21 The Borough, Montacute, Somerset, TA15.

Built in dark honey-coloured Ham stone and dating back to the early 19th Century, 21 The Borough is a classic village house of the period and has all the elements of that iconic period of British architecture. It is attached on one side to a neighbouring property. On the other is a tall stone wall pierced by an archway fitted with tall, close-boarded timber gates that would once have led to the property's stable yard. The former stable block has now been converted to provide
additional accommodation linked to the house by a striking dining room with glazed walls and roof that looks out to the garden on one side and a paved courtyard on the other. The house is Grade II listed and has undergone comprehensive and sympathetic refurbishment over the past five years, retaining many original architectural features including Blue Lias flagstone and timber floors, plentiful joinery, sash and stone mullion windows, window seats, working shutters and a fireplace in each of the three main reception rooms. The house is arranged internally with a four-up, four down configuration around the centrally positioned reception and inner halls, with the latter leading to a deep stairwell overlooked by the first floor, galleried landing and lit by a west-facing stairwell window that allows natural light to pour into the centre of the house. The ground floor accommodates five good-sized reception rooms and the kitchen, with both the latter and the drawing room looking out over the charming walled garden and out towards St. Michael's Hill. The kitchen is fitted with a selection of electrical appliances, contemporary units, granite work surfaces and a double Belfast sink. The converted stable block now provides a garden room and a good-sized utility room. Upstairs are four double bedrooms plus a family bath and shower room. The principal bedroom has an ensuite shower room and a stone mullion window and a window seat that overlooks the garden.

The property looks out directly onto The Borough, which is situated at the heart of the village and provides ample parking space for the house. Behind the house is the property's west-facing, walled garden that is an absolute delight, providing both tranquillity and privacy. The garden has a central square lawn fringed with clipped box hedging, which in turn is surrounded by gravel paths and borders stocked with abundant and colourful herbaceous perennials, shrubs and roses complemented by shrubs and roses on the walls and a timber pergola. Immediately behind the house are a paved terrace resting beneath a mature wisteria, the glass-walled dining room and a shaded veranda. A series of stone benches placed against the walls of the garden provide delightful vantage points with differing perspectives. Providing privacy at the back of the garden are three magnolias, a cherry tree and a Sumac tree that turns a gorgeous splash of colour in the
autumn. Alongside are a timber garden store and a former privy, now housing a gardener's WC. To the rear the house looks onto countryside including the remains of a Cluniac priory founded in 1102. St. Michael's Hill sits alongside this, a folly tower built in 1760.

A303 (Cartgate Roundabout) 2 miles, Yeovil town centre 4.2 miles, Yeovil Junction station 6.4 miles (Waterloo 2.25 hours), Castle Cary station 16 miles (Paddington 90 minutes), Taunton/Junction 25 M5 20.6 miles, Bristol & Exeter Airports 40 miles. (Distances and times approximate).

Montacute is an attractive, thriving village built adjacent to the late-Elizabethan Montacute House, which is now owned by The National Trust. The property is tucked away in one corner of The Borough, a square in the centre of the village, with easy access to the village's medieval parish church, village hall, 2 public houses, hotel, garage and village shop/post office. The large town of Yeovil, which serves as the regional centre, is about ten minutes drive away and can meet nearly all dayto-day needs with a wide range of shopping, recreational and business facilities. Other towns within easy driving distance include Sherborne and the county town of Taunton. There are excellent nearby transport links with the A303, A30 and M5 nearby and direct mainline rail services to London from Yeovil Junction (Waterloo) and Castle Cary (Paddington). The surrounding area also offers a wide choice of popular schools from both the state and independent sectors. There is a CofE primary school just a four-minute walk away and nearby independent schools include Perrott Hill, the Sherborne schools, Hazelgrove and Leweston.