High Street, Lavendon, Buckinghamshire, MK46

FORMER FARMHOUSE, WITH DELIGHTFUL GARDENS AND AMAZING, REFURBISHED LIVING SPACES

A beautiful, refurbished, 17th century, thatched, family home in the conservation area of the historic Buckinghamshire village of Lavendon. From the fabulous new kitchen up to the amazing attic bedroom, one of five wonderful bedrooms, this former farmhouse is nothing short of gorgeous. With delightful gardens front and back, along with driveway parking complete with EV charging pod, Manor Farm is quite a place.

With Lavendon little more than 20 minutes from Milton Keynes, Northampton, Wellingborough and Bedford, you have your fair share of railway stations to choose from for travelling. Bedford, with its fast trains to London in under 40 minutes and its world-renowned Harpur Trust schools is only 9 miles away. The M1 and other major roads are within easy reach if travelling by car.

The picturesque market town of Olney, with its supermarkets, antique shops and numerous eateries, not to mention the catchment secondary school, is just a couple of miles along the country lanes. Yet there are an unusual number of facilities in Lavendon itself.

Wander through a front garden that’s as long as most main gardens, along the gravelled path, old cobbles poking through, past a collection of sweet-scented hyacinths, lilac and a mass of English white and bluebells, hellebores and other pretty, woodland flowers. A Victorian, cast iron post lamp lights the way at night. Quince blossom hangs over a little wooden gate that takes you to the street, to the post office and shop for your morning newspapers, to the lovely little Primary school and to the Pre-school held in the pavilion on the edge of the playing field, where there’s also a super play park and outdoor gym.

Four-legged members of the family are well catered for, with miles of wonderful walks, not least across glorious countryside to the adjoining Bedfordshire village of Harrold, taking in the breathtaking views.

The Grade I-listed, Anglo Saxon Church of St Michael is yards from your front door, not to mention two great pubs, each offering something different. Charge your cars on your drive in the quiet, no through close to the side of Manor Farm while you go and toast your good fortune.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

As soon as you set eyes on this impressive, thatched, former farmhouse, white roses climbing its impeccably pointed stone around refurbished windows toward the wide and welcoming, early 18th century doorway, with its corniced hood, you wonder if inside can be as beautiful.

As soon as you set foot on the lovely, hand-painted tiles of an entrance hall spacious enough for a sofa, and glance up at the wonderful, painted oak staircase, with its galleried landings, you’re in no doubt that Manor Farm is rather special.

Inspiring, children’s beamed bedrooms, one with antique fireplace and views from its window seat of the church and of the striking Baptist chapel window, are oozing character, with oodles of space for study and play. Your bedroom, so romantic with its wonderful, old ledged doors, stylish wet room and lovely, William Morris wallcovering reaching high to the vaulted ceiling, seems impossible to beat – until you see the attic bedrooms, with their amazing beamed and vaulted ceilings, when your thoughts might turn to creating an exceptional, entire top floor suite.

If you’d hoped for a wainscotted and beamed family bathroom, with beautiful freestanding, cast iron bath, you aren’t disappointed. You won’t, though, have expected its charming, crooked door to hide a ‘secret’ room.

Nor might you have expected an additional shower room downstairs. But when you come home from that muddy winter walk with your dog, you’ll be glad to have it. As well as the cosy woodburner in your lovely, oak-floored sitting room, with its window seat and shutters, French doors and apotropaic markings carved into its timber and stonework.

And at the other end, a fabulous kitchen and dining room, with its island, Butler sink, superb range and family-sized refrigeration housed in beautiful, quartz-topped, painted furniture. Light pours in through timber-silled windows to one side and, on the other, bifold doors that extend the lovely, limestone floor to the David Austin rose and lavender-lined terrace - ideal entertaining space inside and out. And to a bird-filled, south-facing garden, with its well for watering your plants, its extensive lawn and exciting wooded area for children to play and hide, and its peaceful areas to sunbathe and relax. Be ready to fall in love.