tiled building which serves as a mower/garden store being accessed via double and single entrance doors. The gardens are arranged around the house comprising sweeping lawns divided by a series of shrub and herbaceous borders framed by low sandstone walls containing Rhododendron, Hydrangeas, variegated Laurel, Lavender and Choisya. Within the south facing front garden are further lawns together with semi-circular Yew hedges incorporating stone patios with seating areas. Within the grounds there are a collection of specimen trees including Yew, Silver Birch and Maple. Behind the courtyard range of buildings to the north is a mown grassed paddock bordered by mature hedges which may be suitable as a pony paddock for those with equestrian interests. The whole extends to 1.16 acres (0.47 hectares).

LOCATION

The Old Rectory is situated in the picturesque village of Handley some 8 miles to the south of Chester being convenient for the nearby village of Tattenhall. Handley is essentially a rural hamlet comprising a collection of attractive period houses & cottages and The Old Rectory, which is within the conservation area, occupies a prominent yet private position at the end of the village adjacent to the church. The fully serviced village of Tattenhall is just 2 miles drive through the country lanes and benefits from a general store, chemist, doctor’s surgery, church, pubs and restaurants. For a more comprehensive range of services the historic city of Chester contains many national high street retailers complemented by the outlet village at Cheshire Oaks on the edge of Ellesmere Port. On the recreational front Tattenhall has a thriving sports club offering football, cricket, tennis, squash and a gym. There are several golf courses locally at Aldersey Green and Carden Park which also offers spa facilities together with gym and indoor swimming pool. Schooling in the area is well provided for with a very successful primary school in Tattenhall which is within the catchment area for Bishop Heber on the outskirts of Malpas and rated as outstanding by Ofsted. Additionally there is a good selection of private schools in the locality including Abbeygate College at Saighton and The King’s and Queen’s Schools in Chester.

COMMUNICATIONS

The area is extremely accessible for all areas of commerce throughout the North West including The Chester Business Park, Deeside Industrial Park and Wrexham Industrial Estate. To the north beyond Chester access is gained to the M53 and M56 motorways permitting daily travel to Liverpool and Manchester. To the south the A41 connects with the M54 allowing for ease of access to The Potteries, Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham. From Chester station there is a 2 hr rail service to London and for international travel Liverpool and Manchester airports are 28 and 33 miles respectively.