Flaxdrayton Farm, Drayton, South Petherton, Somerset

A Grade II listed farmhouse along with 23 rural commercial units and further outbuildings, pasture land and woodland, extending in total to approximately 7.80 acres (3.15 hectares). The house itself, laid over three floors, offers an entrance hall, kitchen/dining room with walk-in pantry, sitting room, snug, study, further reception/bedroom, conservatory, downstairs shower room/utility, WC, four bedrooms and a family bathroom.

Immediate Area - Drayton lies just over a mile from the village of South Petherton. South Petherton is more like a compact town rather than a large village. It has a great selection of independent shops including a butcher, bakery, fruit and veg shop, newsagent, Co Op, florist, cake shop and many more.

The Brewers Arms pub is at the centre of village life and seems to offer an event for nearly every imaginable occasion. For dining there is also an award-winning restaurant (Holm) and two independent cafés. The village offers a pre-school, infants’ school and junior school and a hospital with a comprehensive pharmacy. South Petherton also has a thriving arts centre/venue, the David Hall. The larger towns of Yeovil (10 miles) and Taunton (18 miles) are both easily accessible and the Jurassic coast is just 20 miles away.

A Brief History - Flaxdrayton House pre-dates the farm buildings, originating in around 1730. It was likely built before then but burnt down and was rebuilt in much the same form using the local hamstone. The surrounding farm has been in our client’s family since 1858. Three generations of the family farmed the land for over 73 years. In 1976 our clients inherited the house and have lived there ever since.

In 1993 there was a huge fire in the farmyard. Our clients, not wanting to see it sold off for development, purchased it and needed to find a productive use for the buildings. They decided to convert them into small business units and their first tenant arrived in 1999.

More buildings were converted over the years and rented out. Now with 23 units, they have not only created a beautiful work setting for many small businesses, but also a friendly and diverse community that is a joy to visit.

The House - A pretty grade II listed house, built from the local honey-coloured Hamstone under a slate roof. The house overlooks the attractive courtyard of commercial units and enjoys views across to Ham Hill Country Park which lies about 1.5 miles to the east.

Interior - Starting at the first floor a covered porch and doorway lead to the entrance hall with stairs to both the floor below and floors above. On the right hand side is the first reception room, currently used as the office, with a vast inglenook fireplace and wood burning stove, exposed beams and shutters to the windows. A door takes you through to another room, currently a store, that would lend itself to a downstairs bedroom, playroom, music room or any number of uses.

Back through the entrance hall, on the other side, is the main sitting room. Historically this was the farm office with a large bay window where the bailiff could survey all that was going on in the farmyard. The sitting room is double aspect, allowing in plenty of light, with a pretty hamstone fireplace and wood burning stove, and the aforementioned bay window, overlooking the yard, with a thick hamstone sill.

Beyond the sitting room is the fantastic conservatory where our clients spend much of their time. Double doors lead out to the pretty garden at the front and a separate staircase leads to the kitchen and snug below. There is ample room for pots, plants and a decent-sized dining table. Above is a well-established vine producing plenty of fruit each summer.

Between the sitting room and conservatory is a shower room/utility with a shower, sink, storage and space and plumbing for white goods.

On the floor below, accessed by the main stairs or from the conservatory, is the kitchen/dining room and the snug.

The kitchen is a classic country kitchen with solid wood storage units, some freestanding storage, An Everhot range cooker (with space for further cooker next to it), a large Belfast sink looking out to the yard, exposed beams, tiled floor, a sizeable walk-in pantry with plenty of storage space, a door to the rear and a door through to a rear lobby which houses the old copper (used before washing machines came into play). Here there is another door to the yard behind. On the other side of the kitchen is a WC and stairs up to the conservatory.

Also on this lower floor is the cosy snug. This is a lovely space with an inglenook fireplace, wood burning stove and the old bread oven, exposed beams, and a window to the rear with window seat and shutters.

Back in the entrance hall above are stairs which lead to the second floor landing. Halfway up is a door to the first of four bedrooms. This bedroom has built in access to a loft space. Continuing up you find the further three double bedrooms and family bathroom (with stunning views over the yard to Ham Hill beyond.

Outside - The house is approached via a gated entrance and driveway to the front which leads to a good-sized parking area and an outbuilding used for storage, further parking and a stable. This building also houses the biomass, solid fuel, boiler.

The stunning garden is to the front of the house. A pathway leads to the front door of the with a patio in front of the conservatory on one side. The garden is simply a joy. There are various fruit trees and wildflower areas scattered around the garden. To the far side is the extensive fruit and vegetable patch which, in turn, leads to an orchard beyond. Running parallel to the vegetable patch is a garden barn which provides two large storage rooms on this level, with commercial units, accessed via the courtyard, below, and an array of solar panels on the roof.

The Commercial Buildings And Yard - The 23 commercial units are attractively arranged around a central courtyard to the rear of Flaxdrayton House. Constructed of traditional Hamstone under some slate and some tile roofs, the principal building is Grade II listed. The individual units have been sympathetically converted and suitably now named after their original uses, such as the Cider Press, Engine Room and The Mill. The units are situated at both ground and first-floor level, are well presented throughout, and many benefit from their own kitchenette and W/C facilities.

The courtyard provides ample parking and benefits from an electric vehicle charging point, communal W/C and shower facilities, together with covered storage areas serving some of the commercial units.

Adjacent to the commercial units is an open-fronted Dutch barn, which fronts onto a concrete yard extending to a small riding arena. Also located within the courtyard are three stables and an associated feed store. Surrounding the house and buildings are a number of level permanent pasture paddocks, together with a strip of mature woodland along the southern boundary. The pastureland is nicely enclosed by established hedgerows and further benefits from a timber field shelter. In total, the property extends to approximately 7.80 acres (3.15 hectares).

Services - Mains water and electricity, private drainage, heating and hot water via a 40kw Vigas log boiler. There are three solar PV arrays totalling 21.2kWp all with batteries. In addition, there are solar thermal tiles on the roof of the house which contribute to the hot water (the equivalent of about 5kw). Located in the courtyard, is an electric car charging point. Also there are three wood burning stoves in the house.

Local Authority - Somerset Council – Band G

Eaves Notes - For further information in relation to the residential element, please contact Eaves House, our joint agents.