5 bedroom property for sale

Nestled in a sheltered dell on the western edges of ancient Chorleywood Common, the old stables of the original Berkeley Hunt now forms a wonderful family home with five bedrooms, abounding with character and charm.



THE STORY
Tucked away in Chorleywood, and backing on to leafy, mature gardens, The Kennels has been their family house for about 40 years now.
During that time, said one of the current owners, it has seen many great occasions but above all has been a warm and welcoming family home.
My parents had three children when they moved here and the house was just ideal for us. It was in a great location, from which we could walk to the Metropolitan Line and to the shops, and yet, set on Chorleywood Common, it also felt very rural.
The house was full of character and it always had nice atmosphere. It was a wonderful place to live and to be together.

HOME AND GARDEN

One of the few period properties in the area, The Kennels is thought to date back to at least 1905. It was originally created from a former stable block that once belonged to The Old Berkeley Hunt.
My parents had it for a year before they moved in, she remembered. They carried out some work on it, which included my mother enlarging the kitchen into where there had been a series of smaller rooms.
But I think for every penny my mother spent on the kitchen, my father did the same in the garden!

A WARM WELCOME

The house still retains its traditional style, both inside and out, with simple décor and antique furniture.
It still an open fireplace, beams and its original windows upstairs, and it has a cottage feel, she said. At the same time, it has a lot of space, so it was perfect when we were growing up.
Since then, it has been somewhere we have loved coming back to - and the grandchildren have enjoyed it too.
She added: The sitting room with the open fire, was lovely in the winter. We had some great Christmases in there.

CELEBRATION TIMES

Both the house and garden were ideal for entertaining, she went on. Many parties were held on the terrace and lawn.
My sister and I were both married from the house, she said. We had lots of other wonderful times there too. My husband and my brother-in-law had a joint 30th birthday at The Kennels.
The floor in the drawing room was sprung, which made it superb for dancing. My parents were great party people!

SPECIAL PLACE

The house was beautifully looked after by her parents, who repainted every five years, she said. The John Lewis kitchen was installed some 15 years ago.
It was a much-loved home and we had a very happy time there. We had a large extended family and there always seemed to be a lot of people in the house.
And she added: In many ways, The Kennels is quite unique. It is a period property, located on the common, which enjoys every convenience and yet is a magnificent family home as well.


ACCOMMODATION
Ground Floor

A private block paved courtyard marks the entrance to this wonderful family home. Under a storm porch the solid oak front door is adorned with a brass lion door knocker and opens onto the dining hall.
With teasing glimpses of the gardens, beams and an old fireplace, this room is full of character and was originally part of the old stables. On your right a white, tongue and groove door with a black Suffolk latch leads to the spacious farmhouse style kitchen.
Plentiful white cupboards are complemented by a large blue range cooker. To the right of the cooker a wire fronted cupboard creates the perfect setting to display a collection of blue and white china.
A stable door framed by mellow pine opens directly onto the front courtyard and makes it easy to unload shopping straight into the kitchen.
An archway leads to a large utility/boot room that runs the width of the kitchen; from here a door leads up past the boiler room to a cloakroom/WC which can also be accessed from the sitting room.

From the kitchen, step up into the cosy sitting room where a large brick-built chimney-breast arches above a deep, quarry tiled hearth creating the original interpretation of 'a feature wall'.

Broad steps lead down to a wonderful and impressive formal drawing room. A sprung dance floor is currently hidden and protected beneath the carpets, waiting for the next soiree to begin.
This very light and airy room has a door leading out to the terrace and two broad, bow- fronted windows with deep window seats, making them the perfect vantage point to view the pretty terrace and gardens.


First Floor:
A staircase rises from the dining hall passing the white-washed brickwork and as it reaches the first floor divides left and right.

To the left is the master bedroom suite. The beams from the original old stables are testament to the history of the house, their effect softened by the beautiful botanical paper lining the ceiling.
White painted tongue and groove doors to the built in wardrobes and the en-suite bathroom are in keeping with the simple 'country cottage' character of the house. Travelling further along this corridor you will find the family bathroom and the fifth bedroom, which is currently used as an office/sewing room.

Turning right at the top of the staircase the corridor leads you along the western wing. On your left the door to the old hay loft opens onto a small balcony which has views over the front of the house, the courtyard and ancient Chorleywood Common beyond. There are three further double bedrooms each one cosy yet spacious, with their own charm and wonderful view of the gardens.

There is also a double garage with electrically operated up and over door, within the garden there are various outbuildings and sheds.



SETTING THE SCENE
SETTING THE SCENE

When the owners of The Kennels moved in over 40 years ago they decided that for every £1 they spent refurbishing the kitchen they would spend the same amount of money in the garden. After several decades, the grounds at The Kennels are a beautiful legacy of the love and attention lavished on them over the years.
The lawn used to roll down from the house but my father redesigned it so there is now a top lawn, lower lawn and a more meadow-like area, where they liked to see the wildflowers growing. said the owners.
Your gaze is drawn further away from the main building, past the potting sheds and hedges towards the steps leading you down towards the old orchard.
An ancient wisteria reaches out with spiralling branches against the sun-kissed rear elevations, framing and complimenting this wonderful house.



WITHIN EASY REACH
Chorleywood was the perfect place for the family to live as it was close to shops, schools and transport links.
When we were growing up it was ideal. As we got older, we could go into London ourselves, said the owner.
In a recent survey Chorleywood was found to be the neighbourhood in England with the highest quality of life. The village has managed to retain its individuality and support its independent retailers. Today you will find numerous restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and gift shops. There is even a thriving wet fish shop.
Nearby Chorleywood Common is a wonderful amenity to have on your doorstep. With 200 acres of wooded, common land; it is perfect for country walks and perhaps lunch at one of the old public houses that can be found around its perimeter. There is also a golf course with nine holes and a cricket pitch on the common.
The Kennels is superbly positioned being just a 5 minute drive from the M25. All London airports are within easy reach as are the M1, M40 and M4 motorways. There are excellent rail links to London from Chorleywood station with Chiltern Rail and the Metropolitan line taking approximately 30 minutes to reach Marylebone.

DIRECTIONS
From the M25, exit at junction 18 and take the A404 towards Chorleywood and Amersham. Turn left at the second set of traffic lights turn left into Common Road. After about a quarter of a mile you will find a small track on the right which leads to a small dell. Turn right through a gateway and follow the lane as it curves to the right. Pass the metal gate to 'Kennels Cottage' and 'The Kennels' is the second house on your left hand side.
For those with satellite navigation the postcode is WD3 5LW



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