Parsonage Close, Oakley, Bedfordshire, MK43

HOME, SETTING AND VILLAGE IDEAL FOR THE MODERN FAMILY - EVERY FACILITY ON THE DOORSTEP

Built just before the Millenium and completely refurbished in 2017, a lovely 4-double bedroom home in an exclusive close within a North Bedfordshire, riverside village that has so much for the family. With driveway parking and detached garage for two, private garden, outside sauna and other luxury touches, this is a home and a setting that must be many a family’s dream.

As the name of the close suggests, your new home is a stone’s throw from the ancient Grade II* church and was built on land that was once part of the Oakley Estate and owned by the Dukes of Bedford, who did so much for the village.

Despite living in such a beautiful rural environment, you’re less than four miles from the county town of Bedford, with its restaurants, shops, theatres, world-renowned private schools and fast trains to London in under 40 minutes. Oakley is within easy reach of major road routes, such as the A6 to Luton Airport, just 25 miles away, and roughly 15 miles equidistant of Milton Keynes and Rushden Lakes Shopping Centres. Supermarkets and Brewpoint’s Taproom and Beer Garden are little more than a couple of miles away.

For a small village, Oakley has a remarkable number of facilities of its own. How lovely to be able to walk with the children to schools for all ages, to pop along the street to the Bedford Arms, a highly thought of 18th century inn and restaurant, and to the shop and post office. How delightful to wander to the bottom of the close, past The Old School, which is happy to host children’s parties and other events, to Sunday service at St Mary’s, to know that there’s always something going on at the village hall, and for children to meet up with friends at the scout hut or the playing fields.

Play a round of golf and pick up the Sunday joint from the farm in the adjoining village of Pavenham. Bromham surgery is just five minutes away. And you’re surrounded by gorgeous countryside, woods and wildlife sites, with the Ouse Valley cycle route on your doorstep and with fabulous walks along the River Great Ouse beyond Oakley’s historic twin bridges. Both home and village are made for families.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

With a distant backdrop of a row of magnificent, tall, bird-filled trees, your new home is tucked into the far corner of the no-through close, past a lovely green area lined with weeping silver birch. You could hardly have asked for a more peaceful, safe spot for children to grow up in and mix with neighbouring families.

Pretty, willow leaf pear trees either side of your resin-bound drive welcome you home, along with beds of pretty spring flowers, orange blossom, and masses of yellow roses waiting to clamber over your porch.

Attractive timbered walls and clay-tiled roof might echo the past, but this is very much a modern-day home, with its insulation, full fibre internet and battery storage that makes use of cheaper nighttime energy. Not to mention smart technology, charging station for electric cars and sauna to soothe the cares of the day away.

Step through your distinctively peaked, front door, into an entrance hall that, like the galleried landing above, is a spacious room in itself, and as with the rest of the house, both are drenched in natural light. from the huge, slim-profile, double-glazed window.

Not only do you have oodles of light-filled space, much of it is versatile, too. As well as your lovely main bedroom suite, one of the other super double bedrooms, with its exposed brick slips, is used as an office. Yet a room downstairs, which was designed to be a study, has been made into a playroom, complete with climbing wall. It’s your choice. And there are even exciting possibilities in an unusually huge loft.

Space for everyone to be by themselves and space to come together. In a kitchen that stretches the entire depth of the house, striking quartz-topped furniture housing high-end Siemens and Miele appliances, with American fridge/freezer just inside the utility. Breakfast at the peninsular, your cafetière filled directly from the hot tap. And, later, pluck a bottle from the wine cooler for a pre-dinner glass of wine.

Snuggle up on the sofa in front of a roaring log fire in your sitting room’s superb inglenook stove. Throw open the French doors to the terrace come summertime, to the lawn for play, to borders for the keen gardener, and to barbecue dining under the timber gazebo. Something for everyone in a super family home.