Stathe, Bridgwater

An elegant period residence offering great potential, situated in an elevated position with fine views and a plot of 1.54 acres (0.62 hectares)

The Property - This elegant period house sits towards the northern side of its 1.54acre plot with its grounds extending to the south in a series of gardens and rewilded meadow area with a large wildlife pond below. The elevated position means many of the rooms within the property enjoy fine views across its grounds and the adjoining Somerset Levels. The house has undergone improvements during the recent years but now offers further scope to remodel and create a wonderful well-proportioned family home.

Dating from the Victorian period, the house has a spacious traditional layout with high ceilings and large sash windows. A storm porch with flagstone floor leads through to a substantial entrance hall with flagstone floor and wide staircase leading to the first floor. Large period doors open to the principal rooms, including a spacious formal dining room with lovely views, stripped floorboards and original black marble fireplace. Across the hall a generous living room is likely to have originally been two separate reception room and now has triple aspect windows overlooking the gardens and a white marble open fireplace. Traditional picture rails and an original arched display alcove add to the period feel.

The flagstone floor from the main entrance hall continues through to a smaller inner lobby with storage cupboard and useful space to store coats and shoes etc. Adjoining this lobby is a good size downstairs cloakroom. There is also a separate study with fitted bookcases and dwarf cupboards and a sash window affording lovely views across the grounds to the Somerset Levels beyond.

From the lobby a further opening takes you through a wide inner hall which would make a lovely boot room if were to be fitted out with bespoke cupboards and storage. In turn this leads into a good size utility room. A sash window overlooks the rear courtyard with its hedging and a door leads outside giving easy access to the side courtyard, workshop and tool shed.

The kitchen / breakfast room was remodelled from an older extension some years ago and is a spacious dual aspect room with lovely views to the east and ample space for a good size table and other freestanding furniture. The solid wood units and worktops incorporate a butler sink, space for a dishwasher and an oil-fired AGA. There is practical quarry tiled flooring throughout.

On the first floor all bedrooms enjoy double aspect windows, so they make the most of the lovely views and natural light.

The master bedroom on the south side has an original cast iron fireplace and good size en suite bathroom with heritage style suite and fitted corner cupboard. Bedroom two has a large fitted wardrobe and lies adjacent to a smaller second bathroom which offers potential to be converted into a guest en suite. There are two more double bedrooms with fine views, the smaller of which also houses the airing cupboard with hot water cylinder. A larger family bathroom serves these bedrooms.

Outside - The property is approached over a sweeping gravel driveway with central lawned area, leading up to the front of the house. A front lawn slopes down to a large mature cedar tree and there is good privacy from a mature beech hedge along the eastern boundary. A new sewage treatment plant has recently been installed. At the side of the house the original well is still in situ although currently covered for safety. A pathway leads around to the rear of the house where there is a small outside store with power and light. Mature box hedging screens the north boundary and a pathway leads through to a substantial workshop / potential home office and adjoining tool shed / store. These were built during the current ownership and offer great potential if you wish to run a business from home or need a space for your hobbies. The workshop is plastered inside and has power and light connected, whilst the adjoining tool store has a stable door and separate area for fuel / log storage.

Immediately adjoining the rear of the house is a small area of box parterre formerly used as a herb garden but now stocked with perennials and ferns. Across the west side of the house is a substantial enclosed sun terrace / courtyard garden which is a sun trap in fine weather and perfect for private outside dining. Surrounded by shrubs such as hebe, climbing hydrangea and the mature hedgerow it has a high degree of privacy and a wrought iron gate leads through to the front driveway with mature Wisteria and other climbing plants. A mature Laburnam Tree and Yew Topiary graces the south side of the drive.

A lower lawn to the south of the drive includes mature trees such as Hazel, Quince and Birch whilst a more formal upper garden is enclosed by yew hedging and has a stone path leading to a decorative metal arbour with climbing plants and side borders with roses. Steps lead down to the remaining garden which having been formal lawns for many years have now been rewilded as meadow grass with a central mown path. The entire garden has a plethora of mature trees including chestnut, apples, hazel, hawthorn and willow. At the bottom of the meadow area is a large open pond with former summerhouse / arbour.

Property Information - A public footpath runs through the lower area of garden (well away from the house) from the road to the neighbouring field although the vendors would like to point out that to the best of their knowledge it is very rarely used.

The long-term flood risk to the property is Very Low (Rivers and Sea / Surface Water) and Unlikely in this area (Reservoirs / Groundwater)

The Cedar of Lebanon has a Tree Preservation Order dated 1989.

We are aware that the small section of lower lawn immediately south of the driveway (approximately 0.13 acres) was purchased separately in 2000 and is now included in the title of the property. It has a restrictive covenant that does not allow this small area to be built on and it must be used as garden only. Please ask us for further information.

Situation - The house is situated in a slightly elevated position on the southern outskirts of the hamlet of Stathe which is situated along the picturesque River Parrett. Those who love cycling, walking and wildlife will love the multitude of routes along the levels, not least the Parrett Trail which runs through the hamlet and is part of a beautiful 50 mile walk that takes you through some of Somerset and Dorset’s most beautiful countryside.

Stathe is approximately 2 miles northeast of the village of Stoke St Gregory which has facilities including primary school, pub, café and shop. The small historic town of Langport lies around 2 miles to the east and benefits from independent stores, cafés, and a Tesco Supermarket as well as the convenience of a bank, doctors and dentist and veterinary surgery.

Taunton, The County Town of Somerset is 12 miles to the west and offers a full range of shopping, leisure, sporting and scholastic facilities together with access to the M5 motorway and there is an intercity rail link to London Paddington in under 1 hour 50 mins. Other nearby centres include Yeovil, Bridgwater, Street and access to the A303 linking with the M3 which is about 10 miles away. The town of Bridgewater has many facilities including sports centre and football club.

Services - Mains electricity and water are connected. Oil fired central heating. Private drainage via recently installed sewage treatment plant.

Broadband - Standard broadband is available.
Mobile phone coverage - Network coverage is available from three providers indoor and four providers outdoor.
(Information from

Tenure (including lease details)
Freehold

Current Council Tax Band
G

Local Authority
From 1st April 2023 – Somerset Council

Flood Risk - Stated as very low risk from both the Rivers and Sea, and Surface Water
Stated as unlikely from groundwater and reservoirs