Belmont Road, Combe Down, Bath, Somerset, BA2

On the market for the first time in 50 years, Vale View House is a charming, detached family home in an ideal setting. Built in 1850 in Bath stone by the head mason of the quarry at the time, this detached family home sits solidly in its plot, surrounded by gardens and with views south west across the valley.

A raised portico at the centre of the building forms the entrance, with a half-glazed door opening into the hallway. There's storage here for coats and access to all the ground floor accommodation. The living room - originally two rooms - has windows on two aspects and a carved stone fireplace as a focal point, with built-in bookcases either side (one cleverly disguises the TV).

The kitchen/dining room is on the other side of the hall, and adjoins the conservatory. Together, they form an attractive and practical family space. The kitchen has an Aga as well as an electric oven and hob, granite worktops and pale blue units. The dining room has a large window with views across the garden and the double-glazed conservatory has a tiled floor, is fully heated and has access to the garden terrace. It is useful to note that there is secondary double glazing at the front of the house and double glazing throughout the rest of the house.

At the rear of the hall, to the right, is a WC and a utility room with access onto the side garden. To the left, is a store room which is currently a workshop and leads into a larder/boiler room, and then into the outbuilding - a stone-built, barn-style potting shed with potential to be additional living accommodation.

Upstairs, there are two bedrooms at the front of the house, including the principal ensuite, with a double basin unit, shower and dressing room with floor to ceiling wardrobes. There are two more bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a good-sized linen cupboard.

The elevated plot is contained within walls on all sides and backs onto woodland and a primary school. The entrance is via ironwork gates onto a tarmac driveway that sweeps round to the front of the house. On one side is a dining terrace with paved walkway through a wooden pergola down to the shed and down again to the gated pedestrian access next to the garage.

A large, flat lawn is shaped by borders with mature shrubs and a few trees. To the other side is a vegetable garden, complete with staked beds, a greenhouse and another paved seating area. A gate at the rear provides access onto a pathway through the woodland and up to Church Road.

There's plenty of parking on the driveway, or spaces for two cars in the double garage at street level on Belmont Road - it has two entrances, to allow each car to park independently. There is also a pit to enable access for car repair. The garage was built with foundations for another level to be built above it (planning was given but has now expired).

Combe Down sits on a ridge above Bath, 1.5 miles to the south of the city centre. The village is close to large areas of natural woodland, mostly owned and managed by the National Trust, and includes public footpaths such as the Bath Skyline trail. Combe Down comprises mostly 18th and 19th century Bath stone-built villas, terraces and workers' cottages. There is an active community with plenty of local amenities including schools, churches, shops, local societies and pubs.

A good mix of primary and secondary state and independent schools are nearby, including Combe Down, Ralph Allen, Monkton Combe and Prior Park College. Bath's city centre has an exemplary range of restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities, as well as numerous cultural attractions. There are many sporting opportunities in and around Bath including golf, cricket, horse racing and rugby. Bath Spa railway station has a mainline rail link to London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads.