Rimpton, Somerset, BA22

Ash House is a most attractive and thoughtfully arranged house, offering light-filled accommodation with a wonderful sense of flow and connection to the gardens and surrounding countryside. The house is entered via a large and elegant reception hall which immediately conveys the scale and character of the house and leads into the drawing room, a particularly impressive, triple-aspect room with a Jetmaster fireplace, bay window seat and French doors opening onto the terrace. The bespoke kitchen features an Aga, central island and informal dining area creating a wonderful family space that will quickly become the heart of the home. Along the corridor, the delightful garden room offers a generous area in which to entertain, enjoy the views and from which to spill out onto the terrace on a summers evening.

The accommodation is flexible and well balanced, with well-proportioned ground floor bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a study, and a principal suite on the first floor enjoying lovely outlooks and ensuite facilities. In addition, there is further upstairs accommodation comprising a large double bedroom and equally spacious area suitable as a playroom or teenage hangout along with a bathroom, which would prove popular with older offspring looking for their own space.

GARDENS AND OUTBUILDINGS
The wonderful gardens, laid out by a former owner and garden designer, are of particular note, featuring a croquet lawn, pond with Japanese bridge, a summer house, terraces, a vegetable garden and a well-curated collection of perennials, shrubs and trees to provide all year-round interest and colour.

Of special interest is the tree garden, a collection of specimen and fruit trees planted around 1988, including walnut, liquid amber, a tulip tree and a beautiful multi-stemmed evergreen beech. A focal point at the southern end, where a group of West Himalayan birches gather in a semi-circle round a bench, provides a tranquil place to repose and enjoy the shivering light filtering through the white bark canopy. This relaxed arboretum could offer a home to hens or perhaps some light grazing for a pony.

Closer to the house, a terraced quadrangle provides a superb place for summer relaxation and entertaining in the shade of a splendid Chinese silk tree.

A gravelled driveway leads to the garage, workshop and additional outbuildings offering excellent storage and potential for a variety of uses, including stabling, subject to any necessary consents.

LOCATION
The countryside on the Dorset/Somerset border must be some of the most beautiful in the South West, gently undulating unspoilt farmland broken up by valleys and woodland. Rimpton is a small village tucked away from main roads in an area of strict planning control, preserving its special character and consists mainly of period stone houses and cottages, some dating from mediaeval times when the village was in the hands of the Bishop of Winchester. It is well known for the beauty of its houses and its setting.

The ancient Abbey town of Sherborne has a good range of shops and boutiques and is well known for its beauty and high-quality schools. Many national retailers are represented in the larger commercial centre of Yeovil. Communications to this part of the world are excellent with the A303, a dual carriageway, most of the way to the M3 towards London. To the west, the M5 is joined at Taunton for access to Bristol, the Midlands and the north. There are mainline railway stations at Sherborne and Templecombe, both serving London Waterloo in a little over two hours. Alternatively, there is an inner-city service from Castle Cary to London Paddington.

SPORTING AND RECREATION
The surrounding countryside is ideal for walking, cycling and riding, with golf at Sherborne and Yeovil, racing at Wincanton and sailing at Sutton Bingham Reservoir.

Sherborne offers a rich cultural scene with concerts at Sherborne Abbey, exhibitions and performances at The Sherborne arts venue and the exceptional gardens, dining and events at The Newt country estate nearby.

EDUCATION
The area is particularly well served by both state and independent schooling. The Gryphon School in Sherborne, a highly regarded state secondary school, is nearby, together with a good selection of local primary schools.
Independent options include The Sherborne Schools Group, Leweston, Hazlegrove, King’s Bruton and Millfield.