Henley Street, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49

Churchill House is a fine Grade II* listed townhouse dating from the early 17th century occupying a lovely position close to the Town Hall and St Nicholas's Church. The front elevation bears the date of 1688 and disguises an earlier building at the rear, built of half-timbered elevations, a style often seen in rural Warwickshire. The accommodation is extensive and conceals numerous period features such as attractive panelling, fireplaces, chimneypieces and a magnificent high-relief plasterwork ceiling on the first floor. The building now requires gentle but extensive repair to both its fabric and interior.

The house is the most prominent property in the town and immediately offers a feeling of grandeur, being an impressive and classical English townhouse of considerable charm. Internally the proportions within the house are well balanced, with the main reception rooms all leading off a central hallway and landing with the first-floor drawing room with wonderful plasterwork and mouldings having magnificent aspects across to the square, Town Hall and church. Available for the first time since 1966, the sale of Churchill House represents a rare opportunity to purchase such a distinctive building allowing a new owner to put their own stamp on the property.
The rear wing of Churchill House would lend itself to alteration to self-contained ancillary accommodation, subject to necessary consents, making the property ideal for extended family living.

To the rear of the house on the west side is a mature garden with traditional flagstone paving. The garden widens to a level expanse of lawn with gravel parking and mature trees and shrubs. There are attractive aspects towards neighbouring period houses.

Vehicular access to the rear of Churchill House is through secure wrought iron gates from Moorfield Road along the drive leading to a double garage. The sale includes a self-contained two bedroom cottage/barn conversion currently let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement. The Barn is thought to date back to the Victorian era and was converted in 1995 and comprises a sitting room, kitchen, two first-floor bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is a small courtyard on the east side of the barn. The remaining portion of the barn has the potential for residential conversion to form an additional dwelling. In addition, the grounds that extend to 0.54 acres offer scope for additional dwellings (all subject to the usual planning consents being obtained).

Churchill House is Grade II* listed as being of Special Architectural or Historic Interest considered National Importance and worthy of protection. Churchill House has a long and varied history dating back to the late 18th century when Thomas and Elizabeth Lucas updated it in the latest 1688 style. The magnificent, elaborate plaster ceiling displaying garlands and floral displays was commissioned by architect Robert Hook, famous for his design of Ragley Hall in 1685. Churchill has had many usages throughout its history, including a weaving shop in the late 18th century is still evident by the hanging wood and iron bracket sign on the house's facade and in the 19th century as a young ladies' boarding school in 1891.

Alcester is a thriving Warwickshire market town which lies approximately eight miles to the west of Stratford-upon- Avon. The town is surrounded by rolling countryside, much of which belongs to the Ragley Estate.

The town provides a good range of facilities for day-to-day needs, including a Waitrose supermarket, a wide range of shops, recreational facilities with Centenary Field public park a short distance from the property, and schooling. There is a more comprehensive range of shopping and leisure facilities in the region's cultural centre, Stratford-upon-Avon, which is home to the Royal Shakespeare Company.

There is an excellent range of state and independent schools in the area to meet most requirements, including St Nicholas Primary School, Alcester Grammar School and Alcester Academy in Alcester, Stratford Grammar schools for boys and girls, The Croft Prep School, Warwick Prep School, Warwick School, King's High School and Bromsgrove School.

Rail services are close by, with both Evesham and Warwick Parkway stations providing direct trains into London Paddington and Marylebone, respectively. The motorway network is also within easy reach, with the M40, M42 and M5 all a short drive away. There are racecourses at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Cheltenham and golf courses at nearby Stratford-upon-Avon, Bidford-on-Avon and Henley-in-Arden. Spas at Billesley Manor Hotel, Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Wildmoor and Macdonald Alveston Manor Spa.