Vernham Street, Andover, Hampshire

Drove Farm is a beautiful and unlisted 17th century brick and flint Hampshire farmhouse which has grown over time into a country house of character and comfort. The house has beautiful weathered elevations with ornate and attractive metal porches, large sash windows and soft grey slate roofs. Drove Farm faces predominantly south west and occupies a prominent position within the popular village of Vernham Street with far reaching views over its own land. The house benefits from stone terraces on two sides. The property flows out onto these sun-bathed entertaining spaces in a convenient and stylish way. Drove Farm is classically decorated in a country house style and complements the beautiful aesthetic of the period farmhouse. Life at Drove Farm is focused around a fabulous kitchen and living area extending to almost 40' long, which has views over the land and direct access to the garden. This large living space is unusual for a house of this age and offers ideal family and entertaining space on a generous scale. In addition to the large kitchen, there is a well proportioned utility room/rear kitchen and pantry, providing a highly functional space adjacent to the kitchen. There is also a boot room and cloakroom. In addition there are two characterful sitting rooms which benefit from large original sash windows, attractive white washed beams and open fireplaces, one fitted with a log-burning stove. In the oldest part of the house there is a charming entrance hallway with flagstone flooring, and the guest cloakroom. On the first floor there is a fabulous principal bedroom suite with a large bathroom and dressing room, and beautiful views towards the Bourne Valley. There are four further bedrooms, also with delightful views over the gardens and grounds, and two further bathrooms.

In addition to the main house, there is an annexe style cottage which offers further flexible accommodation, and subject to the necessary consents could be enlarged further into the adjacent garage which is in the same period building. The cottage currently houses a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. There is also a fantastic 30’ vaulted party barn which is link-attached to the cottage.

The gardens and grounds at Drove Farm are fully mature, and beautifully stocked with flowering mixed borders and topiary accents. The house itself is clothed in climbing roses and beautiful wisteria. There are also a number of beautiful mature trees providing Drove Farm with a sheltered and private position within the village, yet still allowing stunning uninterrupted open views of the surrounding countryside. The gardens have been cleverly designed to create year-round interest and are at their peak in Summer with a riot of colour and scent. There is also a tennis court to the far side of the garden. The land extends to approximately 6.5 acres and is perfectly situated adjoining the garden.

Drove Farm is situated in the beautiful rural hamlet of Vernham Street, a very sought-after location surrounded by the stunning rolling countryside of the Bourne Valley in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is an active local community in Vernham Street itself, and the village is linked closely with Vernham Dean less than a mile away, where there is a highly regarded primary school, popular pub, village hall and church. Hurstbourne Tarrant also offers good local facilities with a village shop, pub and primary school. Nearby Hungerford provides a good range of further amenities, including independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and the larger market towns of Newbury, Andover and Marlborough provide a wide variety of facilities catering for most day-to-day needs. Communications in the area are very good with easy access to the A303/M3 at Andover, and the M4 (J13) and A34 at Newbury. The property is well located for commuting into London with train services from Andover or Whitchurch into Waterloo, or from Hungerford into Paddington. There is an excellent range of schools nearby including Farleigh, Cheam, Dauntseys, Marlborough College and Downe House, as well as primary schools in Vernham Dean and Hurstbourne Tarrant.