Mattishall

The original bones of the Kensington House date back to the middle of the 15th century when it was believed to be a four bay hall house.

Architecture is often governed by the materials on hand, and at this time timber was integral to the construction of the vast majority of buildings and because of this it was often left on display and celebrated. However, due to the limitations of timber you would often get a design which was quite linear, with a series of rooms all next to each and in the modern day this doesn't quite work for our daily needs and requirements.

However, thankfully, at the start of the millennium Kensington House received a modern extension which was not only clever in its design, preserving the character of the original property, but almost doubled the size of the original house and created a space which flows and works seamlessly with the life of a modern family.

The property sits proudly to the rear of its plot and is behind a brick pillared gate, approached by a long meandering shingle driveway. Closer to the house is parking for several cars and a wonderful oak-framed cartlodge which is large enough for two cars - with the addition of a lockable single garage. Above the garage is a large storage space, which could easily be converted in extra accommodation if one so wishes.

Entering the property from the side, you walk into a grand, but inviting, entrance hall. On the right-hand side is one of the vendor's favourite rooms of the house, the kitchen. This bespoke hand-made wonder is an original Bryan Turner Kitchens creation. For those who don't recognise the name, his designs are known for using opulent materials, sublime carpentry throughout and high-end fixtures and fittings which he selects; such as the marble worktops which were hand selected in a quarry in Italy. This kitchen is a prime example of his craftsmanship.

Across from here and over the hallway, you step from the modern extension into the original part of the house and find the formal dining room. This is the first room to give a glimpse of the timber which features so heavily throughout the property. To one side of this stunning room is a gorgeous brick-built inglenook fireplace, and whilst there isn't a log burner here one could easily be installed to add extra ambience on those special family occasions.

Walking deeper into the home, and further along the entrance hall, the house opens into the double-height family room. Here we get a glimpse of the old and the new seamlessly working together. On one side we have the newer era, with a wall of glass which faces south and gives access onto the courtyard garden beyond, but also allows this room to be filled with natural light. Then on the other side we find the older, showcasing the wooden heart of this beautiful home.

If the family room is the perfect place to sit in those sunny summer months, then the room next door is the perfect place for winter's evenings. Featuring a slightly lower ceiling, there's a wonderful cosy atmosphere, and with more large wooden beams above, an impressive exposed brick inglenook fireplace - with inset log burning stove, this room draws you in to take a seat on its comfy sofa.

Lastly on the ground floor is a drawing room, which could be doubled up as a playroom or study. There is also a very useful utility room to the rear of the property and next to this is a downstairs cloakroom with a shower.

Upstairs there are four double bedrooms and the primary has a private en-suite, whilst the other three share the family bathroom.

Outside, and stepping out from the kitchen, is a sunny south-facing entertaining terrace which has been cleverly designed to feel as though it is an extension of the internal accommodation. The garage has power and lighting, and then to the side of the property is a lawned area which is bordered by mature hedges and trees. This wraps around the home and continues all the way to the front.  

MATTISHALL The popular village of Mattishall is about 9 miles to the west of Norwich and 4 miles from the market town of Dereham.

The village has a good range of amenities including a village store, post office, public house, church, doctor's surgery with pharmacy, fish and chips takeaway, hairdressers, and a very popular junior school.

There is a gym and two cafés, one with a farm shop and garden centre, and a children's nursery at Southgreen Enterprise Centre.

In addition to this the village has its own cricket, football, bowls and golf clubs for all ages. The village is about 2 miles from the A47 providing straight-forward access to Norwich and Dereham and you may reach the coast in less than an hour.
Dereham is a busy market town mixing both the new with the old. Free parking allows you time to stroll around seeking out the restaurants, pubs and cafes or for an afternoon shop.

There are museums, a leisure centre, golf course and schools within the town, or for the nature lovers take a stroll along the Neatherd Moor and the Vicarage Meadow.

Slightly further afield are the ruins of the Saxon Cathedral at North Elmham, the wildlife and Dinosaur Parks, Pensthorpe, a bird lovers paradise and Thetford Forest Park. Norwich has good local transport links with the town, with bus services as regular as every half hour to and from the city.

The city of Norwich provides a wider range of amenities including major rail links to London and beyond and Norwich International Airport. 

SERVICES CONNECTED Mains water, electricity and drainage. Oil fired central heating and LPG for the cooker. 

COUNCIL TAX Band F. 

ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATING D. Ref:- 0918-3027-7247-5868-7924
To retrieve the Energy Performance Certificate for this property please visit and enter in the reference number above. Alternatively, the full certificate can be obtained through Sowerbys. 

TENURE Freehold. 

PROPERTY REFERENCE 46456 

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family-life
historical-homes