Bull Hill Cottage, Hawstead, Suffolk

This refined five-bedroom house is found in the peaceful village of Hawstead, West Suffolk. With roots believed to stretch back to the 18th century, the house has been renovated in a way that retains its bucolic charm. Bedrooms are arranged on the ground and first floors, and there are four reception rooms, including two generous sitting rooms. A beautifully landscaped garden of around half an acre wraps around the house and is home to an elegant weeping willow tree. Despite its rural idyll, the house is just three miles from Bury St Edmunds. Cambridge North and Stowmarket stations are both easily reached by car and provide direct services to London terminals in as little as 60 and 85 minutes respectively.



Setting the Scene



The core of this pretty thatched cottage is believed to date to 1750s, with later additions made in 1848; remarkably, it remains unlisted.



In recent years, the house has been updated in a way that honours its period bones. Hearty original features remain in situ and include neat brickwork and rendered facades, a gabled front porch, and exposed timber beams.



The Grand Tour



The welcoming entrance to the house leads into an expansive kitchen and dining room. This L-shaped space is the core of the house and encompasses a bright dining area with French doors to an external terrace - a wonderful spot for summertime hosting.



The kitchen has terracotta tiles underfoot and a cherry-red Aga fitted into a brick alcove. The kitchen leads to a snug with a log burner inset into an original brick fireplace. Open shelving to one side is an ideal spot to display favourite books.



There are two additional sitting rooms. In the first, timber beams span overhead and a large wood-burning stove has been added to a huge brick fireplace. The space is illuminated by glazing on three sides, filling the space with an abundance of natural light. The other reception room has a library-like feel. It has a church door that was installed in the 1970s.



There are two bedrooms on the ground floor, both with outdoor access and en suite bathrooms. The ground-floor plan is completed by a guest WC and utility room.



The first floor is home to three further bedrooms, each with grand pitched ceilings, exposed timber beams, and magnificent views of the garden and the rolling Suffolk countryside beyond. One room has built-in storage and is currently used as a dressing room, but is equally suitable for use as a bedroom or a study. There is a shared bathroom.



The Great Outdoors



A verdant, newly landscaped garden embraces the house. The expansive south-facing paved terrace area provides opportunities for outdoor dining and entertaining, while winding paths lead to further patios, perfectly positioned to offer shade on sunnier days and a space to huddle around the firepit on cooler evenings.



Beautifully maintained flowerbeds surround the raised lawn, while three pretty sheds dot the western fringes. There is a large willow tree and a particularly impressive pear tree. Herringbone brick paving, beneath a plant-strewn pergola, and alongside a pond, forms a path from the rear to the front garden, where the shingled driveway provides parking for several cars and further fetching hued borders.



A detached garage has space for one car, alongside is a log store. A large games room adjoins and is a brilliant spot to host guests.



Out and About



Hawstead is a peaceful village surrounded by the glorious Suffolk countryside. Opportunities to explore in nature abound, including the wonderful Bradfield Woods National Nature Reserve and the green expanses of Nowton Park. The National Trust-maintained Ickworth House, with its Italianate palace and extensive grounds, is only six miles away.



In Hawstead, there is a church, a village hall and a café. a bicycle shop, Maglia Rosso, known for its excellent coffee and cake. The White Horse pub in nearby Whepstead is a local favourite, and the Queen’s Head in Hawkedon, eight miles away, is well known in the area for its excellent menu.



Other places to explore are the villages of Hartest, Long Melford and Lavenham, all within 20 minutes of the house and with stunning Tudor houses, pubs, and, in Long Melford’s case, two excellent stately homes - Melford Hall and Kentwell Hall.



The bustling and historic market town of Bury St Edmunds is only three miles away. With streets of ancient, pretty cottages, a magnificent cathedral, and a renowned abbey, the town provides for all day-to-day needs and is chock-full of independent shops. It is also home to two independent cinemas, Abbeygate Cinema and The Everyman. There is also an excellent wine shop, Vino Gusto, which was named as one of the UK’s best independent wine shops.



A range of fine restaurants are scattered throughout Bury St Edmunds, including the Michelin-starred Pea Porridge, Lark and Maison Bleue. Until 2016, atmospheric pub The Nutshell claimed to be England's smallest.



Nearby Lackford Lakes is an oasis of ponds, reedbeds, meadows, and woodland providing all year-round attachment to nature. The area is awash with iridescent kingfishers, dazzling dragonflies, colourful ducks and flora.



There is a wide selection of well-regarded schools in the area, including Great Whelnetham Primary School and King Edward Vl. Independent options include Culford School and South Lee School. Other schools can be found in Cambridge.



Stowmarket station is a short drive away and runs direct services to London Liverpool Street. Bury St Edmunds station is even closer, approximately a 12-minute drive away, and has regular services to Ipswich (30 minutes) and Cambridge (40 minutes), both of which have connections to London in just over an hour.



Council Tax Band: G