Queen Street, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9

A magnificent & substantial Grade II listed village residence standing in stunning part walled south facing grounds of 1.7 acres (stls). There are seven double bedrooms (3 ensuite), two family bathrooms, six receptions, garaging and heated outdoor pool with substantial pool house. Walking distance to the village. Felsted school (30 mins). EPC Exempt.

DESCRIPTION

An extremely attractive period house on the periphery of the ever popular Northwest Essex village of Castle Hedingham. The property has been sympathetically improved during the current owner’s occupation, offering a very modern configuration of family living space, sympathetic to the features you would expect from a part timber, part brick residence from this period. These features are most apparent within the dining room and drawing room to the East wing of the house, both showing off impressive ceiling heights and generous sash windows. The drawing room also opens via double French windows onto the York stone terrace and rear garden. Both receptions benefit from open fires with marble slips and ornate surrounds. The charming snug is located at the centre of the property to the other side of the reception hall, which benefits from a glazed rear porch / garden room opening onto the rear terrace. This was a well considered addition by the current owners, enabling you to see through the house onto the garden when entering from the front door. The snug has views of the rear garden and provides a ground floor cloakroom and drinks cupboard, both of which are cleverly hidden behind stunning oak panelling, which encompasses the entire room.

The spectacular kitchen breakfast room is accessed from the snug and was designed by Bryan Turner Kitchens, resulting in handmade bespoke units below marble work tops, with an impressive central island providing a two-seater breakfast bar. A double butler sink is set below a large window looking out to the front of the house, with the electric four door EVERHOT range set below fired Earth tiling protecting the two covered hobs. A second staircase rises to the first and second floors.

The kitchen steps down to a generous breakfast room which was completely renovated and improved four years ago, part panelled offering a wood burning stove on a stone hearth, generous walk-in pantry, external access to the driveway and doorway with steps down to the substantial basement/ utility room with brick flooring & separate cellar, double butler sink and extensive storage.

A fantastic family room was created at the same time as the breakfast room and is accessed from it. Another well considered design providing a very generous reception which links the main house to what was the coach house. The family room has engineered oak flooring, which is underfloor heated, two floor to ceiling windows to the south and doorway onto the rear terrace/patio. Further light floods in from both a skylight window and delightful curved glazed wall, which opens onto the front courtyard. A doorway now gives access into part of the coach house which has been converted into a lovely office with impressive vaulted ceiling, contemporary wood burning stove and its own cloakroom. It also benefits from independent external access from the driveway. This section of the house could be developed into an annexe by further breaking into the remainder of the coach house, if required and subject to the usual consents.

The main staircase located in the entrance hall, splits and rises to the East wing of the house. It is important to note that this section could become an entire master suite if required. The accommodation currently provides the principal bedroom which is extremely spacious opening via an archway into a lovely dressing room (potential nursery) with feature fireplace. Two large windows look out over the rear gardens. Adjacent is the most impressive, vaulted family bathroom with shower and separate bath protected by wood panelling. There is a separate shower. At the far end of the wing is a lovely double (5th) bedroom looking out to the front. Bedroom three, located at the centre of the property, looks out to the front and benefits from built in wardrobes and an ensuite shower room with double length shower. Bedroom two looks out to the rear gardens and enjoys a separate dressing room and lovely sunken ensuite bathroom. Bedroom four occupies the west wing and provides a dual aspect to the front and side with exposed timbers and an ensuite shower room with double length shower. This section of the house has the benefit of the second stairwell descending to the kitchen and also rising to two further double bedrooms which share a second floor bathroom and separate living/ cinema room.

EXTERNALLY

The property is set back from Queen Street on the edge of the village, set behind an in and out circular gravelled driveway with electric gates to exit, fronted by a mellow yellow brick wall and well screened from established yew hedging. There are well stocked beds to the frontage with extensive parking, served by two single garages. Side access beyond the garaging opens to a rear courtyard with sheltered wood storage and walkway leading along the western boundary. The rear terrace runs the entirety of the property, predominantly laid with York stone below a lovely half wall of red brick supporting well stocked beds. The terrace is generous, offering a variety of seating/entertaining areas immediately off the house, enjoying the southerly aspect. Steps lead up to a gravel pathway with lavender borders, splitting the formal lawns either side. To the eastern boundary is an impressive mellow red brick wall of considerable height, ideal for the climbing plants to be seen at their best. To the foot of the wall is a fine herbaceous border stocked with a variety of perennials and evergreens offering a variety of colour and interest throughout the year. This can be said for the entire garden which lies principally to the south and west, also benefitting from a number of specimen trees.

A deep yew tree hedge separates the kitchen garden and potting shed to the SE boundary from the formal grounds, which lead beyond to a fantastic section to the SW providing an outdoor heated swimming pool. Generous circular decked seating sits beyond the pool and below the splendid detached pool house with vaulted ceiling, tiled flooring and solid oak bifold doors that open to the pool. It provides a summer kitchen / living room and separate shower / changing facilities. This idyllic section of the garden benefits from sun throughout the day and is extremely private and peaceful backing onto far reaching farmland to the west, therefore also enjoying wonderful sunsets, and the substantial orchard to the south, with cut pathways offering easy access to a number of fruit trees.

Sheepcote House is and was an important residence enjoying a prominent position within this highly regarded North West village of Castle Hedingham, containing a wealth of fine period homes and cottages, named after its famous Norman Keep. Local amenities include a village shop, post office, two pubs, tea-room, doctor’s surgery, parish church, tennis courts, a cricket ground and playing fields. The nearby market towns of Sudbury, Halstead and Braintree provide more extensive requirements. Witham, Kelvedon and Braintree provide commutability via mainline stations to London. A wide variety of schooling is within close proximity in all sectors, Colchester isn’t far and offers fantastic Grammars with St Margarets, Gosfield and Felsted within the private sector and very accessible. A bus service is also available from nearby Sible Hedingham running directly to New Hall school in Chelmsford. Major road links via the M11 to Stansted airport, with mainline stations Kelvedon, Witham & Chelmsford with direct links into London all within easy reach.

SERVICES

Mains water, mains gas and mains drainage