Hannington, Kingsclere, Hampshire

Cottington House is a fabulous period farmhouse in a glorious and peaceful location. The house is approached by a no-through lane surrounded by ancient woodland and grassland. The house opens out at the rear of the property onto the most delightful mature south facing gardens. All the main reception rooms look out over this south facing landscape which has been designed to give the house a feeling of attractive intimacy close to the house, whilst still enjoying the rural outlook which the property enjoys. The heart of the house is the kitchen/breakfast room which is characterised by a part vaulted kitchen area which opens out onto a charming dining area with attractive period beams and a decorative fireplace. The kitchen/breakfast room is next to a charming sitting room with original inglenook fireplace thought to date to the late sixteenth century, this rooms has easy access to the beautiful gardens, as does the dining room. There is lovely traditional drawing room which has an open fireplace and large windows looking across the garden as well as to the front of the property. On the first floor there are three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including the principal bedroom which is wonderfully light filled and benefits from a large en-suite bathroom. On the second floor there is a sizeable set of rooms including two bedrooms, a bathroom and the option of a sixth bedroom and reception space. There is a substantial former stable block which has been made into a secondary two bedroom cottage which benefits from a large open plan reception area ideal as a party space or games room.

The gardens and grounds at Cottington are particularly pretty. The gardens have been designed to offer the perfect summer haven where mature yew hedges and mellow brick buildings give a feeling of a south facing courtyard garden, which filters out to peaceful countryside. The swimming pool and tennis court have been cleverly worked into the design being close to the house to be highly convenient, yet hidden from view of the house which predominantly looks over this south facing landscape. There is an attractive stone terrace which is accessed directly from the rear of the house. To the side of the garden there is a large sweeping area of pasture which could easily be returned to paddocks, but currently affords a calm long view from the garden to the open fields beyond. There is an old agricultural barn on the western side of the grounds.

Hannington, near Kingsclere, is located between Newbury and Basingstoke and the area offers wonderful walking and riding opportunities which can be accessed directly from the village. Kingsclere provides excellent local facilities including a primary school, village shop, butcher, and doctors’ surgery. There are direct trains from Basingstoke into London Waterloo, or from Newbury into London Paddington, and easy access to the M3 and M4. The property is located close to some of the most prestigious schools in the area including Cheam, Elstree, Horris Hill, Bradfield and Downe House.