East Stoke, Stoke Sub Hamdon

East Stoke House is a handsome Grade II listed hamstone house dating back to the 1700s. This impressive country home extending to 18,930 square feet stands in a conservation area in the shadow of Ham Hill - an area of special scientific interest - a local beauty spot that boasts a lookout point where one can take in panoramic views of Somerset and enjoy over 390 acres of walks and breath-taking countryside. It is approached by a sweeping driveway that takes in the magnificent cut-Hamstone, symmetrical frontage. Within its approximately 23 acres of grounds there is a heated swimming pool, tennis court and Victorian bathing pool. The main house is heated by mains gas central heating and the principal rooms have open fireplaces. The accommodation benefits from elegant, impressive ceiling heights and mouldings. The main reception rooms are of particular note with both the dining room and drawing room having beautiful bay windows looking out over the front lawn. Also on the ground floor is a spacious reception hall, sitting room, kitchen, larder, utility and cloakroom. The main staircase features intricate cornicing and a roof lantern which illuminates a wide central staircase leading to the first floor. A well-proportioned principal bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room overlooks the garden to the west. There are five further bedrooms, with their own en suite or dedicated bath/shower room. The east wing of the ground floor is the oldest part of the house and although once housing the kitchens and flower pantries with direct access to the dining room, it is currently separate from the principal accommodation. The ground floor of this wing is currently used for storage and in need of renovation. Separately, there is a laundry room with lift shaft to Granny’s flat and an adjoining studio with kitchenette and shower.

On the first floor of the east wing is "Granny's flat", which has 2 bedrooms, 2 shower rooms, a cloak room, kitchen, dining room and features an impressive south facing drawing room with views over the front garden and grounds to the east. Whilst it has independent access from the rear courtyard, it is also accessible from the first floor of the main house by an adjoining door. It can easily be incorporated into and used as part of the main house if desired.

The Coach House and Outbuildings
The Ham stone Coach House constructed in 1849 sits across the courtyard from the main house. The ground floor is currently laid out to provide a workshop, garage, original elm boarded tack room and retains some of the original stables. The first floor has been converted into two extremely well finished apartments, which inter-connect and can be occupied as one. Both apartments have two bedrooms, two bathroom/shower rooms, open-plan kitchen/dining rooms and sitting rooms. The Coach House is accessed via a modern steel and glass staircase giving onto a north west facing veranda spanning both apartments with spectacular views over the surrounding countryside towards the Quantock Hills.

Next to the Coach House is a traditional stone barn which contains 2 large storage areas, fondly known as 'the boat house', and a squash court with a mezzanine viewing gallery above. One end of the barn currently provides a single storey home office. Further ancillary buildings include traditional outbuildings and modern single storey barns and lean-to’s surrounding an enclosed yard.

The Grounds
The beautiful gardens, grounds and paddocks extend to approximately 23 acres (22.16 acres / 8.967 hectares) and provide a stunning setting for this magnificent property. As you enter the drive through a pair of Grade II listed Hamstone pillars, the driveway sweeps around to the front of the house, where there is a large expanse of lawn wrapping around two sides of the house, with mature specimen trees, including ancient Lebanon Cedars. To the east of the drive is the tennis court, standing in an elevated position, with its own terraced lawn and children's play area.

Behind the Coach House is a private, heated, outdoor swimming pool (measuring approximately 13.9m long x 6.3m wide, and 2.7m at its deepest point) with its own pool house, with Hamstone walls. Adjacent to this is the kitchen garden which leads onwards to the gardens on the west side of the house. Complementing the gardens and grounds, there are paddocks and grazing to the north and east of the house.

There are village and countryside walks nearby, easily accessible on foot, including Montacute House and the Ham hill Country Park. Stoke Sub Hamdon and Montacute have local amenities including, a filling station, a veterinary surgery, a doctors surgery and dentist as well as a selection of pubs and two village primary and secondary schools. The historic Abbey town of Sherborne sits half an hour away as do several National Trust properties. The Jurassic Coast, Wells, Glastonbury, Street, Bath, Bristol and Exeter are all within an hour's drive.

Transport links are excellent with the A303 trunk road accessible within approximately 1 mile. The A303 is 18 minutes to the M5 and 6 minutes to the A37. Train stations in nearby Yeovil and Crewkerne offer regular services to London (Waterloo) and Exeter from Yeovil Junction, and Bristol and Bath from Yeovil Pen Mill. There is a fast train to and from Castle Cary making London in 1 hour 36 minutes. The house has good access to three regional airports.

The property is only a short drive to the sought-after, historic town of Sherborne. The country towns of Bruton, Castle Cary and Wincanton are not far away. Bruton is particularly popular with ex-London buyers and offers Hauser & Wirth Somerset - a pioneering world-class gallery and multi-purpose arts centre. Also nearby is 'The Newt' - a country estate with splendid gardens, woodland, hotel, restaurants and farmland. Bruton has many excellent restaurants including Michelin Starred Osip - run by forward-thinking chef Merlin Labron-Johnson and his enthusiastic team who are passionate about their farm-to-table ethos. All of the main supermarkets are within twelve miles of this property.

This part of Somerset has excellent connections to some of the very best private schools in Britain including nearby Millfield, Sherborne Boys and Girls Schools, King's Bruton, Port Regis, Bryanston, Clayesmore, Leweston, Hazlegrove and Sherborne Preparatory School.