Keysoe Row West, Keysoe, Bedfordshire, MK44

TWO COTTAGES BECOME ONE WITH EXTENSION TO BOOT - AND WONDERFUL VIEWS

A lovely, unlisted 4-bedroom cottage, with fabulous field views front and back, remarkably private and peaceful gardens and driveway parking in front of a huge garage. Stapletons Cottage in the North Bedfordshire village of Keysoe is a prime example of the art of joining two cottages, complete with extension, to create a super family home.

On a peaceful, tree-lined country lane, the cottage looks over the picturesque countryside surrounding the Bedfordshire village of Keysoe, home of the internationally renowned equestrian centre which hosted numerous Olympic teams in 2012, and which also has a super café. Keysoe International is fast becoming a community hub, an amazing facility for families, where you can eat while watching the ponies and horses, meet up in various clubs and societies and work on your laptop over coffee.

And it’s all on the doorstep of your new home along with a thriving village hall which hosts all manner of events, including bar nights and annual show, a primary school and the Church of St Mary the Virgin, where you can discover all about the ‘Keysoe Miracle’ from the inscription on the west face of the tower. And one thing’s for sure – you’ll never run out of bridleways and footpaths for those long rambles with your dog.

Just a short cycle ride away is Riseley, with its general stores, newsagent and Fox & Hounds Pub & Grill. The golf course at Colmworth and the superb Plough at Bolnhurst are minutes away. The highly rated Kimbolton private school is just 4 miles from the village and the catchment secondary school at Sharnbrook roughly 7 miles. 10 miles equidistant of the railway stations at St Neots and the County town of Bedford, with their fast trains to London, Stapletons Cottage is handily placed for travelling. Probably named after William Stapleton (a member of a family once ubiquitous in Keysoe), ‘Billy’ upped sticks for Kent at one stage, but soon returned. It’s no surprise that he couldn’t bear to be away.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

The result of great design and workmanship is that you cannot tell that the cottage was once two. And that you’re not immediately sure what is old and what is new. Cottages built for agricultural workers, dating back to the middle of the 19th century, have thus seamlessly transitioned to the 21st century without losing any of the immense character of the age, while adding oodles of flexible family living space.

Stapletons Cottage is now a forever home, with beautiful, vaulted-ceilinged bedrooms upstairs, with their wonderful wall timbers and fabulous far-reaching views to wake up to. And with a lovely bedroom downstairs, with similar outlook and a super, adjacent shower room that you could easily alter to open Jack & Jill style from the bedroom itself.

The interlinking bedrooms have worked well for young children and parents in the past. A stud wall could create a passageway between them from the landing if you wish. Or you may prefer to combine them as a main bedroom suite to add to the one downstairs. Your new home is happy to fit your way of life.

Quarry tiles in the downstairs hall give way to beautiful, tumbled travertine to one side of the cottage, oak to the other. Oak doors on one side pick up the granite-topped, oak Shaker kitchen furniture; gorgeous old latch doors to the other add to exposed brick walls and timbers to never let you forget your new home’s heritage.

Stapletons is at once a family home with plenty of space to entertain and to come together without ever getting under each other’s feet, and a cosy country cottage in which to relax in front of roaring log fires in both the lovely dining and sitting rooms - with the garden room area fitted with attractive, blue-tinted glass that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer, allowing you to enjoy the wonderful views all year round.

Eat al fresco come summertime, or simply relax with bottle plucked from the wine cooler, serenaded by birdsong from the beautiful ash, oak and copper beech trees, and gaze out over fields of wheat and wildlife, an extension of your garden, and feel at one with nature