Church End, Biddenham, Bedfordshire, MK40

DECEPTIVLEY LARGE, STONE COTTAGE, WITH ANNEXE AND GARDEN OFFICE

A lovely-looking, unlisted, 4-bedroom, stone cottage, which has been considerably extended and includes glazed living space linking the kitchen with what could be a completely self-contained annexe. Pull into the gravelled drive, off a quiet no through lane in the conservation area of the sought-after Bedfordshire village of Biddenham and be prepared for many surprises, including an outdoor office in a garden that has a gate straight into fields.

It's little wonder that Biddenham is sought after. Lying within a loop of the River Great Ouse, with picturesque surroundings, the village is on the edge of the County town, just minutes from the station, from where fast trains reach London in under 40 minutes, and from road networks that make travelling a breeze.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the market town, nevertheless, Bedford’s restaurants, supermarkets, shops, sports and health facilities, its world-renowned Harpur Trust private schools and its outstanding Free School are just a short cycle ride away. Yet there’s also an unusual number of facilities within the village itself and, just across the old golf course, in Great Denham, where there’s a Sainsbury’s store and surgery.

Children can walk to highly thought of schools for all ages. Cricket, tennis and football are played at the Recreation Ground, and all manner of groups meet at the village hall. Wander down the lane or through the field at the bottom of your garden to the magnificent, Norman, Grade 1-listed Church in one direction, or to the village pond in the other, and on to the popular thatched pub. Stroll around the heritage trail and immerse yourself in the village’s rich history or step out with your dog along miles of public footpaths. Young or old, two legs or four, all the family will love your new home.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Built at the turn of the 19th century, the gorgeous stone walls and old clay-tiled roofs of the cottage and its attached neighbours give little away as to the 21st century family home it has become.

Nor do you fully realise the transformation as you step through the oak-floored hall to the cosy sitting room, with its fireplace just waiting for a roaring log fire to welcome you and your dog home from that winter walk. You barely notice the discrete cinema equipment hidden beneath the window seat, the projector screen ready to be pulled down for that weekly family film.

The bedrooms above ooze character, with their oak doors and floors, recesses and sloping ceilings. If it weren’t for the fact that you step across the top of the original external wall to go into one lovely bedroom, with its built-in wardrobes, exposed stone and window to the stars set into its vaulted ceiling, you might never realise that this is part of the extension.

But, below, past oodles of storage space for coats, shoes and things that might be useful one day, it’s the hub of the home that proves the eye-opener.

An open living space for all the family to be together, to breakfast, dine, or chill out in the coffee area, and to cook, the Rangemaster and Belfast sink standing proud amongst every other appliance hidden away,

Whereas the red quarries continue throughout, the vaulted and beamed kitchen ceiling gives way to Low E glass that reflects the warmth from the underfloor heating back downwards, while preventing the room from ever becoming too hot in the sun. Year-round, energy efficient comfort - and what a space for entertaining too, in all seasons, one end folding open to the super garden come summertime.

The hugely attractive, weather-boarded annexe also opens (through two sets of French doors) to the terrace. Previously used as an entertaining space, with vaulted-ceilinged main bedroom suite above, it can be anything you want it to be – a self-contained home for extended family, perhaps. And you even have a garden office to escape to whenever you wish. No doubt you’ll want to put your stamp on your new home, but all the ingredients are here for a wonderful family life.