Church Lane, Charlton On Otmoor

A charming & very roomy historic barn in lovely order throughout, tucked away down a small lane in a wonderfully unspoilt village just a few miles from Oxford & Bicester. Lantern roof kitchen, 24 ft living room with wood burner, 3 large bedrooms (1 ensuite), lovely garden, garage plus ample parking.

Charlton on Otmoor is one of those rather delightful villages many have heard of but few have visited, due to its quiet position among a nature reserve (the Otmoor SSSI) offering wonderful bird and animal life. Unspoilt and quietly tucked away it may be, but it offers all the attributes a 21st century buyer wants. Ultrafast broadband makes home working a reality, there's a vibrant and friendly community, and commuting is simple with a London rail station nearby at Islip plus easy road connections to all points. Within the village there is an excellent pub, The Crown, which also features "foodie" pop-up vans every weekend, and occasionally Morris dancers for a traditional May Day parade. The First school is Ofsted "highly rated. Plus the 13th Century church is a magnificent piece of Oxfordshire architecture. There's even a bus service... It all adds up to a really great place to live.

Manor Farm Barns is a small collection of historic agricultural buildings, converted into pretty houses in the late 20th century. Tucked away at the bottom of a meandering driveway flanked by lawn and trees, the setting is incredibly quiet and very attractive. Number 3 retains many fine features from its historic origins. But it has also undergone significant changes in recent times that have transformed the usability as well as the efficiency. Extending the kitchen with a lantern roof has created a wonderful hub to the whole house. And in the process a utility room has been created, freeing up space in the kitchen. The flow has also been improved so that the living space works in a way it didn’t before. And modern additions such as an efficient boiler and Hive heating help to lessen the running costs. Hence it’s now the complete package, a stylish and cosseting village house ready to enjoy.

The thick timber front door opens into hallway with a smart real wood floor that continues through the cloak and sitting rooms. The stairs rise away to the right, their elegant painted spindles contrasting perfectly with a smooth timber handrail. Under them, a deep cupboard provides masses of handy storage. And next to that the cloak room is stylish with a bold colour scheme that contrasts perfectly with the warm timber and the clean white of the sanitaryware.

Head into the living room and both the space and the light will impress you. At 24 feet in length this is a large room by most standards, and yet with the gentle mix of light wood floor and white walls it’s still cozy and inviting - a coziness reinforced by the efficient wood burning stove in its stone fireplace. To the front there are two windows that look down across the peaceful frontage. And at the rear, the entrance into the kitchen is now open, flooding even more welcome natural light through.

Walk through and you cannot fail to be impressed by the execution of this extension. The lantern roof light sits above the dining space, and directly behind it glazed doors fold right back to give you a full view of the garden. It’s such a lovely, inviting space. But more than that, the practicality is excellent. A peninsula separates the kitchen area from the dining space, with a lovely set of classic units that are topped off with a wooden work top and a Belfast sink.

And it impresses us that the attention to detail goes so far as the wall units being a lighter colour so they’re less imposing as well as helping to maximise the light. That same attention to detail is why there’s a vertical radiator to save wall space… Completing the downstairs, the utility room adjoins the kitchen, with plumbing for washing machine etc and here you’ll also find more storage including a deep pantry-style cupboard as well as a further work surface.

Head upstairs and the feeling of light and space continues. A broad landing leads off to two lovely, large bedrooms plus a third - complete with en-suite - on the second floor. Both the bedrooms on the first floor are surprisingly good sizes. Even the smallest offers all the flexibility of guest room, child's bedroom or home office, and the view to the rear out over the gardens behind is very pleasing. Next door, a somewhat larger bedroom offers a rather captivating outlook over the lane and out towards the church beyond. In addition, the large area at the base of the stairs to the second floor has been cleverly arranged as a very effective study/home office complete with shelving. Also on this floor, the bathroom is unusually well equipped with both a bath and a separate shower, all beautifully presented and modern.

And round the corner from the home office a further stairway leads up to the second floor. Occupying the whole of this space is just one bedroom plus an en-suite. Consequently, it's a wonderful suite with acres of room for whatever furnishings you desire. There's already a deep walk-in cupboard, but the size of the bedroom is such that building in more storage, or just luxuriate in a bedroom with perhaps a dressing table and a sofa! And that same lovely view across the village towards the church is even better up here... There's even an en-suite, pristine and modern, equipped with a suite including power shower.

Outside, the space is perfect for most needs. Looking at the front of the house, there's a dedicated parking space immediately outside, then turn right and the tarmac area you can see at the end is owned by this house, providing more parking. Next to them, the right hand of the two garages is also yours, with a pitched roof above that could offer ample storage if desired.

At the rear of the house the garden is delightfully arranged to provide seating immediately behind the kitchen on a paved terrace. Beyond it the lawn runs to the back fence, in which there's a gate for rear access. Borders to either side contain a pleasant and diverse array of plants ranging from roses to shrubs, giving the whole space a soft and relaxing air. It's the ideal garden for most needs, pretty but also easy to maintain. And for those wanting greater space to stretch their legs, the village is surrounded by beautiful open land in which there are various bridleways and footpaths within just a few minutes' walk of this property.