Mancot Lane, Deeside, CH5

Mancot is an area of surprises as it lies nestling between the historical jewel of Hawarden, family home of the parliamentarian William Gladstone and the modern industry found further down the hill in Sandycroft and which still provides plentiful employment opportunities for the local population. The presence of so much industry gives a clue as to the accessibility of the area, generously served by the nearby A494 connecting the North Wales coast with the major motorway network leading inland. So yes there is work, places to earn your living while getting dirty hands but there is so much more to it. It manages to provide a real village identity with a choice of local shops, pubs, schools and with youngsters in mind there is even Greenacres Animal Park, a surprisingly well stocked and comprehensive zoo, specialising in interactive involvement with some of the less hazardous inmates. So as a place to bring up a family it has much to commend it while for those currently childless it simply remains a pleasant place to be, and you can't ask for more than that.

On a lane on the outskirts of the village within sight of, but out of earshot from, one of the more popular pubs we find this charming cottage. One of the principal problems encountered when living in a terraced home is that of off road parking but here, what was originally the front garden has been given over to hand standing which gives space for a couple of vehicles along with peace of mind.

This area is overlooked by a deep bay window set beneath a section of sloping roof which in turn provides canopy style porches for the whole terrace. Beside the window a semi glazed white composite front door allows access straight into one corner of the lounge, where it is evident that we are standing in what was originally a hallway from which the staircase rises but the removal of one wall has included this space as part of the lounge, making the room considerable larger. The additional space is further augmented by the depth of the bay window which ensures excellent levels of natural light. The room is easily big enough that even when occupied by one of the huge 'L' shaped settees so common today, it does not feel crowded which in a little terraced house is quite an achievement.

Towards the rear of the lounge is the door into the dining room which again, is pleasingly spacious and able to cater for a wide variety of furnishings with ease. What catches the eye most however is the quite beautiful Victorian fireplace with its decorative tile work and the traditional wood flooring. This room has an atmosphere that cries out for winter evenings, toasting crumpets on the end of a long fork as the coals die down... or maybe that's just me.

Another door takes us through into the kitchen which, as is nearly always the case in this type of home is a galley. Unusually though, this is far wider than is normal and thus removes the main problem with the layout, in that people can move past one another without getting in their way which will prevent all manner of arguments when struggling to get a meal on the table. There are fitted units to each wall containing all the necessary modern technology without which so many of us simply dial Deliveroo but with this, such habits really become an indulgence. The whole room is kept bright and well lit by the large side facing picture window and is further helped in this by the wide arch leading to the small rear lobby where additional light comes from its glazed back door.
On the far side of this lobby is the door into the obviously recently refurbished bathroom which, while not large is so well presented that this becomes irrelevant. The walls are covered in very attractive and practical vinyl sheeting and there is a modern suite of a unitary hand basin with storage beneath, lavatory and a traditional bath in which to soak away the cares of the day.
Outside there is a path leading past the bathroom to where a brick arch takes us into a sunken patio area, sheltered from any wind and providing the perfect venue for al fresco wining and dining or simply relaxing in this natural sun trap. Beyond here the ground rises to the lawn area which is accessed by a small flight of steps and, should you be that way inclined, provides the space and opportunity for a spot of home grown veg., if only to spite Ocado...

Back indoors and up the stairs to the landing we come face to face with the smallest of the bedrooms. As is so often the case this is best suited for single occupancy as a double bed would doubtless interfere with the opening of the door while a single would leave space aplenty. In these days where more and more people are working from home it would also make a splendid office and the spending of longer periods of time in here is made more attractive by the interesting feature fireplace, continuing the Victorian theme from the dining room downstairs. You can almost hear the scratching of the quill pens as Bob Cratchit labours away, trying to take care of Tiny Tim...

Adjacent to here is the first of the double bedrooms where there is more than enough space to give yourself free rein as to your choices of furniture because however extravagant you become, it is unlikely to become a problem.

We now move towards the front of the home past a large linen storage cupboard to the principal bedroom. This, covering the full width of the home is as spacious as a principal room should be, shown by the way it currently contains two large free standing wardrobes, two chests of drawers, a dressing table and a further smaller chest beside the double bed. That all these are in place and still leave enough space to comfortably navigate the room in the dark while keeping your toes unstubbed tells you all you need to know.

All in all this is a great home for a similarly great number of prospective buyers. For a first time buyer it remains within financial reach, with the added advantage of needing nothing further in the way of refurbishment; for a small family there is space aplenty, an enclosed rear garden to keep the children safe and the luxury and practicality of the third bedroom; for someone wishing to downsize it is simply a lovely home, just a smaller version of the one you are escaping from because maintaining it has become too daunting. And for everyone, it provides village living without inconvenience, ease of access and parking. Did I mention parking?