Honeywick, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7

Tucked away in a pretty valley typical of this part of Somerset, Honeywick House is an historic 18th-century Grade II listed house built of predominantly Hadspen stone under a tiled roof and set in a glorious garden. The former farmhouse, which was gentrified in the late nineteenth century, bears the hallmarks of its history with its grand fireplaces, leaded windows, oak beamed ceilings and well-proportioned rooms. During their tenure of over twenty years, the current owners have tastefully and sympathetically modified and upgraded the interior creating a stylish and comfortable country house. The well-lit drawing room provides a distinguished reception space, which extends onto the terrace in the warmer months, while the dining room, with capacity for a long dining table and chairs, is perfect for entertaining. For more informal living, there is a comfortable sitting room encompassing an attractive marble and wood fireplace and built in bookcases. The delightful kitchen comprises hand built oak wall and base units under granite worktops with a tiled floor, where the two-oven oil-fired Aga (black) is supported by a Siemens eye level fan oven and a ceramic hob. By the French doors onto the terrace there is a lovely banquette window seat with room for a small table and chairs where one can sit with a cup of coffee in the sunlight and admire the garden.

An elegant staircase leads up to a galleried landing offering access to four double bedrooms, three with their own bath or shower rooms plus a family bathroom. Of particular interest is the very pretty, light and spacious principal bedroom which opens into a dressing room, both enjoying views of the garden and valley beyond.

ANNEXE AND OUTBUILDINGS
The Cider House, designed by Llewellyn Harker Howe in 2008, comprises very well-appointed ancillary accommodation, offering an open plan kitchen and sitting room, cloakroom on the ground floor and a door onto a private terrace. An impressive, hand built oak staircase leads up to two good sized double bedrooms and a bathroom. A four bay car port next door provides parking and wood storage.

Adjacent to the main house is a two storey, stone cart house offering huge potential for further living or utility space. The ground floor incorporates partitioned storage rooms, one with a potting bench and wine cellar set into the hillside. There is also a larger space with a double height, pitched and raftered ceiling, flagstone floor, double wooden doors onto the drive and a large fireplace. Stairs lead up to the loft space currently used as a studio and office, well-lit with a sash window and Velux style roof lights. A Victorian stye lean-to glasshouse compliments the terrace and parterre beautifully and offers space to grow tender and exotic plants as well as a covered seating area.

GARDEN
The mature and well-designed gardens at Honeywick have been developed and tended by the current owner who is an avid gardener. The valley garden offers year-round floral and structural interest, with mature trees, including a splendid tulip tree and box elder, fruit trees, banks of spring bulbs, camellia and rhododendron, a fernery and yew topiary. Long beds in the parterre produce a display from tulips in spring, through to roses and late summer perennials. A series of terraces lead up the valley to a vegetable garden with beds and fruit nets.

There is a place to relax to suit every time of day, from lunch on the terrace, to tea in the thatched tea house overlooking the croquet lawn, to sundowners in the summer house perched on a bank with views down to the house.
Of particular note is the parterre, oak pergola and glasshouses, which were designed by renowned garden designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman, known for their work at Highgrove, Waddesdon and other prominent houses at home and abroad. Paddocks and fields on the surrounding hillsides contribute to a total holding area of approximately 12 acres. Honeywick is an especially charming, historic house nestling in the lap of an enchanting valley garden, offering flexible accommodation and the promise of an idyllic and bucolic country life.

LOCATION
Honeywick, a Saxon hamlet apparently deriving its name from a bee keeping past, is surrounded by magnificent countryside within easy reach of Castle Cary and Bruton. Part of a thriving local community that incorporates nearby Hadspen, life often centres around the very active village hall. It is small wonder that Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the eminent architectural historian, described nearby Castle Cary as Somerset's prettiest town. The centre, which is in a Conservation Area, is dominated by period buildings constructed, in the main, of the distinctive honey coloured local stone and boasts a number of traditional shops, excellent boutiques and regular markets. Surrounding the town is unspoilt and lightly wooded undulating farmland, interspersed with delightful villages.

SPORTING AND RECREATION
The area is well provided for with bridleways, quiet lanes, and footpaths suitable for cycling, riding and walking. Within close proximity lies the town of Bruton, which plays host to a plethora of attractions, cafes and restaurants, including recently opened Briar at No1 Bruton and the Michelin-starred Osip. The Hauser & Wirth gallery, garden, Da Costa restaurant and farm shop, are within a short drive. The Newt, now well renowned for its many first-class attractions, is also nearby, close to Castle Cary with its eclectic range of shops and the recently opened Lazy Lobster and The Creamery restaurants. There is sailing and water sports on the Bristol Channel, Dorset coast or Sutton Bingham and Chew reservoirs. Nearby racing is at Wincanton, Salisbury and Taunton. There are also numerous golf courses in the area and theatres are at Bath, Yeovil, Bristol and Salisbury.

EDUCATION
There are good schools for children of all ages within easy motoring distance, including the Sherborne Schools' group. There is a primary school and Ansford Academy (secondary education) in Castle Cary. Nearby, Bruton is well known for its schools, most notably King's Bruton and Sexeys School, a state day/boarding school. Hazlegrove Prep School at Sparkford offers further well-regarded private education.
Communications to this part of the country are excellent. From Castle Cary there are regular train services to both Waterloo and Paddington, the latter in about 1 hour 40 minutes. The A303 links with the M3, much of it dual carriageway, thus putting London within about two and a half hours' drive.