Cucklington, Wincanton, Somerset

THE AGENT SAYS...
Nestled on a ridge, high above the surrounding countryside, Orchard House has far-reaching views over the beautiful Blackmore Vale. The house itself is charming, with an unusual curved section housing the staircase, ledge and brace interior doors, and exposed beams in many of the rooms. The rooms are all generously sized and well-proportioned, with the kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room, and principal bedroom overlooking the vale. As lovely as the interior is, it is the garden and outlook which makes Orchard House a truly special property, with beautifully manicured lawns and beds and borders bursting with cottage garden planting, all cleverly designed and lovingly tended to enhance the enjoyment of the wider rural vista.

THE PROPERTY
The entrance hall is a generous size, with storage under the stairs and a separate WC. The dual-aspect dining room is a lovely, square room, filled with light, with room to seat up to 10 people. At the rear is the very spacious sitting room which has windows on three sides and an impressive inglenook fireplace with exposed stone, dark oak mantel beam and log storage. The sitting room leads through to the kitchen/breakfast room which is also a great size. At the dining end of the room is space for a table and also for comfortable seating to enjoy the superb view over the garden. A couple of steps and a half-height wall separate the working kitchen area from the seating. The lovely kitchen is full of charm with simple timber units topped with wooden worktop. A Rayburn range is set back into a brick chimney breast with a tiled splashback, wooden beam, and further storage above. The floor is covered with quarry tiles and there is a super double drainer sink under the window, enjoying views of the garden. The kitchen leads through to the large utility room, providing more storage and workspace, which has a door out to the front of the property and also leads back through to the entrance hall.

The curved staircase leads up from the hall to a large landing providing a possible study area or reading nook. On the first floor there are four bedrooms - three doubles and a generous single - and the family bathroom. The principal bedroom enjoys the view at the rear and benefits from fitted storage and a spacious en-suite bathroom - with a bath and separate shower. The other three bedrooms also benefit from built-in storage and there is a large airing cupboard for towels and linens on the landing. The family bathroom is also a great size with plenty of space for storage and a comfy seat to boot.

OUTSIDE
At the front of the property is a gravel drive, enclosed by a wall and hedging, with a timber field gate. There is a small, octagonal timber greenhouse in one corner and, opposite this, timber double doors provide access to the attached garage; a pedestrian door at the rear of the garage leads through to the garden.

The garden is absolutely stunning, the standout feature of the property, and also has wonderful far reaching views, with french doors opening onto the garden. The garden is quintessentially English, divided into a series of sweeping, manicured lawns with borders and beds bursting with cottage style planting. Nearest the house is a sinuous, crazy paved patio which provides a path along the rear of the house (and alongside the garage to the oil tank and a shed) before widening out to a dining area and then carrying on to steps which lead down to the next lawn. Further steps lead down from this second lawn to the wider lawned area beyond which winds down to the end of the garden. The planting serves to reveal the view at different points and tempt you down the length of the garden. There are various places to sit and rest a while and towards the end is a lovely summerhouse, orientated to enjoy the view. A timber storage shed is also tucked away alongside.

SURROUNDING AREA
Cucklington is set on a ridge overlooking the Blackmore Vale - known as the Vale of the Little Dairies in many of Thomas Hardy's novels. The village itself has a lovely church, dating from the 11th Century, and a large village hall which hosts many activities. The nearby village of Buckhorn Weston has a good pub. The historic Abbey town of Sherborne, the regional centre of Yeovil, Gillingham (where there is a Waitrose supermarket) and the hilltop town of Shaftesbury are all within easy commuting distance. There is a mainline railway station at Gillingham with a regular service to London Waterloo and the A303 can be joined to the north, at the B3081 junction, giving good access to London and the Home Counties along the M3/M25 route. Bristol Airport is also within comfortable driving distance. Cucklington is also close to many of the area's best known independent schools including Port Regis, the schools at Bruton, Sherborne, Leweston, Hazlegrove, Clayesmore and Bryanston. Golf is available at Sherborne and Blandford, National Hunt racing at Wincanton and Taunton, and at racing at Salisbury and Bath. Footpaths and bridleways also criss-cross this part of the Blackmore Vale.

SERVICES
Mains water, private drainage (septic tank) and electricity. Oil-fired central heating.

LOCAL AUTHORITY
Somerset Council - Band F

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE
Current Rating - E