Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham

This beautifully restored 250-year-old cottage blends historic charm with modern comfort, offering versatile living spaces to suit a variety of lifestyles. Originally, part of it was a grain store, the home retains its unique character with exposed timbers, stone walls, and a cosy wood-burning stove, while recent updates ensure stylish and contemporary living.

The accommodation is adaptable and spacious, featuring two double bedrooms on the first floor alongside a modern and convenient cloakroom. Downstairs, two reception rooms provide flexibility—one could easily be used as a ground-floor double bedroom, making the property ideal for families, downsizers, or multi-generational living. A dedicated study area offers a quiet space for home working or creative pursuits and the shower room adds a touch of luxury.

At the heart of the home is the open-plan kitchen and dining area, where a vaulted ceiling creates a bright, airy space perfect for entertaining. The property’s large garden boasts river views, offering a peaceful retreat to enjoy nature, garden, or entertain guests.

Adding to its appeal, the home benefits from owned solar panels, which help to significantly reduce energy costs and even provide the potential for an additional income through energy generation. This eco-friendly feature makes the home both cost-efficient and environmentally conscious.

Practicality meets charm with parking and an extra-large single garage with storage, which has the potential to be converted into a double garage. The location provides the best of both worlds, being close to town amenities, the countryside, and a train station, making it an excellent choice for commuters and nature lovers alike.

This one-of-a-kind home is perfect for those seeking a characterful yet functional property in a lovely and convenient setting. Don’t miss the chance to make it yours.

The Property -

Accommodation -

Inside - Ground Floor
The front door opens into a roomy and welcoming reception area with doors leading to the shower room and walk in store plus an opening and shallow step down into the dining area. The floor is laid in an attractive and practical tile that continues into the dining area and kitchen as well as the sitting room. The dining area provides a great social space for informal dining with character features, such as exposed ceiling beams and stone walls. There are display/book shelves and a storage cupboard. From the dining area there is a door to the side lobby and into the sitting room. It opens to the kitchen area.

The kitchen area enjoys an outlook to the drive and a glazed door with full height windows to either side that opens to the rear garden. There is a vaulted ceiling with exposed timber frame and velux window. The kitchen is fitted with a range of modern, soft closing units consisting of floor cupboards, separate drawer unit, pull out spice racks and eye level cupboards and cabinet plus a dresser style unit. There is a generous amount of quartz work surfaces with a matching upstand and double Butler style sink with a swan neck aerator mixer tap. There is a central island with a wood work surface, storage cupboards, drawers and breakfast area. There is space for a fridge/freezer and an integrated wash machine. The electric Aga is available by separate negotiation. - (it’s an AGA R3 100-4h, twin dome and is 4 years old in October).

The generously sized sitting room has a window to the side and a door with full height windows to either side opening to the rear garden. There is plenty of room for settees and armchairs as well as having a study area, if required. The fireplace benefits from a wood burner, stairs rise to the first floor and a door opens into a further reception room that provides a multi-functional space - formal dining room, play room or as a ground floor bedroom. Both the sitting room and reception room have exposed stone walls and timbers. A door opens to the side lobby where there is a cupboard housing the boiler and door to the outside.

First Floor
From the galleried landing there is access to the bedrooms and the cloakroom, which is fitted with a combination unit of vanity style wash hand basin, WC, cupboards and work/display surfaces. There are two good sized double bedrooms (both able to accommodate a king size bed), bedroom one overlooks the rear garden and bedroom two benefits from fitted wardrobes. The third bedroom is a single and currently used as an office.

Outside - Garage and Parking
The property lies behind another cottage at the end of a shared drive where there is parking for one car and leads to a large garage. This has timber doors opening out and benefits from light and power plus a storage area at the end of the garage. It measures - 5.87 mx 5.26 m/19'3'' x 17'3'' - plus the storage, which is about 1 m/3'. There are solar panels on the roof that provide an income.

Garden
At the back of the cottage there is a large, sunny and private garden that has been attractively landscaped. Outside of the kitchen there is a seating area that catches the sun as well as other seating areas throughout the garden. The greenhouse is also located in this sheltered and sunny spot. There are cobbled and gravelled paths. Raised beds ready for vegetable growing plus a lawn. Below the garden, the River Lodden winds its way.

Useful Information -

Energy Efficiency Rating C
Council Tax Band D
Sustainable Wood Framed Double Glazing
Gas Fired Central Heating from a Combination Boiler - about 3 years old
Mains Drainage
Freehold
The kitchen and shower room benefit from electric underfloor heating
Wholly Owned Solar Panels providing an income and reducing costs.

Directions -

From Gillingham High Street - Leave the office heading towards Shaftesbury. Proceed through two sets of lights. The property will be found on the left hand side - set back off the road - behind The Haywain, shortly after the second set of lights. Postcode SP8 4JZ.