Dale Street, Naunton, Gloucestershire

Not only does enchanting Cotswold Cottage epitomise its’ name, it’s also a flagship of the entire ‘country cottage’ genre – location, looks, character, charm and considerable space, it has it all.

The heritage facets that home-seekers crave are showcased here – a honey-coloured Grade II Listed Cotswold stone cottage under a slate roof with a plethora of period features carefully preserved in harmony with the necessities of 21st-century life. Mighty ceiling and upright beams, a big inglenook fireplace, winding staircases, flagstone floor, cosy window seats, stone casement windows and original bread oven – Cotswold Cottage boasts all these with heaps of character and rustic style.

Nestled in the Gloucestershire village of Naunton and the valley of the gently meandering River Windrush, at the heart of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, everything’s as pretty as a picture and equally peaceful.

While this friendly community cherishes its popular pub and activity-packed village hall, it’s just five miles from the vibrant town of Stow-on-the-Wold for supermarkets, shopping, restaurants etc., and within a few miles of Ofsted-rated ‘outstanding’ primary and secondary schools and a number of highly rated independent schools.

Behind the cute chocolate-box façade of semi-detached Cotswold Cottage lies a deceptively spacious four-bedroom home covering 1,811 sq ft and simply perfect for a family looking to put down roots within this ultra-desirable rural idyll. It would also make a magical weekend and holiday retreat.

Within its historic walls, you’ll find a fantastically bright and comfortable sitting room, extending to 23x18ft at its largest, two further reception rooms and a superbly light, airy and well-equipped 22x12ft kitchen in a modern extension to the rear, overlooking the private English country garden.

This is a rare ownership opportunity.

A characterful and spacious heritage home

Ramblers and the occasional racehorse from the nearby stables are generally the only passers-by in the quiet no-through lane outside Cotswold Cottage.

The front door opens into a small lobby and beyond that, the bright and beautiful sitting room opens up generously, featuring both handsome ceiling and upright beams and enough space for zoning as wished – squashy armchairs in front of the big inglenook fireplace with its impressive log-burning stove, sofas for after-work G&Ts or watching TV, an accent chair beside the front windows to watch the world go by or read by while sipping morning coffee . . .  the choice, of course, is yours.

In the corner, there’s also a curved staircase to the upper floors and it’s essential to note that while the majority of the cottage has reasonable head heights, taller folk do need to be careful in places such as the stairs.

From the dining room, another couple of steps access the kitchen extension via a lobby which has a cloakroom/WC to one side and utility area to the other with fitted cupboards, Miele washing machine and Bosch tumble dryer under a lantern roof.

The kitchen is particularly light and bright thanks to a high vaulted ceiling and wide set of French doors to the garden. Measuring a generous 22x12ft, there’s space for a centrally placed kitchen table and chairs, perfect for breakfasts and casual suppers.

Time for bed . . .

Exuding a relaxed and cosy vibe, the trio of bedrooms on the first floor are all doubles – two of them measuring 10x10ft approx and the third, the largest at 12x9ft approx, complete with a pair of deep storage cupboards.

These bedrooms share a large bathroom with a super-sized bath tub and walk-in shower.

Another little staircase leads to the principal bedroom on the second floor which has a vaulted beamed ceiling, built-in wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower. 

A cottage garden

Outside the kitchen there’s a paved terrace that’s the perfect place for al fresco meals and entertaining friends – the French doors can be opened up for ease of access to the kitchen and to create that desirable indoors-meets-outdoors feel. Alongside, pure white wisteria blooms in late spring.

At the end of the garden, a flight of stone steps lead up to a large (20x14ft) stone building, complete with power, which could, with renovation, possibly become an office, studio or gym. Alternatively, it’s a great garden storage space.

Round and about

Though small, Naunton is a friendly community with life revolving round the local pub, The Black Horse, serving Donnington ales and hearty meals, which has roaring fires in the winter and a lovely beer garden in the summer. The village hall hosts a range of activities ranging from pilates and Zumba to a sewing group and pre-school, and there’s a monthly village breakfast get-together too. Regular services are held at the 15th-century St Andrew’s Church.

Commuter links are good – Naunton is within a short drive of the A40/M5 and the nearest train station is at Moreton-in-Marsh (10 miles) with mainline trains to London Paddington.