Stunning Grade II Cottage with Expansive Gardens & Land – Eaton Bishop

A Grade II Listed Black & White 3 Double Bedroom Family Home oozing authentic Character, set in expansive yet easily maintained landscaped gardens, with sweeping country views and gated field extending in all to 1.9 acres – offering equestrian and ‘good life’ potential at the heart of a welcoming village.

Front Porch – Sitting Room – Sun Room – Country Kitchen/Diner – Utility – Downstairs Shower Room – Principal Suite with Bathroom & Dressing Room – Double Bedroom with Ensuite Shower – Double Bedroom – Cellar – Extensive Driveway with direct field access & secure Parking for numerous vehicles inc. Caravan/Motorhome – Double Garage with Pit & Internal Rear Workshop – Triple Log Store – Paved Dining Patio – Professionally Landscaped Gardens with Small Wildlife Pond – Vegetable Plot with Harvested Rainwater, Mains Water & Power Nearby – Fenced Field

A labour of love over the last decade has seen this impressive property, believed to date in part to the late 1400’s with evidence of a complex and varied history throughout, extensively repaired to protect and preserve its authenticity. The current owners have aimed to incorporate modern comforts where this can be done without compromising its essential character. The repairs included the necessary removal of tonnes of material from the rear of the house; this has enabled the restoration of the structural integrity of the entire East elevation timber frame, including the sole plate, to be achieved so it can ‘breathe’ once more. While the property enjoys the benefits of sealed window units throughout, it also has granted planning permissions for their replacement with timber framed windows as well as the addition of bi-fold doors to the Sun Room. A new paved patio has been installed from which to bask in a rural idyll, with views over the delightful gardens and lower paddock to uninterrupted open country beyond. The extensive grounds with public right of way to the boundary offer exciting potential for pursuing the ‘Good Life’, market gardening or for the delight of pony mad youngsters.

The property enjoys a lovely location at the very heart of Eaton Bishop: a quiet yet welcoming community centred around St. Michael’s Church and a bustling village hall offering coffee mornings, quiz nights and a variety of other events. The village is served by bus and community transport, and Ofsted “Good” primary schools at neighbouring Clehonger and Madley. The full city amenities of Hereford lie only 6 miles away, passing through Belmont with its supermarket, petrol station, library and GP surgery, with a further GP surgery in the nearby village of Kingstone.


The Property

Front Porch: A stone and gravel pathway leads to wide stone steps to the entrance door of the spacious Porch. This is a practical area offering ample storage for coats and muddy boots.

Kitchen/Diner: From the porch a studded old door opens into the traditional country Kitchen, thought to be the remains of a late C15 open hall, where modern fittings blend seamlessly into the ancient fabric. The stunning inglenook stone fireplace, where the massive timber lintel displays its taper burn marks, still retains remains of a bread oven. The fireplace is now home to a Charnwood wood burner. The Kitchen is fitted in calm white units smartly contrasted by slim hard- wearing grey counter-tops. The array of storage provided includes a corner carousel and set of deep pan drawers with top cutlery/utensil drawer flanking the wide cream Rangemaster cooker with ceramic hob. The composite sink-and-a-half with integral drainer has both mixer and drinking taps. To the side is space for an under-counter dishwasher and a free-standing fridge/freezer. The expanse of counter-tops is well lit by strip lights neatly concealed by the ceiling beams while three pendants light the central position for a large table at which to gather family and friends, leaving ample space for relaxed seating by the East window framing views down the private rear gardens.

Utility: Off the Kitchen lies the modern Utility, fitted in matching white units including a tall Pantry Cupboard ideal for the storage of household necessities. Home to the Worcester Greenstar gas boiler, the Utility provides a stainless steel sink with integral drainer set beside under-counter space for both washer and dryer.

