Black Notley

A Prominent and Historic Five Bedroom Grade II Listed Farmhouse set in 3.88 Acres with Mature Gardens and Paddocks, offered with Garaging,  Stables, Storage, and glorious views to the west over farmland.

What We Say at The Zoe Napier Group

This is truly a wonderful 5/6 bedroom family home, offering comfortable modern day living within an historic period home featuring high ceilings, large bay windows and something money can’t buy with the splendour of its mature grounds and surrounds. There is scope for l equestrian facilities too with an existing stable block and paddock land.

What the Owners Say

We literally fell in love at first sight with this property. Despite it being a total refurbishment project, we could see the potential and so many of the unspoilt original features which remain as key features alongside the refurbishments. The house is a brilliant and practical family home with versatile accommodation including the top floor which is ideal for teenagers or a home help/nanny.

History & Background

A prominent five-bedroom Grade II listed farmhouse situated on Buck Hill in an elevated position, enhanced by its historic 40-meter wall which is separately listed with English Heritage. The house is set within 3.88 acres of mature south facing gardens and surrounding paddocks with a traditional courtyard containing cart lodge garaging and an enclosed garage building   

The house is recorded to date back in part to the 17^th centuryor earlier, typically for a farmhouse it is mainly timber framed and rendered beneath red hand made pantiles with pierced bargeboard detailing to the gabled elevations. The building is further recorded to have later 19^th and 20^th Century additions and far more recently, the property has been vastly improved both externally and internally whilst retaining its bright, light rooms with notably high ceilings on both the ground and first floors. There is also second/top floor accommodation within an area of high pitch attic space to provide an excellent teenagers suite. All five bedrooms are of double size and in total there are four bath or shower rooms, including an ensuite and dressing room to the main suite and further guest suite with an en-suite.

The ground floor benefits from having three separate reception rooms, each featuring either an open fire of log burners, a stylish kitchen/breakfast room with AGA and service rooms including a cellar, two ground floor cloak rooms and a large utility room. The outbuildings lie in the domestic curtilage of the farmhouse bordering onto the neighbouring listed barn conversion.

Setting & Location

The property stands in an elevated and most prominent position on Buck Hill, on the edge of Black Notley Village which lies due south of Braintree and only 1.4 miles from Braintree Station which changes at Witham for London’s Liverpool Street. The immediate area of Black Notley is largely open countryside fringing the newer developments in and around Great Notley where there are some excellent amenities including a supermarket, the A120, a Country Park and Chelmsford City Racecourse all being within a five/six-minute drive. The property is equally accessible for Chelmsford City Centre (11 miles) with New Hall School and Felsted School each being around 9 miles drive from the property.

As mentioned the farmhouse benefits from enjoying an elevated position with sun set views falling over farmland to the west whilst enjoying most exquisite mature south facing gardens which house reportedly the regions tallest and possibly oldest pair of Sequoia trees, believed to be up to 200 years old with a further mature horse chestnut tree in the front garden. The gardens are private, and part screened by the historic 40-meter listed wall with the grounds backing onto paddock land. Automated entry gates provide access to the traditional farmyard quadrangle which contains the period five bay cart lodge and a further enclosed garage with store rooms.   Further outbuildings include a single garage/machinery store, storerooms and a stable block of two loose boxes with storage.

Ground Floor Accommodation

The main entrance is from the elevated north side of the house which leads to a long hallway with classically high ceilings, leading to a wider inner hall where the part galleried stairs feature. Under stairs access leads down to the sizeable cellar which provides good storage and of standing height (average person). The hallway also provides good storage and a ground floor cloakroom/w.c. Two separate doors lead to the Sitting room which displays some exposed timbers with an attractive tall bay window, with its original timber window shutters, and fireplace housing a log burner. The formal dining room enjoys an open fire with bay window seating overlooking the rear garden. The dining room easily seats 12 or more on special occasions! There is a third spacious reception room, currently used as a playroom, also having a traditional log burner and a corner housing a kitchenette. Steps lead down from the front hall into the kitchen wing; having been stylishly fitted in two complementing tones beneath quartz worksurfaces where the Franke sink is fitted with a Quooker safety boiling water tap. One of the key features is the AGA oven with an additional separate electric oven and hob (for alternative cooking) within the large island which twins as a breakfast bar amongst other integrated appliances. The breakfast table area has a semi vaulted ceiling and access leads through to the large boiler/utility room where there is a traditional butler sink, the boiler, space for white goods and extensive storage and the second ground floor w.c. which lies adjacent to the less formal front entrance.

First & Top Floor Accommodation

The attractive stairs lead to a spacious part galleried landing with a linked landing where further stairs lead to the second/top floor attic suite. On the first floor are four large double bedrooms. The main bedroom with a large bay window with window seating, has a walk-through dressing room which leads to a stylish en-suite. The guest suite also features a modern en-suite and there is a family bathroom serving the two remaining first floor bedrooms. Stairs lead to the top floor landing which provides access to a large attic bedroom and on the opposite side of the landing is a further room (bedroom 6 or a dressing room) with through access to the top floor Victorian style bathroom featuring a traditional freestanding ball & claw bath tub. Each of the bedrooms have an attractive outlook, some across farmland whilst others overlook the gardens and paddocks.

Outside

The mature grounds extend to a total of 3.88 acres which includes up to circa two acres of potential equestrian facilities with paddock land and a stable block building containing two stables and storage. There is scope to develop equestrian facilities subject to the usual planning requirements. Mature gardens lie to the front and rear of the property where there are suntrap terraces, a breakfast (east facing) terrace, attractive lawns with pathways, bound by the historic listed wall from the roadside and mainly with natural screening. The feature is the amazing pair of ancient Sequoi Trees, thought to be amongst the regions tallest and oldest – they are magnificent! There is also a screened kitchen garden area with a greenhouse.

Auto entry gates provide vehicle access into the quadrangle style farmyard setting. This is bordered by the back of the neighbouring barn and further enclosed with  a five bay cart lodge which backs onto the road. Adjacent is a further outbuilding containing a single garage/machinery store and two storerooms. A five-bar gate leads to the paddock areas.  

Services

Mains Water, Mains Electricity, Mains Gas, Private Compliant Drainage (see agents notes

 Agents Notes:

• There are Three Title Numbers. If the buyer is applying for a mortgage for this property, please ensure to advise the lender or financial advisor from the outset of any application as some lenders will not accept multiple titles. This is a relatively common occurrence for properties with land so please ask the selling agent about the independent financial advisors they recommend are who well versed in sourcing appropriate lenders, subject to status.
• Title Numbers EX934846 (House in 2.09 acres). AA35068 (1.47 acres to the south). EX476578 (0.32 of an acre).
• Listed Building NGR TL (Buck Farm) & TL (Wall adjoining Buck Hill and running approximately 40 metres to southwest of Buck Farm).
• Some trees on the premises carry individual Tree Preservation Orders.
• The stable’s corrugated roof is a mixed asbestos/concrete material.
• Our client has completed a Propertymark questionnaire which provides additional information about the property, subsequently helping buyers to make a more informed offer. Please request this from the selling agent. Details include £100 p.a. to be paid for the office pumped waste and an easement for the neighbours to have access for maintaining their property within the courtyard.

• The land opposite the property is within the Braintree District Council Local Plan 2041.

EPC rating: Exempt. Tenure: Freehold,