Main Street, Ashley, Market Harborough

Designed and built by Ward Country Homes, Ascele House is one of the finest new-build properties to come to the market in recent times, positioned on a plot approaching 2.5 acres and traditionally built on an ironstone plinth with farmhouse orange brick elevations under a reclaimed Welsh slate roof with lead hips, the property boasts over 5,000 square feet of accommodation and has a 10-year warranty.

This striking family home has been constructed to the highest specifications and exacting standards. Features such as hand-built carpentry throughout including the kitchen by Messrs Alexandra Lewis, cast iron/aluminium guttering, hardwood framed double-glazed window units, solid wood front and rear doors, underfloor heating to the ground/first floor, Geberit and Duravit sanitary ware and aluminium Crittall French doors all contribute to provide the perfect blend of traditional charm and contemporary design, creating the ambience of a period rectory with the efficiency of a newly built home, including solar thermal heating panels and air source heat pump.

Nestled in a picturesque location within the village, Ascele House sits adjacent to the beautiful St Mary the Virgin Church, enjoys sensational, far-reaching views over the Welland Valley to the front, and village views to the rear.

Accommodation - The property is entered via an open porch with a glazed and solid wood front door leading into the magnificent reception hall which runs the full width of the property, has flagstone flooring, houses the staircase to the first floor with useful storage beneath and has French doors onto the rear gardens. The elegant drawing room has a window to the side, a feature fireplace with period wooden surround on a flagstone hearth, thought suitable for either an open fire or log burner and flanked by bespoke carpentry including up and over shelving for a media wall and cupboards beneath; a further window to the rear elevation overlooks the garden.

One of the principal features of the property is the stunning open-plan living kitchen; the heart of the home, this space exudes elegance. Fitted by Messrs Alexandra Lewis to an impeccable standard, comprising an outstanding array of eye and base level units and soft-closing drawers, ample quartz preparation surfaces and an undermounted Shaw’s ceramic sink with mixer tap and window above. Integrated appliances include a Meile dishwasher, Meile double fridge and double freezer and a Lachance double oven with a six-ring hob, quartz splashback and wooden extractor unit above. Small touches such as pull-out bin drawers, larder and pantry cupboards with power and lights add convenience. An island unit with three feature pendant lights above has a quartz top providing breakfast bar space and houses a further undermounted Shaw’s ceramic sink with a boiling water tap over, soft-closing drawers and cupboards under. Solid oak flooring continues through to a dining area with a built-in display cabinet with lighting and cupboard, two windows to the rear and French doors leading onto the side patio entertaining area. Open plan to the living kitchen is a bright sitting room with a real sense of grandeur and style, having solid oak herringbone flooring and being flooded with natural light by virtue of four windows to the front and sides, and French doors to the front elevation.

Accessed from the reception hall is a flagstoned corridor leading to a ground floor cloakroom with part panelled walls and flagstone flooring providing a two piece suite. A utility room with a window to the front provides a good range of eye and base level units and drawers, quartz worktops, a Shaw’s undermounted sink with mixer tap, floor-to-ceiling built-in storage cupboards and has flagstone flooring. A handsome, bespoke wine cupboard with French doors leading into a storage area with space for over 200 bottles, set within an oak casing with quartz worktop, ambient lighting and shelving beneath, with black and white mosaic tiled flooring. There is a boiler room and a superb boot room providing excellent storage including floor-to-ceiling cupboards, shelving, hanging space, part panelled walls with coathooks, a window to the side with oak window seat beneath, flagstone flooring and a solid wood door to the front.

To the first floor is a fantastic galleried landing with hand-built furniture and a window to the rear overlooking the south-facing garden. The impressive master bedroom has windows to the front and side elevations, a dressing room with an excellent range of built-in hanging space, soft-closing drawers and shelving, a mirror, spotlights and an en-suite comprising a double shower cubicle with rainforest and personal shower heads, a wash hand basin with cupboards under, low flush WC and a contemporary bath, a floor-to-ceiling heated chrome towel rail, part tiled walls and tiled flooring. There are three further bedrooms, all with bespoke furniture and luxury en-suites.

A return staircase leads to the second floor landing, two further bedrooms with windows to the front affording spectacular views over the Welland Valley and a contemporary shower room with oak flooring.

Outside - Twin, electric wrought iron gates lead to a gravelled driveway which sweeps around to the front of the house where car standing for numerous vehicles can be found along with a detached, stone and brick built double carport and an attached single garage to the left. To the front, the property overlooks its own pretty gardens with mature trees and boxed Yew hedging, flagstone pathways leading to a patio entertaining area and a stone-built party barn (or ideal home office) with part panelled walls, Crittall French doors and flagstone flooring. The deep, lawned front gardens are bordered by estate fencing and double, wrought iron gates leading into the property’s paddock. The side gardens have stone walled boundaries to the Church, and to the rear of the property are fantastic-sized south-facing gardens with views over the Church, set behind tall hedging and Yew hedging flanking the driveway.

Location - Ashley is a pretty, stone conservation village nestled on the borders of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire within the Welland Valley, surrounded by some of the most picturesque countryside in the East Midlands and adjoining Leicestershire with the County of Rutland. The village is historically recorded as early as 1086 as “Ascele” meaning ‘clearing in the woods’ - at that time a hamlet comprising just 320 people and 73 houses within the large hunting grounds of Rockingham Forest. Today, this thriving village offers a farm shop, playground, The George public house, and sporting facilities including a tennis court, cricket net, Pétanque court, and the vO Polo Club with restaurant. Nearby villages include Medbourne with a shop, the well reputed Nevill Arms Pub, football and tennis clubs. Weston by Welland with the Wheel & Compass public house and Nevill Holt with its cricket club and annual festival throughout June; a fantastic venue with many different genres of entertainment.

The area is well sought after due to its excellent transport links, with mainline access to London St Pancras from Market Harborough and Corby in approximately one hour, road links to the A14 and the Midlands motorway network, and Peterborough providing access to the east coast connections. There are excellent schools locally both in the state and private sectors within a 20-minute drive, within the market towns of Oakham and Uppingham along with further amenities including rugby, cricket, football, and an indoor sports centre with gym, squash, swimming pool, football, cricket nets and fitness classes. Rutland Water offers windsurfing, sailing and an aqua park, and there is trout fishing at the picturesque Eyebrook Reservoir.

Tenure & Council Tax - Tenure: Freehold.
Local Authority: North Northampstonshire (Kettering)
Tax Band: tbc

Other Information - Conservation Area: No.
Services: Offered to the market with all mains services and hjating via an air-source pump.
Broadband delivered to the property: tbc
Wayleaves, Rights of Way & Covenants: None our Clients are aware of.
Flooding issues in the last 5 years: None our Clients are aware of.
Accessibility: Three-storey property, no accessibility modifications made.
Planning issues: None our Clients are aware of.

Walter Ward Country Homes - For further photographs and previous developments by Walter Ward Country Homes, please visit: walterwardcountryhomes.co.uk