The Old Bell, Ardeley, SG2

The Old Bell is a stunning, Grade 2 Listed, 17th Century home with four reception rooms and five bedrooms.  Rich in history, this former pub is blessed with many traditional features; exposed brick walls, wooden beams and character in abundance.  And for those seeking to put their own stamp on a property, there is planning approved for a 35m2 linked annex in the rear garden, giving even more options for family life.  Set within the beautiful conservation area of Ardeley, this small community is a perfectly located for families and commuters.  The Old Bell is under 7 miles from Stevenage station where fast trains take you into London in 22 minutes and under a 5 mile drive to the market town of Buntingford where the A10 takes you north to Cambridge or south to Hertford.  Ardeley has a small village school and the Buntingford school bus picks up right outside!  It is also within short distances of many good independent schools such as Heath Mount, St Edmunds College or St Christopher’s in Letchworth.

Step Inside

With two front doors from when it was the village pub, at a glance, this house could be two cottages.  However, the front door is on the left and the right hand door has been sealed up in favour of a kitchen!  Entering the house through the front door brings you into two spacious reception rooms which are divided by open beams.  On one side there is the most charming inglenook fireplace with open fire, currently this versatile side of the room is a lovely seating area.  On the other side is a more traditional lounge with seating and wood burning stove. The room is a fantastic, light filled sociable space.   All of the windows in the property have been painted recently and have very effective secondary glazing to the wooden frames.  The hallway at the rear leads you to the bottom of the stairs, however, one step down and you are in another room, currently used as a playroom, although this space would also lend itself to being a study or TV snug.  

Back through the main reception room and you will find a useful utility room and access to the garden at the rear.  Carrying on into the family kitchen you will find a back door leading to the side patio and driveway.  Having been sympathetically renovated, this kitchen has a welcoming and inviting feel to it with its generous island, range oven and built in cabinets including a corner pantry unit.  The dividing wall has been removed leaving the chimney breast to give a semi-open plan layout to the fantastic dining room large enough for all occasions. The patio doors off this room allow light filled views of the garden and bring the outside in during summer months.

Upstairs you will find a generous, wide landing on the first floor.   The master bedroom is a generous, calming space which has a stunning exposed brick wall and tiled hearth.  The next two double bedrooms are both great sizes and also overlook the front of the house. Overlooking the driveway and fields beyond, the large family bathroom has a double sink, separate shower and freestanding bath.  The second staircase at the end of the landing takes you up another floor, which leads you to the smallest of the double bedrooms, currently set up as an office, a shower room and a gorgeous attic room in the gables of the roof.  This is the perfect child’s bedroom; a long room with Velux windows, lots of beams, space for a desk and small sofa! 

Step outside

The house has a small front lawn bordered by an established hedge for privacy and a garden gate leads you up to the front door.  Driving, you enter through a five bar gate on the gravel driveway, which is shared with the neighbouring barn conversion.  There is a post and rail fence separating the driveway from the neighbours parking area and you find parking for 3 cars.  The Old Bell’s garden is bordered by a neighbouring barn yet is not overlooked.  It has a good sized lawn with a patio wrapping around the house from the dining room to the kitchen door where there are lovely established shrubs edging the seating space.

The planning consent mentioned above is for a single storey rear extension with glass link.  For more details, please look at East Herts Planning portal using references: 3/24/1820/HH and 3/24/1821/LBC.  Alternatively, use the link below:

Location

Ardeley is a small village, off the beaten track and home to a village primary school, a popular pub, The Jolly Waggoners, and Church Farm which offers fantastic fresh produce in their farm shop, a café and tea room as well as camping and family days out on the farm.  Ardeley is equidistant between the A10 and the A1 motorway, giving excellent access to link roads into London and Cambridge.  This location is perfectly situated for commuters, being under 7 miles to Stevenage station where fast trains can take you into London within 22-41 minutes!   There are also some excellent schools within easy reach; Heath Mount is 7.5 miles, St Christopher’s in Letchworth 9 miles, and Kingshott in Hitchin just a 10 mile drive.  On the way towards Stevenage, the village of Walkern has a handy village shop for that forgotten pint of milk, and in the other direction is Cottered where you will find a lovely pub and community centre.  This village will really give you and your family the opportunity to embrace a fantastic countryside lifestyle without missing out on the conveniences of modern life.