Sitting Room: The Sitting Room and Kitchen are either side of the almost 3m sq. central stone chimney stack. Between the two rooms is the main Hallway with staircase, and doors to the shower room and cellar. The impressive carpeted Sitting Room contains evidence of a further inglenook fireplace, together with its timber lintel, behind later necessary repairs and modifications incorporating a second bread oven. It is also home to a recent Heta wood burner. This inviting room, thought to date from C17, delights in original exposed wall framing with a picture window overlooking the Dining Patio and lovely wildlife-friendly rear gardens festooned with climbing roses and bursting with colour. A second internal window connects to the Sun Room as does a door into a short Passage with fitted shelving.

Sun Room: The Sun Room with solid tile roof, half wall, timber glazing fitted with blinds, air conditioning wall unit, hardwood flooring and French Door leading onto the patio and gardens beyond, is a delightful more recent addition and offers a highly malleable space. It is currently utilised as a spacious Home Office and offers ample further space for quiet retreat, informal relaxing, hobby/crafting or playroom.

Downstairs Shower Room: The modern Shower Room benefits from pedestal basin, WC, chrome heated towel rail, vinyl flooring and with a step up cubicle with electric shower.

Cellar: Stone steps descend into the Cellar providing copious easily accessible storage and kept dry with automatically pumped drainage for any exceptional rainfall events.

Landing: Approached past a window facing the lane which offers distant views to the Black Mountains, the wide landing has ample space for further storage/bookcases.

Bedroom 1: The door from the landing opens into the carpeted area offering a versatile space and readily fitted with storage to create a dedicated Dressing Room. Doors lead to the Bathroom and principal Double Bedroom. The former has exposed beams and freestanding slipper bath with standpipe tap and shower attachment, pedestal basin with LED lit mirror above, WC and fitted tall wall unit for storage. The suite lit by Velux with fitted blind is completed with cork tile flooring and heated towel rail. The spacious carpeted Double Bedroom enjoys dual aspect with a Velux and window framing stunning views over the rear gardens and land to wooded countryside and the inky outline of the distant Malvern Hills.

Bedroom 2: The second carpeted Double Bedroom provides ample space for both wardrobe storage and study desk; it enjoys a window framing views across the front garden to the tower and green of St. Michael's. The Ensuite features new shower cubicle, WC and vanity unit with cupboard storage and fitted basin and natural reclaimed timber flooring.

Bedroom 3: The final bedroom is also a carpeted Double with window overlooking the village and church tower and benefits from a deep built-in wardrobe with fitted shelving.


Outside

The securely gated, newly gravelled Driveway provides ample parking to the front of the Double Garage with further parking to the rear before continuing, alongside the hedged boundary with its screened Public Right of Way walkway, to the gated rear field. The Garage block offers double garaging for cars with 5ft deep pit for working on vehicles – a boon to any classic car enthusiast. Beyond the garaging with alarm, light, water and power lies the internal Workshop with double door access into the gardens. Beyond the Garage is sunk a 5000lt Rainwater harvesting tank with submersible pump for irrigation. To the rear of the house lies a stone paved Patio ideal for al fresco dining and sheltered by timber fences cascading with climbing roses. The professionally landscaped gardens have been designed to be easy to run, and are a delight of beds bursting with flowers, small wildlife pond, swathe of wildflowers all set against a structural backdrop of fruit, specimen trees and mature walnut. The tonnes of spoil taken from the rear of the house during repairs now form the striking earthwork banks of the lower garden, bordering the “no-dig” Vegetable Plot sheltered by the highly scented hedge of mock orange. Beyond lies the fenced field conveniently grazed by the neighbouring farmer's sheep.


Practicalities

Herefordshire Council Tax Band ‘F’
Gas Central Heating
Predominantly Double Glazed
All Mains Services
Fibre Broadband Available


Directions

From Hereford take the A465 West passing through Belmont. Turn right onto the B4349 signed to Clehonger and Madley for 2 miles, continuing straight onto the B4352. Pass through Clehonger and in 1 mile turn right to Eaton Bishop also marked with a brown sign to St. Michael's Church. The property is to be found on the right, just before another brown sign to the church.

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