High Street, Harrold, Bedfordshire, MK43

FASCINATING C19TH FAMILY HOME, WITH SELF-CONTAINED FLAT AND DELIGHTFUL WALLED GARDENS

An exciting, Grade II-listed, 4-double bedroom, detached, stone home in a prime North Bedfordshire riverside village, with nearly 4000 sq.ft. of space including a completely self-contained flat for extended family, Airbnb or to incorporate into the house as part of a makeover. With gorgeous gardens, driveway parking beyond wooden doors, outbuildings, including a stone garage that has scope for other uses, and with an unusual number of facilities on the doorstep, Greystones combines charm, huge interest and convenient family living.

With your new home just 9 miles from the county town, from where fast trains reach London in 40 minutes, 13 miles from the M1 at Milton Keynes and little more than 30 from Luton Airport, travelling is a breeze, yet Harrold lies in the heart of beautiful countryside with fabulous walks and everything a family could need close by.

Walk the children to their little primary school 350 yards away. Older children can catch the bus or cycle to Sharnbrook Academy about 3 miles along the country lanes, with private options at the world-renowned Harpur Trust schools in Bedford.

Co-op, post office and butcher’s lie along the historic High Street, and you can wander over the ancient bridge to the lovely, little, traditional village stores in Carlton. The surgery is a few hundred yards from your front door, as are highly thought of pubs and restaurants, including a 400-year-old thatched country pub where the Beatles unexpectedly dropped in, and Paul McCartney played ‘Hey Jude’ on the piano for the first time in public.

Children can cross the street and, within a minute, cut through to the scout hut, the thriving cricket club and the playing fields. The tennis club is a few hundred yards away behind Harrold Centre, a hive of activity for the friendly community. A much-loved country park, with its café, outdoor gym and lakes, is at the end of the street. The Paula Radcliffe Community Sports Centre, with a gym, is on the same site as Sharnbrook school.

Extolled as “a true hidden gem” by the Sunday Times when naming its 100 best places to live in Britain, Harrold was also namechecked recently by writer, Christoper Winn, in a Telegraph article lauding Bedfordshire as his favourite county in England, blessed with “unexpected treasures known only to a lucky few.” Greystones is one such treasure.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Part render under Welsh slate and part meticulously pointed stone, Greystones is officially dated to 1817, but it’s likely that sections are earlier. Over the generations, it has variously been three cottages as well as a guest house; and home to many a highly regarded local figure, including wealthy merchants, a Victorian vicar and even a squadron leader. Like them, you’ll no doubt wish to make your mark on a house that is unusually versatile.

Step through the lovely front door into an impressive hall that’s designed to welcome visitors, yet which makes you instantly feel at home, its handsome, wide staircase inviting you up to the galleried landing library area, to read, peacefully, on the window seat, natural light pouring through the tall, sliding sash window. And to lovely bedrooms, all oozing character, not least one with vaulted ceiling, beautiful central beams and quirky door leading to nowhere - and, perhaps, demanding a Juliet balcony.

This bedroom can be part of a suite with the adjoining bathroom, but it rather depends on your plans for the flat. While you could move into Greystones today, this lovely home will allow you to easily make changes to perfectly suit your lifestyle.

Oodles of space downstairs, too, in beautiful, centrally beamed rooms, with unusually decorated ceilings - a dining room that’s currently an office, with exposed floorboards, fireplace and cute cupboards set into the wall by the bay; a peaceful breakfast room open to the kitchen; and both a lovely sitting room and a garden room with cosy winter stove; throw open French doors from both in summertime to the garden.

Gorgeous outside rooms that effortlessly link to each other, beautiful silver birch and golden Robinia Frisia watching over a variety of sitting areas, the central pergola bedecked with pretty, pink Indigofera, honeysuckle and clematis. Relax with a glass of something beneath the boughs of the prolific fig tree, watching damselflies flit across the wildlife pond. Pick your own apples, and grapes and peaches growing along the red brick wall aside the old garden gate.

Wander along the gravelled path that winds past raised veg beds, cobbled sundial area and borders of bee-friendly peonies lavender, wildflowers and roses, through a gap in the stone wall to the covered entrance from the street (glance up at the old hooks), superb outbuildings that have exciting possibilities, and a delightful courtyard sitting area looking over to the clematis-clad walls of the house. Greystones is quite a place.