Walden Road, Thaxted, Dunmow, Essex

A historic double-fronted period family home with barn annex, set in nearly 11 acres of private land. It is located on the outskirts of Thaxted, close to the sought after market town of Saffron Walden and only 20 miles from Cambridge with its extensive cultural amenities.

Formerly a Hall House dating originally from the 14th century, Prouds Farm is listed as being of Grade II* historical importance. It offers almost 3,400 sq ft of flexible accommodation arranged over two floors. This charming property provides an elegant, and practical living environment, sensitively combining modern amenities with a wealth of exposed beams and original joinery. The accommodation flows from a welcoming through reception hall with an impressive solid oak block period staircase and is spacious enough to incorporate a reading area, a 14th century door and cloakroom/shower room. A rear hallway, with a door accessing the main gardens, driveway and outdoor dining area, also leads to the kitchen – fitted with a range of wooden cabinets with tiled surrounds and surfaces, a quarry tiled floor and an Aga recessed within a chimney stack. Complementing this and leading to the pantry, an adjoining utility room comprising of extensive cupboard space, boiler room/ boot room and back door. Returning to the entrance hall to the left a small lobby accesses the study and a the second staircase. The dining room overlooks the front garden and has a wealth of original beams, a concealed fireplace with Georgian panelled doors and charming window seat. Lastly, the splendid sitting room is a bright and spacious environment having windows to three aspects, fireplace with wood burner, a large seating bay and two inter-connecting reception areas, one with a door to the garden. Adjacent to the fireplace is the “red wine” cellar and through an original door to the rear accesses the “white wine” cellar. The second staircase leads to a landing from where, to the southeast aspect are located bedrooms 4, 5, 6 and 7. To the right, the principal bedroom has a vaulted ceiling, and door connecting to a landing with built-in cupboard. This leads to bedroom 2 and to the family bathroom which connects back to the dressing room/bedroom 5. Finally returning to the period staircase, which serves bedrooms 2 and 3 and a shared bathroom, featuring a wall with 17th century pargetting.

The property is accessed via a gravelled driveway with a parterre-planted turning circle, offering private parking, a detached double garage and an annexe. The annex offers flexible use for a home office, nanny accommodation or rental income (£1,250pm) with a sitting room, kitchen, private terrace, ground floor principal bedroom with shower room, and a vaulted first-floor mezzanine bedroom. The formal grounds consist of a part-walled garden to the front and side, mainly laid to lawn, bordered by mature planting, a working borehole feeding a spring crossed by a footbridge. The garden includes a large outbuilding servicing the heated pool with two storage rooms and a separate games room. The vaulted games room is perfect for entertaining, with full height glazing and French doors, leading to a terrace overlooking the swimming pool. Additional features include a former Brew House, all-weather tennis court (work required), vegetable garden with raised beds, two open-sided barns, and terraces ideal for al fresco dining. The garden is screened by mature trees, with woodland walks leading to the pastureland beyond. The remainder of the land is under an informal arrangement with a local farmer. In total the grounds extend to 10.95 acres.

The historic market town of Thaxted dates back to the Iron Age. The town has a famous 15th century Guildhall, church and windmill and offers amenities including a weekly market, local shops, pubs, cafés, restaurants, a primary school and GP and dentist surgeries. Saffron Walden, Bishop’s Stortford and Cambridge offer a wider range of day-to-day facilities including independent and high street stores, shopping centres, retail parks and excellent sporting facilities. Thaxted offers easy access to the M11 and from there to the motorway network and to Stansted Airport, which provides frequent national and international flights and a station (9.4 miles) with excellent rail links to London Liverpool Street in around 45 minutes, and Newport station (6.6 miles) offers links to central London in less than an hour. The university city of Cambridge with its world renowned hospitals, architecture and cultural events is a mere 20 miles away.