Blo Norton, Norfolk

An attractive early 18th-century Grade II listed cottage with large range of outbuildings to include workshop, artist's studio and office. All in 0.83-acre adjoining fields.


Situated in a private setting within this semi-rural village, Hampton House is an attractive, beautifully presented Grade II listed cottage, dating back to the early 18th-century, being built of traditional timber- frame construction under a recently re-thatched roofline. The property has been subject to many improvements, cleverly blending the original characteristics (to include a lovely, exposed frame and inglenook fireplace) with contemporary nuances, resulting in a stylish and versatile home.

Interestingly, in the 1930s, the cottage was lived in by Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, one of Queen Victoria’s godchildren and daughter of the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. Born in Elveden, Sophia was a fashionable socialite of the Victorian age and became a prominent member of the suffragette movement. Her brother, Prince Frederick, lived in nearby Blo’ Norton Hall and bought his sisters the cottage to live in, and they renamed the house after Hampton Court Palace where they had an apartment given to them by Queen Victoria.

Extending to almost 2,000ft2 the property comprises a side/entrance hall with cloakroom and boot room, a double aspect sitting room with inglenook fireplace housing a wood-burning stove, leading past the chimney stack to a triple aspect snug. The kitchen/breakfast room is well-equipped with painted shaker-style base and eye level units, wooden worktop and Belfast sink, Oil-fired Aga inset within the fireplace and ample space for dining table. There is a utility room with further built in storage, electric hob and worktop.

On the first floor is a spacious landing, with access to 4 bedrooms (all with built in storage) enjoying views over the gardens and fields beyond, served by a modern family bathroom.

Outside
The property is approached from the village lane over a long-gravelled driveway leading to a parking area for numerous cars. There is a sizeable garage/workshop which extends to around 900ft2 providing superb storage whilst also benefitting from planning permission granted to incorporate and connect with the existing house to provide an enormous kitchen with bedroom suite above (Mid Suffolk Planning Ref: 3PL/2021/1283/F). There is also planning granted to erect a double garage with studio above.

There has been considerable landscaping within the grounds, with a stunning terrace with kitchen garden and hot tub, together with an expanse of lawned garden to the south with mature trees, a self-contained garden office and well-appointed artists studio with wood-burner, carefully placed for natural light and views over the meadow with post-and-rail fencing leading to open fields.

Services
Mains water, drainage and electricity • Electric Storage heating • Council Tax Band ‘E’ • Broadband: Ofcom suggest Superfast 50Mb • Mobile: Ofcom suggest all providers likely.

Location
Hampton House is located within unspoilt, pretty village of Blo Norton. The village is known for Blo Norton Fen, a SSSI and host to many uncommon and rare species of plants and wildlife. A network of small country lanes run between the local villages and, along with local bridleways and footpaths, there are many opportunities for countryside walks, cycling and horse riding. The village has a church and village hall with regular community events and the coffee shop and plant nursery. Nearby in Garboldisham there is a shop, primary school and a pub. Blo Norton is approximately 7 ½ miles from Diss, and Diss has a main line railway station for easy access to London, Ipswich, Stowmarket, or Norwich, (journey time from Diss to London is approximately 90 minutes).

Listed Building Entry: II Cottage. Early C18. Timber framed with rendered and colour-washed wattle and daub and thatched roof. L plan. One storey and dormer attic. Door left of centre with one casement and French window to right of late C18. 2 gabled dormers with casements in gabled roof. Ridge stack to right. External stack dominates cross wing to north which has 2 gabled dormers to east and west of gabled roof, all rebuilt 1983.