Blandford Road, Iwerne Minster, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11

Charming Grade II listed Mill House and guest cottage, set in delightful gardens and grounds of over 10 acres.

Description

The Mill House
A handsome Grade II listed former mill and mill house with separate guest cottage, set in delightful gardens and ground of over ten acres. Originally a working water powered corn mill, Oyles Mill is understood to date from the late18th or early19th century, although may have earlier origins. The most appealing elevations are of mellow red brick, stone, flint and weatherboarding under a tiled roof, the front featuring an established Wistaria.

This charming home has been in the same family ownership for over 70 years. Oyles Mill was the subject of an extensive yet sensitive two year program of renovation in 1999, during which time the house was completely refurbished, re-roofed, re-wired and re-plumbed, receiving a County Award. At the same time, the original mill wheel chamber was converted into a light-filled galleried hallway rising through every level of the house, enhanced by some of the original mill wheel machinery and a fountain in the former milll pit.

The house offers generous accommodation arranged over three floors, and includes some particularly charming rooms with a wealth of character features. The layout is extremely versatile and could be arranged to suit a variety of buyer’s needs, including the option of a self-contained two bedroom annexe if required. In addition to the main house, there is the adjacent guest cottage converted from the stables and piggery, ideal for multi-generational family use or to provide a valuable rental income.

An entrance porch and front door open into the entrance hall with flagstone floor, leading through to an inner hall and guest cloakroom. The cosy sitting room has a fireplace with wood burning stove with an arched display cabinet to one side. A rear hallway with staircase to the upper floors gives access the bright garden room with a glazed roof and door to the rear garden, and from there into the drawing room. This generous room is ideal for family gatherings and features an oak floor and a 1920’s Danish wood burning stove. Beyond this is further accommodation previously used as a self-contained annexe, including a sitting room with woodburning stove and stable door entrance, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. On the opposite side of the house is the dining room, with a gallery rail and step leading down into the large farmhouse style kitchen/ breakfast room. This sunny room has double aspect windows, a range of custom made pine cabinetry, an oil fired AGA with electric module, space for a breakfast table with banquette seating, and a fine Blue Lias flagstone floor. Leading off is the utility room, pantry and boot room/rear porch and at the far end a side hallway and staircase mentioned above and workshop/tool store.

There are two staircases leading up to the first and second floors. On the first floor, the principal bedroom suite has double aspect windows including French doors to a pretty Juliet balcony, a dressing room and an en suite bathroom. There is access to a study or nursery bedroom, and this in turn leads through to the galleried landing and second staircase. Also on this floor are four further bedrooms, family bathroom, separate shower room, and a WC.

On the second floor there is a large attic playroom with wooden floor, beamed vaulted ceiling, and a kitchen area, the sixth bedroom, a cloakroom and access to a large loft store. There is also access to the galleried landing at the top of the Mill Wheel chamber.

The Cottage
A detached cottage, formerly the Victorian stable block and piggery, having elevations of red brick under a tiled, slate and flat roof. Ideal for family or staff use, the cottage could also be used to generate a valuable rental income. The accommodation includes a hall with cloakroom, sitting room with a woodburning stove, a good size kitchen/ dining room with French doors to the garden, a utility area, two ground floor bedrooms, one with en suite shower room, two first floor bedrooms and a bathroom. The cottage has a fenced rear garden and an integral single garage.

OUTSIDE
The gardens and grounds of Oyles Mill are a particular feature, with a crystal clear chalk stream, formerly the mill stream and race, meandering through them. There are delightful well stocked gardens, including a wide variety of trees and shrubs, roses and drifts of spring bulbs. To the front is a productive kitchen garden and orchard with fruit trees including both eating and Bramley apple trees. A fine wisteria together with climbing roses and clematis swathe the front of the house. There is also a hard tennis court. The rear garden has pathways, water features and further streams providing interest. The owners advise that they have enjoyed one area of the stream as a plunge pool in the summer months. Fine views extend across open farmland towards the hills beyond to both east and west.

On the eastern side of the property are two large paddocks, one of around 5.25 acres and the other around 2.25 acres.

The property is approached via a no-through lane, giving access to both the cottage and the main house. A driveway provides parking and leads to the double and single garages. In addition there are several garden stores and workshops. The cottage has a separate driveway for parking and an integral single garage.

Location

Oyles Mill lies just outside Iwerne Minster, one of the area’s most sought-after villages.

This well situated village is about 6.5 miles north of the Georgian market town of Blandford Forum, offering excellent amenities including three main supermarkets and a branch of M&S Food.

The popular town of Shaftesbury, famous for picturesque Gold Hill, offers further amenities and is a similar distance to the north.

Iwerne Minster is a pretty village with a parish church, St Mary’s, a local pub, a village shop and Post Office.

Renowned Clayesmore School is in the village itself and there are many other notable schools in the wider area, including Bryanston, Sandroyd, Hanford, Sherborne and Canford. State schools for children of all ages are available in Blandford, Shaftesbury and the surrounding villages.

Trains run from Gillingham station to London Waterloo from 1 hour 44mins.

Excellent walking riding and cycling can be enjoyed in the beautiful surrounding countryside of the Cranborne Chase, an AONB, and in The New Forest National Park to the east.

Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world, and the stunning Sandbanks beach are about 22 miles south, and the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast known for its amazing geological formations, starts at Studland Beach beyond the Saxon market town of Wareham.

Square Footage: 6,296 sq ft


Acreage: 10 Acres

Directions

From Blandford Forum, proceed north on the A350 for about six miles. The lane leading down to Oyles Mill is on the left just before the start of Iwerne Minster village. It is not named but has a sign saying ‘No through road for motor vehicles’

From Shaftesbury, proceed south on the A350 for about 6.5 miles. The lane to Oyles Mill is on the right just after you leave Iwerne Minster village.

Additional Info

Council Tax Band F

The Cottage
Council Tax Band E

Mains water and electricity. Private drainage via a sewage treatment plant installed in 2024. Full fibre high speed broadband. Please note that the working condition of any of the services or kitchen appliances has not been checked by the agents but at the time of taking particulars we were informed they were all in working order.

Agent’s Notes
The lane leading down to and in front of the house is a ‘D’ road adopted and maintained by the local authority. A footpath runs on the lane in front of the house, connecting to a byway beyond the house. The owners have submitted an application to divert the footpath around the garden of the house, and to then rejoin the byway beyond the house. This application is awaiting processing by the council (4th April 2025).