Upper Street, Child Okeford, Blandford Forum

Spacious and characterful attached village house totalling 4,500 sq ft with a beautiful walled garden, paddock, woodland and pond. Rare to find a home with a plot of 3.5 acres in the heart of a village.

Believed to date from the early 19th Century and formerly the village doctor’s residence and surgery, with reference to a Dr Richardson in the 1921 census. Yew Hedge House was converted to an attached village home with land in the 1970s and subsequently refurbished, incorporating high levels of insulation. Light and spacious rooms are a particular feature of this excellent village house,. The beautifully presented accommodation extends to over 4500 sq. ft in total, all set in attractive gardens with paddock and woodland totalling 3.5 acres and being well positioned in the heart of this sought-after village. The ground floor accommodation flows from an impressive entrance hall, with a superb 23’ sitting room, a formal dining room opening to a conservatory, and a bookcase-lined office, believed to have been the doctor’s consultation room. A beautifully fitted kitchen/breakfast room with an electric Aga opens onto the terrace. Hidden beneath the sitting room flagstone floor is a generous vaulted cellar with an inscribed stone dating construction to be 1813, fitted with wine racks and providing excellent storage. On the first floor there are four well proportioned double bedrooms and a generous family bathroom comprising a separate shower, bath, toilet and basin. First floor hall is currently used as a dressing room and leads to the master bedroom which is a particular feature and is a large room with a decorative fireplace serviced by an en-suite shower room. A staircase leads to an attic room above the master bedroom, which could be used as a dressing room or nursery. A second staircase from the landing leads to the loft room, which benefits from large Velux windows, flooding the room with light, currently arranged with twin beds it could be used as a home office.

Outside - The property is approached via a 5-bar gate leading to a drive with ample parking, and a useful garage/workshop. The pretty front garden is mostly laid to lawn, with a hedge border and colourful flower beds. The main gardens to the rear of the house are delightful. Private and perfect for alfresco dining, a terrace opens onto mature gardens with well-stocked borders. A stable block comprising two stables and a tack room, a covered yard and barn are found at the end of the garden, suitable for horses but also with the potential for conversion to ancillary accommodation subject to the necessary planning consents. The owner of Yew Hedge House has vehicular right of way over the path at the western boundary, leading to an attractive, approx. two acre parcel of land comprising a fenced paddock, derelict barn, and a wildlife haven with woodland and a pond frequented by Mallards and ducklings. This delightful shady area is perfect for picnics and relaxing after following the footpaths and bridleways to Hambledon and Hod Hills, and the beautiful Stour Valley countryside. In total, the property extends to approx. 3.5 acres.

Stiuation - Child Okeford is a thriving village, between the River Stour to the west and Hambledon Hill to the east, a prehistoric fort owned by the National Trust. It has an excellent range of facilities to include a General Store, a Post Office (winner of the Countryside Alliance Best Village Shop in the South West 2024), an organic farm shop, a Church, two public houses, a doctor's surgery with dispensary and a primary school with pre-school and nursery. The nearby towns of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury offer a wide range of facilities including shops, supermarkets, a small hospital and libraries, whilst Gillingham has a mainline railway station (London Waterloo). Further afield is Salisbury to the east and Bath to the north. The A303 is approximately 30 minutes to the north, giving access to the south-west and London via the M3. There is a fantastic range of schools in the area including Bryanston School, Clayesmore School, The Blandford School, Hanford School and Knighton House.

Directions - From Blandford drive north on the A350, through the village of Stourpaine. After 1.3 miles turn left towards Hanford and Child Okeford. Go past Hanford School and you will enter the village of Child Okeford. Continue along the road past the Baker Arms and bear right on to Upper Street, the house can be found on the left hand side.

Services - Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage are connected to the property. Gas fired central heating
Council Tax Band - G
Broadband - Ultra & Superfast broadband is available.
Mobile phone coverage - Network coverage is limited indoors and likely outdoors.
Vendors use EE and report no issues
(Information from