West Street, Winterborne Stickland, Blandford Forum, DT11

A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED PRACTICAL PERIOD HOUSE AND GARDEN IN A POPULAR VILLAGE SETTING

There was a mill listed at Stickland in the Doomsday survey, and it is likely it was on the same site as Mill House. This charming house has an interesting history, and it retains many fine original features. The core of the present house dates from the 16th Century but as you might imagine with a house that is over 400 years old there have been alterations and additions, and you can read the history of the house by looking at the mix of stone, tile and timber floors, huge beams, oak panelling and wonderful fireplaces. In more recent times the house was extensively restored in the early 1990’s and it was acquired by our clients about 15 years ago and they have continued to update and maintain the house to a high standard. The previous owners rewired, upgraded the heating and installed a smart bathroom, and the current owners fitted the new kitchen, installed a treatment plant and last year the thatched roof was dressed and re-ridged (it was last re-thatched as whole in 2013). The house is very well presented in a style that suits its age and character, and the accommodation, which extends to nearly 2,300 sq/ft, is much lighter and better proportioned than a lot of houses of this age. The double ended drawing room has two inglenook fireplaces, plank and muntin panelling, and timber flooring. The beamed dining hall has an unusual folding front door and a stone and tiled floor, and the sitting room has another fireplace and steps down to a modern kitchen breakfast room. A boot room and cloak room complete the ground floor and upstairs there are four generous double bedrooms and a large family bathroom with a separate shower. Mill House is a charming and much more practical house than its age might lead you to think, and the history of changes suggests there could be scope for more alteration to create new spaces and perhaps add another bathroom to what is already an extremely comfortable home.

Mill House is set well back from the village street in a lovely garden that extends to over ¾ of an acre. To the front a five-bar gate opens onto circular gravel drive off which there is a substantial thatched Car Barn with two sets of double doors, plenty of parking and a stone path to the front door. The winterborne (a winter river) runs through the garden and in times of high water it overflows the bank higher upstream and flows along West Street, the original course of the river. The leat to power the mill came from a pond close to where the village hall is today and in the garden you can still see the stone waterfall where the mill wheel worked. Either side of the drive there are wide lawns with the mill stream (leat) running down one side, and on the other side of the house, beyond a stone terrace with access from a door in the drawing room, there is a large productive vegetable garden. Across the stream a less formal and unmanaged part of the garden includes an old orchard that might be brought back in hand, and be an enjoyable project for the next owners.

Winterborne Stickland is a popular village located in one of the pretty valleys to the west of Blandford Forum, a stone’s throw from Bulbarrow and Milton Abbey, in an area of National Landscape (formerly an AONB). The village has a thriving community with a pub, sports ground, nursery school and busy village hall, and over the hill in Milton Abbas there is another pub, a farm shop and café, and doctor’s surgery. For a wider range of shops and services it is only a short drive into Blandford with its historic Georgian market square, M&S Food Hall, Tesco and Lidl superstores, and beyond that it takes about ½ hour to reach the county town of Dorchester or Sherborne. Easy access onto the A31 makes commuting to Poole, Ferndown and Bournemouth straight forward, and a quick link to the M27 takes you to Southampton and Portsmouth, and up to London via the M3.

There is plenty of opportunity for sport and recreation in the area, with fine walking, riding and cycling in the countryside around the village and lots of local sports clubs. For water sport and sailing, Poole Harbour, Studland Bay and Dorset’s renowned Jurassic Coastline are within 45 minutes’ drive to the south. This part of Dorset is also known for its excellent choice of schools. There is a popular primary school in Winterborne Whitechurch, secondary schools in Blandford and Dorchester, and independent schools nearby include Milton Abbey, Bryanston, Sherborne, Canford and Clayesmore as well as Hanford, Sandroyd, Castle Court and Dumpton prep schools.

Property information
Tenure: Freehold.
Services: Mains electricity and water. Private drainage (treatment plant). Oil fired heating.
Broadband and Mobile: Good broadband (FFTC available in village) and mobile coverage. For more information on both go to
Covenants and Easements: The Land Registry Official copy of the title suggests covenants and easements affect this property. Please seek specific advice from a solicitor.
EPC: Exempt (listed)
Local Authorities: Dorset Council. /
Council Tax: Band F. Charge for the year 2025/26 £3,710.52