Long Barn, Charminster

Long Barn, Charminster, Dorset
A beautiful flint and stone barn conversion set within approximately 0.84 acres, with a heated swimming pool, detached annexe, established gardens and the River Cerne forming the rear boundary. A home that offers character, privacy and space, together with a lifestyle that is increasingly difficult to find.

There are some properties that immediately give you a sense that life here could be rather different. Long Barn is one of them.

Approached via a sweeping gravel driveway and quietly positioned within the village of Charminster, this beautifully presented barn conversion offers something far more than its four/five bedrooms and generous accommodation. It gives you space to live, to entertain, to work, to garden, to swim and, perhaps most importantly, to enjoy your home and the setting it sits within.

The attractive flint and stone elevations give an immediate sense of the property's history, whilst inside, the original character of the barn has been complemented by thoughtful modern improvements.

The House
The accommodation is generous and wonderfully adaptable, with four double bedrooms, a versatile fifth bedroom/study, two reception rooms, conservatory, utility room, cloakroom and a substantial loft room with office area.

The main sitting/dining room is a particularly impressive space. An exposed stone chimney breast and hearth frame the wood-burning stove, whilst exposed ceiling beams add to the character. Full-length windows bring the garden into view and bi-fold doors open through to the conservatory.

This is the kind of room that changes with the seasons. In winter, the wood burner creates a warm and inviting place to settle down; in summer, the doors can be opened to the conservatory and garden, creating a wonderful space for entertaining or simply enjoying the long evenings.

The recently updated kitchen combines contemporary styling with the practical requirements of a busy home. There is a generous amount of work surface, integrated double oven, hob and extractor, together with space for a dishwasher and American-style fridge/freezer. Underfloor heating continues through the adjoining utility room, which provides additional storage, sink and plumbing for a washing machine and tumble dryer.

The second reception room has its own character, with exposed beams and an electric fire. Currently used as a reception room, it can also be used as a fifth bedroom, providing valuable flexibility.

On the first floor are four well-proportioned double bedrooms. The principal bedroom has fitted wardrobes and a modern en-suite shower room with walk-in shower and vanity unit, whilst the family bathroom provides both a bath with shower over and a separate shower cubicle.

From the landing, stairs lead to an office area and a substantial loft room with Velux windows and heating. Already a useful additional space, it offers genuine potential for further conversion, subject to the necessary planning and building regulations.

The Garden
Then there is the garden, and this is where Long Barn really begins to feel different.

The grounds extend to approximately 0.84 acres and have been carefully established over the years, with mature trees, shrubs, hedging and planted borders creating privacy and a feeling of seclusion.

The River Cerne forms the rear/eastern boundary, bringing an unusual and wonderfully natural element to the property. The sound and presence of the river, the mature planting and the amount of space all combine to create a setting that feels remarkably peaceful, whilst still being within a village and only two miles from Dorchester.

And for those who love the idea of making the most of the garden, there is plenty here to enjoy.

A heated swimming pool sits within the grounds, complete with integrated steps, summer and winter covers and its own changing room with shower facilities. The pool plant room also houses the air source heat pump serving both the house and swimming pool.

Imagine a summer morning with the doors open and coffee in hand, children heading straight for the pool, or friends staying late into the evening because there is simply no reason to rush home.

Beyond the pool, the garden opens into a substantial area of lawn with a productive vegetable patch, large walk-in fruit cage and garden store. There is space for entertaining, for children and dogs to run, for growing your own produce, or simply for finding a quiet corner and enjoying the surroundings.

It is a garden that can genuinely become part of your everyday life rather than simply something to look at from the house.

The Annexe
The detached annexe adds another valuable dimension.

Converted in 2018, it provides open-plan living, bedroom and kitchen accommodation together with a separate shower room. Bi-fold doors open directly onto the lower garden, making the space feel connected to the grounds.

The current owners have successfully operated the annexe as a holiday let, providing an established opportunity for additional income. For a new owner, however, its potential goes much further. It could provide independent accommodation for family, a comfortable space for guests, somewhere for older children or a completely separate working environment.

The annexe is for use in connection with the main house and cannot be sold separately, although it may be let.

Modern Benefits
Alongside the character of the original barn, Long Barn has a number of modern features designed to make everyday life easier and more efficient.  The property benefits from an air source heat pump, privately owned solar PV panels and UPVC double glazing. The solar panels were installed in 2018 and benefit from a Feed-in Tariff, with quarterly payments payable for the remainder of the 20-year term, providing a useful contribution towards running costs.

Mains water, electricity and drainage are connected.

Charminster & Dorset
Location is another important part of the appeal.  Charminster is a picturesque and historic Dorset village with a first school, two pubs, a pretty Norman church and two village halls. It has a genuine village feel, whilst Dorchester is just a couple of miles away, providing extensive shopping, restaurants, leisure facilities, schools and Dorset County Hospital.

There is a regular bus service through the village, with Dorchester providing rail connections to London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads.  Beyond Dorchester, the wider area offers the very best of Dorset. There are golf courses nearby, extensive countryside for walking and riding, and the Jurassic Coast is within easy reach, with its beaches, coastal paths and opportunities for sailing and water sports. Maiden Castle, one of Britain's most impressive Iron Age hill forts, is approximately four miles away and offers spectacular views across the surrounding countryside.

Important Information
The property is situated within a Conservation Area and benefits from riparian ownership rights relating to the River Cerne.

Access is via a shared driveway, jointly owned with Coombe Barton. On reaching the front of Long Barn, the driveway becomes solely owned as part of the property. Long Barn benefits from rights of access and rights to lay and maintain services along the shared section.

The vendors advise that groundwater can occasionally appear in the lower section of the garden during periods of extreme weather. On the most recent occasion, river water also reached this part of the garden. The house and annexe have remained completely unaffected.

Superfast broadband is available and mobile coverage is available in the area.

Council Tax Band: G - Dorset Council.

Long Barn
Ultimately, Long Barn is about the opportunity to live differently.

Not simply because it is a barn conversion, or because it has a swimming pool, or because the garden extends to almost an acre. It is the combination of all of these things, together with the river, the annexe, the village setting and the proximity to Dorchester and the Dorset coast.

You can have a beautiful home with genuine character. You can have space around you. You can step outside and swim, garden, entertain or simply sit beside the river. You can work from home, accommodate family and friends, or continue the successful holiday-let use of the annexe.

And yet, when you want the convenience of a town, Dorchester is only two miles away.

For many people, buying a home at this level is the result of years of hard work. Long Barn is the sort of property where you can see what that investment is giving back to you - not just in bricks and mortar, but in the way you can live.

A home with character, space and opportunity, in a beautiful part of Dorset.

Long Barn is somewhere to come home to - and somewhere you may find yourself wanting to stay.