Friday Street, Minchinhampton, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6

"Step Inside

Welcome to this delightful three storey Cotswold stone Grade II Listed cottage set on a secluded lane, winding down to the historic market place of one of Gloucestershire’s jewels - the picturesque town of Minchinhampton - and only minutes from the protected common where cows and horses graze all summer. The Unicorn House is believed to date back to the early 1800s and is one of a row of cottages which form part of a street scene that has barely changed since this time. This beautifully presented historic home has three bedrooms, each large enough for a king-size bed, a family bathroom with a rolltop bath and two further shower rooms. The lower ground floor, with its two linked reception rooms, is laid with flagstones and retains original beams either side of a stone fireplace which houses a gas burning stove, combining coziness with convenience. These lead to a Shaker style wooden kitchen with a Rayburn range cooker and a separate breakfast room, both overlooking a charming and secluded courtyard garden, with two brick built and tiled stores, one fitted with electricity and plumbing for a washing machine and tumble drier. A sun deck to catch the rays until sundown can be accessed from the first floor, with its main bathroom, shower room and two bedrooms. Another timber staircase leads to a guest suite on the second floor which is vaulted to the beams, with a bedroom opening to a sizeable shower room. All bedrooms have estate carpenter built storage and latched timber doors with the two first floor bedrooms overlooking the quiet front lane while the family bathroom, sundeck and top floor guest suite have views of the wildlife haven of Lemon Fields, surrounding gardens and rooftops, to the rear.

About the property
The Unicorn House sits at the top of Friday Street, lined with cottages and stone walls, which winds down to the Minchinhampton market place, with views of the church and steeple. This lovely Cotswolds home with internal space of 154 sqm/1656 sq ft has been sensitively renovated and decorated throughout to provide a tranquil and comfortable home in keeping with its historic origins. From the moment you enter from the lane, through a timber front door and lobby with a glazed door, you are in your own serene space, warmed by the stove, with light pouring through from the rear all day long, able to enjoy lazy breakfasts and lunches in the courtyard and full sun on the deck right until sunset. Meals can be prepared in the Shaker kitchen with its glazed and timber panelled cupboards, beech worktop, Rayburn gas range and separate electric hob. (There is space and a cooker point for an additional electric oven if desired). At the end of the day you can soak in the rolltop bath in a bathroom finished with a freestanding Fired Earth sink and chrome radiators, with the option of a shower room and WC leading off this room or another on the guest suite floor above. A Worcester combination boiler provides constant unlimited hot water to all. The bedrooms on both floors are spacious. The beautiful guest suite on the top floor, with its beamed ceiling and large adjacent shower room is a fitting highpoint to this lovely home, reached by its own separate staircase from the first floor below.

The Unicorn House is a perfect option for those wanting a home in a peaceful and typically Cotswolds setting and style yet with easy access on foot to the shops, two cafes and a beautifully restored pub, The Crown, at the heart of the marketplace, together with excellent transport links to enjoy all that the area has to offer. Minchinhampton itself is filled with character, with the annual Marking Day celebrating the release of cattle, including longhorns, and shire horses onto the common where they wander and graze until the autumn. The common also has a golf course and walking and cycling paths and trails together with outstanding views of the surrounding valleys. There is a second golf course and local rugby, cricket and football facilities and teams together with regular theatrical productions and cinema nights at the market hall and an annual kite festival on the common.