Langham, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8

Set back about 300 yards off a little-used country lane and surrounded by about 30 acres of its own land, Westbrook House enjoys peace and quiet and complete privacy. It sits atop a small hill with unspoilt countryside stretching out as far as the eye can see, with the house designed so that the bedrooms, both reception rooms and the kitchen/breakfast room all look out at the gorgeous view. It was built in 2000 on land belonging to the nearby Sandley Stud and has been the home of its current owners for the past 15 years. During their ownership the property has been carefully maintained and improved. These improvements include the creation of a lovely formal garden around the house.

The house is built of dark red brick under a tiled roof and the ground floor incorporates a perfectly sized drawing room, adjacent snug, elegant dining hall and a good-sized kitchen/breakfast room with ample space for a large table for both family-centric day to day life and in-kitchen entertaining. The house has recently been fitted with UPVC, double glazed windows, which allows in plenty of natural light giving the whole house a light and airy feel. Nice touches include an elegant staircase and timber flooring in the dining hall and carved stone fireplaces fitted with wood-burning stoves in both reception rooms.

The kitchen/breakfast room is fully fitted with handmade units of painted timber, timber floor and four oven AGA inset in a fireplace. Adjacent to the kitchen is a large laundry/boot room with a walk-in larder.

Upstairs there is a long and wide galleried landing with a private, built-in study area in one corner. Off the landing are the principal bedroom, which is south-facing and has a balcony and its own bathroom, an en suite guest bedroom and two further double bedrooms sharing the family bath and shower room. A second floor encompasses two further en suite double bedrooms.

Westbrook house is approached off the passing lane by a tarmac drive that leads eventually to the property's equestrian facilities. A spur leads to a large, gravelled parking area between the house and its domestic stable block incorporating a tack room and four loose boxes, two of which are used as a gym and garden store.

Surrounding the house is about an acre of formal garden designed by the renowned landscape designer, Rob Kennett. The garden consists of an extensive lawn fringed by colourful herbaceous borders and attractive specimen trees, all sheltered by a fringe of mature beech hedging. Beyond the garden are a series of thirteen paddocks, all with mains-fed water troughs and enclosed by post and rail fencing. Out of sight at the far end of the drive and over a quarter of a mile from the lane are the equestrian facilities. These comprise an all-weather school, extensive parking, large modern barn flanked on either side by two rows of ten loose boxes each and a four-bay hay store/horsebox shelter. The property rests on limestone brash soil, which ensures that the soil is free draining, making it perfect for horses, sheep and gardening.

Westbrook House has no near neighbours and is situated amidst open, unspoilt countryside about two miles west of the village of Wyke, which is on the west side of Gillingham. Gillingham can meet most day to day requirements with a range of local shops and businesses including GP, dental and veterinary surgeries plus a large Waitrose. The property is also well positioned for nearby transport links. The A303 is easily accessible just three and a half miles away, Gillingham and Castle Cary stations offer direct services to Waterloo (2 hours) and Paddington (90 minutes) respectively and Bristol Airport is just over an hour's drive away. The local area also offers an abundance of good schools from both the state and independent sectors. These include the popular and well regarded Gillingham School (Ofsted rated Good) from the state sector, plus the independent Port Regis, King's School Bruton, Clayesmore, Hanford, All Hallows, the Sherborne schools and Hazelgrove, which are all within a ten mile radius.