Brent House, Fell Lane, Penrith

Welcome to Brent House, a most handsome example of early Victorian architecture set in an elevated position on Fell Lane and enjoying distant views over Penrith to the Lakeland Fells surrounding High Street, Helvellyn & Blencathra.

Dating back to 1840, Brent House was one of the first properties to form what is now known as Penrith's "New Streets", a development that went on to form the now iconic Victorian laden streets leading from the Town Centre up to the Beacon. As you head up Fell Lane you cannot help but notice Brent House, the main façade popping its head over the ridgeline to your right, silently surveying its surroundings and gazing off into the distance.

Walking up the driveway & through the gates, you can fully appreciate the scale and skill involved that went into building Brent House, an aspect also on show throughout the property as you step through the front door and onto the original wood flooring that extends ahead of you and throughout the majority of the ground floor. Before proceeding into the hall, make sure to look up and take note of the Cathedral roof high above your head.

Pulling your gaze back to ground level, open the ornately carved door that previously resided in Skirwith Abbey and walk into the main hall, taking in it's sweeping oak staircase and the plethora of original features ranging from repurposed radiators, cornices, flooring and archways.

From here head into the well equipped kitchen & breakfast room, pop the kettle on and run your fingers over the granite worktops while searching through the myriad of cupboards available to find the tea bags. On warmer days, fling open the french doors, sit at the dining table and listen to the sounds of birds and trees outside as you contemplate the day ahead. On those colder winter nights, why not stoke the multifuel stove up and enjoy a candlelit meal while basking in the warmth emanating around the room?

Back through into the hallway and turning left, you enter the sitting room, a wonderfully spacious & bright reception room with substantially sized windows looking over the side and rear gardens. The main focus of this room, aside from those period features you've come to expect, is the magnificently carved fireplace frieze, again reclaimed from Skirwith Abbey, that dominates the left wall. Be sure to inspect it closely to take in all the details as each time you look at it, you'll notice something new that you missed the last time.

Returning once more to the hall, take your next left and head into the living room, a colossal space which will swallow up even the largest sofa suites available. When you've settled on the configuration of the room in your head however, imagine being able to sink into the arm chair and taking in the majesty of the room that surrounds you, from it's decorative ceilingscape, wonderful bay windows along with their fully functional shutters before settling on the focal point of the room, the fireplace. Originally from Lowther Castle, the fireplace surround is made up of a combination of wood panelling and marble pillars containing a multitude of fossils throughout its façade.

Shooting off from the living room, you enter a smaller hallway that would have likely made up the old pantries in a past life, but now provides plenty of additional storage space. At the end of the hallway are two doors, one leading down to the cellar and another into the utility room.

Descend down the sandstone steps into the cellar and you'll find a vast network of rooms that stretch out under the majority of the ground floor. Relatively untouched, you'll find flagged floors, sculpted sandstone doorways and an array of hints as to what specific purposes each room was used for in a past life, ranging from the former dairy, cold room and coal store that would have been used to heat the old boiler system. Depending on your needs, the rooms could be repurposed as additional storage, a well stocked wine store or potentially a dedicated utility area.

Retrace your path back up the steps, bearing right and into the current utility room, a generously sized space with an array of units, worktops, sinks and plumbing points providing accommodation for modern appliances as well as further storage.

With downstairs done, it's time to head up the staircase to the 1st floor, passing by the mid level landing that hosts a separate toilet along with a loft hatch providing access to the roof space. Back outside, continue upwards and you'll arrive at the impressive landing, the central hub that provides access to all the rooms on offer.

Up here you'll find a substantial family bathroom along with three generously sized double bedrooms, one of which is accompanied by it's own ensuite, with all three bedrooms featuring double height ceilings and large windows providing snapshots of the gardens and the surroundings beyond.

Before leaving to return to the ground floor, we've saved the best till last and what a room it is, the master bedroom. Situated towards the back of the house, it has a commanding view over Penrith, the surrounding countryside and is easily the biggest bedroom we've come across in Cumbria so far. Being ever so slightly smaller than the living room below, the biggest decision you have to make in here is "What's the biggest bed I can buy and where shall I put it?".

With the house tour finished, it's time to head outside to survey the grounds on offer. Returning to the driveway you came along earlier, it's time to take into account the amount of vehicles it can cater for, easily providing enough parking for 5-6 vehicles with the option to create more if required. You will also notice the double garage, a suitably large space that could provide additional storage for outdoor equipment, classic cars or motorbikes. Attached to the garage is an additional room which doubles up as the garden shed, again which can provide additional storage for what ever you may need to store.

Moving around from the driveway, we approach the garden areas to the side, ultimately leading to the formal rear lawns, you'll not fail to notice the Lebanese Cedar to your left, a grand specimen of a tree that is sure to be your best friend during those hot summer afternoons when you want to get out of the sun and bathe in it's cooling shade! Coninuting on, you'll reach the patio garden before approaching the formal lawned gardens that extend to the garden threshold and around the rear aspect of Brent House. Being completely level, it is perfect for playing a game of football on. All of the gardens have access to that wonderful view and are bordered by a mixture of fencing, both natural and man made that provides a high degree of privacy.

Situated a short walk from the town centre, Brent House can offer you a substantial character property that benefits from having access to all the amenities a town can offer, but all the while, being tucked away from the hustle and bustle. With easy access to the Lake District National Park and to major travel links such as the west coast mainline, the A66 and M6 a, Penrith is a perfect base for those wanting the best of both worlds.

Offered with no onward chain, this is your opportunity to make this beautiful home yours forever.