Lower Street, Islip

An intriguing Modernism Movement-inspired self-build 1960's house of over 2,700 sq ft set in a gorgeous, landscaped plot of circa 1/3 acre. Vaulted rooms, oak parquet floors, a "minstrel's gallery", delightful outlook, plus extensive garaging & workshops. Updating required, vast potential. NO CHAIN.

Islip dates from Saxon times, with mentions in the Domesday book at which time there was already a water mill on the river Ray, which runs through the village. It is also the birthplace of Edward the Confessor, and during the Civil War Cromwell defeated the Queens Regiment on the bridge below The Old Rectory. Today the village is immensely popular for many reasons. There's an exceptional school, Dr South's, which is over 300 years old; a popular pub, a community shop, plus a village hall sitting next to the playground and playing fields; a rail station with easy access to London and Oxford; barely a five mile drive into Oxford; plus many lovely local walks amidst open countryside. It also sits inside the radius for fast access to the various Oxford hospitals, hence suits medical professionals particularly well.

"Mendota" is one of the most unusual houses we have ever seen. The name comes from a lake in Madison, Wisconsin, USA where the owners spent happy times in the late 1950’s. Built in 1961-1964 as a self-build project on land formerly owned by the adjacent pub brewery (Morrells), it has been owned by the same family ever since. It's easy to see why. Sat high above and back from the lane outside with extensive garaging and workshops beneath accessed from the gated drive, the house has a delightful outlook over its own extensive gardens. Sitting some distance away from the front wall, it's a particularly secluded spot that feels utterly peaceful and private. Considerable updating is needed, but this is an opportunity not a hindrance as the range of potential changes is almost endless - and it already features solar panels hence the project could major on energy efficiency that's already started. Whatever your version, the result will be absolutely stunning!

From the lane, gates lead to a broad driveway, with a path heading left then right past a huge array of flowers and trees to the front door. Those of a certain age will understand when we say there's a certain "Tracy Island" sense of occasion to this first impression, no surprise given its 1960's origins! A single pane, frameless glass door enters the house under a balcony to the bedroom above. Turn back on yourself for a moment to admire the gardens, and the sense of how private and special this plot is becomes apparent.

Once inside, your eye is drawn irresistibly to the wonderful oak-block parquet floor that seems to stretch for miles along the corridor to your right, which is lit at frequent intervals by windows overlooking the gardens. Take a left and enter the first of the receptions. Behind to the right is a well proportioned kitchen with units round all four walls, culminating in a Rayburn range, and there's a door out to the rear garden. In the living room, a wood burning stove is a fine central focus, set in a red brick breast. Look up and thick pine rafters cross the vaulted ceiling that gently rises overhead, culminating in a "minstrel's gallery" reached by a scandi-style open tread stairs. The gallery is such an interesting space, broad enough to house easy chairs or a desk, perfectly lit by a side window overlooking the gardens.

Gallery leads to landing, off which a door leads to a fabulous balcony from which the garden and village beyond unfold before you. Opposite, the shower room that serves a pair of bedrooms is a veritable timewarp, but in very good order - and the view from its window is captivating. Both doubles, each bedroom features vaulted ceilings crossed by more pine rafters. The smaller is pleasant, brightly lit by its large window, and including an inset sink flanked by cupboards. But the larger is particularly generous, and the view towards the village edge very pretty, and it has its own dedicated door to the balcony.

Back to the ground floor and opposite the main door there is another wash facility, this time a bathroom designed to serve the two bedrooms next door - note there are useful cupboards to either side of the entrance. And just to the right a door hides the stairs to the cellar, of which more later. When the children were younger, there was a pair of bedrooms next door top one another. Once they left, these were combined to provide a rather fab work space/library, which still retains the full wall of shelves to the right. This could be completely remodelled to one large room or two once again, as you wish.

At the far end of the corridor, the largest living room is an absolute gem. The vaulted ceiling that's a theme of the house elsewhere continues here; the scale of the room - 22 feet by 16 - combined with a wonderful view at the far end through two picture windows creates a space that's incredibly bright, welcoming, positive. We cannot imagine ever tiring of this outlook! And the final door off this room leads into a useful study complete with bespoke, fitted desks, shelves and cupboards.

Heading back at the cellar stairs, they drop down to a set of rooms that you would never expect to find. Mirroring the owners' love of various hobbies, the space contains various rooms for various purposes. First left, the utility room contains a range of wall and base units plus a sink. Next door is a square space which could look ideal for a walk-in pantry (it even has a high level window for natural light). Under the stairs, various units have been fitted to provide file storage etc. Beyond, a much larger room is fitted with yet more kitchen-type units and a Belfast sink. For a car enthusiast or other hobbyist we imagine this is the wash room to accompany the hobby, but it could equally offer plenty of opportunity as extra, permanent accommodation.

Attached next door is a "proper" workshop that contains a sturdy work bench and various shelves, more than ample to keep the garage clear. And this is the culmination of the cellar space. A double door on the front opens to the long driveway. The garage itself is fitted with all manner of shelves, a bench etc, leaving a huge amount of room for the most arden car or other enthusiast to spread their wings. We cannot think of another house we have represented with such huge opportunity for hobbies and projects.

Outside needs a little more explanation. The land has been beautifully landscaped over many decades. This has included creating a driveway (flanked by lovely stone walls with planted beds atop), adding a huge greenhouse, an ornamental pond, various lovely sun terraces, and lawns. Much love and care has been applied to creating the whole experience, which is serene and immensely interesting. The first of several lawned spaces next to the front path is completely hidden from the lane, surrounded by a delicious diversity of ferns, perennials, flowers and trees. A large greenhouse is sunk low behind several further planters that are stone-walled, and next to it the lawn is bsected by a path leading back towards paving that runs round the house from main door to kitchen.

Another strip of lawn behind the house is edged by yet more planters, then the pond sits slightly elevated, with a terraced area, beyond which the larger lawn stretches away from you. The pergola behind hides a shed in an area beneath some mature trees, and on the right a summer house is placed for enjoying the sun most of the day, facing south west. We could write paragraphs about the beauty of this space and its contents, but we suspect it is far better to encourage the reader to visit for themselves! They will not be disappointed...