Church Street, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3

Grade II listed home thought to date from the late 14th century or early 15th century in the centre of Rickmansworth.

Description

The Old Vicarage is a Grade II listed home thought to date from the late14th century or early 15th century, as evidenced by the building adjacent to the front door where there is an ashlar and trefoil brickwork panel dating to 1460. It is thought that at this stage the building was constructed as a medieval hall house with two wings. Since then the house has been extended in 1737 and more recently in the early 19th and 20th centuries. It has evolved through successive centuries, reflecting the lives of the vicars of St Marys Church and the changing history of the town.

The Old Vicarage on Church Street is one of those rare places. Believed to be the oldest surviving house in Rickmansworth, its story stretches back to around 1450, when England was still in the Middle Ages and the town itself was little more than a cluster of buildings gathered around St Mary's Church. Walking through the house today is to experience layers of history that cannot be recreated.

Although altered and lovingly adapted over the centuries, it still retains the character and craftsmanship of its earliest builders. Historic brickwork, timber framing and architectural details reveal a building that has evolved naturally while preserving its unique identity. It invites quiet reflection of time and the heritage of this home and stories that belong to the house makes this a defining home for the discerning buyer to take on and make it their own.

The Old Vicarage today still offers the immense charm and character commensurate with its history positioned in the Conservation Area and retains much of the original history of this wonderful home. There are feature picturesque stained glass windows, a wonderful oriel window at the first floor plus feature gables too.

This remarkable home features extensive family sized accommodation of immense charm and character throughout and has been in the same family for over 40 years and is now in need of some sympathetic updating.

The house opens into a hallway with stairs to the first floor, cloakroom and storage cupboard. The superb Medieval reception hall is the oldest part of the house and features a wealth of beams and a preserved window which was once the external wall prior to the extensions. This room also features a lovely fireplace and doors to the other principal rooms. A step up leads you to an elegant double aspect drawing room with French doors out to the garden. The bright family room is a fabulous room with stunning tall feature arched windows out to the terrace. The hall way leads to a study and a rear storage area and wine room. The kitchen is fitted with a range of built- in wall and floor units with a central island and there is a gas Aga plus a slot in cooker and dishwasher. Pretty doors lead out to the garden and vegetable plot . Off the kitchen is a useful utility room with space for fridges and utility appliances.

On the first floor there is a stunning principal bedroom with outstanding beams throughout leading to a good sized dressing room. There are three further double bedrooms on this floor, two with rear garden views plus there is a generous family bathroom with a four piece suite and built in cupboards and a separate modern shower room. On the landing there are a number of storage cupboards too.

Stairs rise to the second floor where there is a good sized landing and two attic bedrooms with beams and courtyard and garden views plus reduced head height.

Outside
The Old Vicarage is part of a gated courtyard development and to the front there is parking in front of a double garage.

The rear gardens enjoy a fine south and westerly rear aspect. The gardens have been carefully tended and landscaped by the owners and are a delightful feature of this lovely home.

To the rear of the property is a verandah which leads to an expanse of lawn and a large terrace There are several well stocked abundant borders with a wealth of plants and shrubs.
There is a vegetable patch, several fruit cages, herb patch and a log store. Garden shed/workshop.

NB: The Freehold is held by The Old Vicarage (Rickmansworth) Management Company Limited

Location

Rickmansworth is a busy commuter town combining an eclectic mix of the old and new plus an excellent selection of restaurants and public houses.

The town offers a comprehensive shopping centre with the food halls of Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Tesco, a range of sports and recreation facilities including tennis courts, rugby, cricket club, golf courses, football, and at the Aquadrome, sailing, fishing and water-skiing, a leisure centre, theatre and library.

There is a selection of good schools, both private and state within the area including The Royal Masonic School for Girls, St Joan of Arc, Rickmansworth School, St Clement Danes and York House School.

Rickmansworth Station provides a frequent Metropolitan Line service to the City and the Chiltern Turbo a fast main line service to Marylebone. The M25 can be accessed at Junctions 17 and 18, with links to the motorway network and major airports.

Square Footage: 3,659 sq ft


Acreage: 0.3 Acres

Directions

From Rickmansworth Station proceed along Park Road in the direction of Croxley Green. Turn right at the mini roundabout into the High Street. At the traffic lights turn left into Church Street and The Old Vicarage is on the right. Postcode WD3 1BS for satellite navigation.