High Street, Islip, Kidlington, Oxfordshire

Packed with character features, this delightful limestone cottage has been extensively and sympathetically modernised, combining its original elements with more contemporary additions to create a very stylish and well-appointed home.

Character features such as exposed beams and stone walls are complemented by an array of premium additions, such as Italian ‘Artemide’ ceiling lights, travertine stone flooring, double-glazed hardwood windows with either handmade wooden shutters or Luxaflex blinds, and two Morso wood-burning stoves. The result is a very special cottage that retains all of its original charm dating back to 1662, while benefitting from a high specification finish. The accommodation is deceptively spacious internally, with a great use of space making the cottage well-suited to both families or couples. On the ground floor, an open plan kitchen with sitting area with bespoke cabinetry leads to a separate formal dining room and a lovely sitting room – both with wood floors which creates excellent flow throughout the reception areas. Additional accommodation includes a laundry room and a cloakroom, with a useful cellar space at basement level. Upstairs there is a good-size main bedroom with en suite shower room, two further double bedrooms and a single bedroom, plus a family bathroom.

Separate to the main house is the annexe, converted from the original stable buildings to a self-contained one-bedroom apartment which has its own open plan living room/dining room/kitchen, a study/second reception room and a shower room, with a bedroom accessed via a spiral staircase. The annexe has its own gas and electricity supply and would be an ideal holiday let or space for older children living at home. Alternatively, it can equally be used as additional accommodation to complement the main house.

The house is situated directly on the High Street in the heart of the village, with a gravelled area to the front. The gardens are situated to the rear and are walled, offering a high degree of privacy, with electronically operated larch wood automatic gates providing access to a generous parking area for four cars alongside the annexe. The gardens are beautifully landscaped and have a somewhat Mediterranean feel, with borders of lavender and abundant shrubs, several trees and low-maintenance paved areas for dining alfresco.

The charming village of Islip is well connected to both Oxford and London and is within easy reach of day-to-day amenities in Kidlington. The village is home to a number of character properties and was featured in the Domesday Book, with a lengthy history and a delightful 13th-century church. Amenities include a popular pub, doctors’ surgery, a village hall with a community shop and a station which offers frequent services to Oxford and London Marylebone. The village has a primary school with Oxford providing more extensive choices including the Dragon, Summerfields, Oxford High School, Magdalen College School and St Edwards to name a few. Communication links are excellent: the A40, A44 and A34 connect to major regional centres and the motorway network (M40). Many of the area’s attractions, including Bicester Village, shopping in Oxford and activities at Blenheim Palace, are also within easy reach.