Tarrant Monkton, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11

A PICTURE PERFECT PERIOD COTTAGE AND GARDEN, IN A SOUGHT AFTER VILLAGE SETTING

Briar Cottage offers a charming combination of period character and stylish modern living in a popular village setting. The original Victorian cottage was comprehensively refurbished and extended about 20 years ago and when our clients bought the property in 2021, they completed another phase of simple updating and decorative refurbishment and cleverly relandscaped the garden to create the lovely village home they have today. The sitting room with fireplace and wood burner and the study (or ground floor 4th bedroom) are in the old part of the cottage, and in the modern extension a generous dining area opens into a well fitted kitchen with quality built in appliances. Connecting the old and new parts of the cottage is a fabulous light David Salisbury garden room that was added by the previous owners about 10 years ago. Upstairs there are three bedrooms (two doubles and a generous single) and two smart bath/shower rooms, one of which is ensuite. Sensible maintenance and re-decoration have continued right up to date, and the installation of the latest efficient electric heating system make Briar Cottage an easy and economical home to run, a perfect character home in a picture postcard village ideal for young families, for retirement or as a 2nd home/country retreat.

The garden is another special feature of the cottage. To the front a pretty enclosed garden with a path to the porch separates the cottage from the lane and drive, but most of the garden lies to the side where it has been relandscaped to create a long split level lawn and pond with beautifully stocked traditional borders. At the far end of the garden there is an enclosed work area with a timber workshop/garden store and immediately behind the garden room, on the south and east side of the cottage there is a large, paved terrace which gets the sun throughout most of the day. In front of the terrace there is a block paved parking area for a couple of cars.

Tarrant Monkton is one of the prettiest villages along the picturesque Tarrant Valley. It is well known for the Langton Arms public house and restaurant, and surrounded by the distinctive rolling countryside of Cranborne Chase, a National Landscape area. Although the four Tarrant villages at this end of the valley (Gunville, Hinton, Launceston and Monkton) are very rural they are by no means isolated and there is the thriving community in the valley. As well as the pub there is a local butcher, a church and busy village hall, along with a wine merchants in Tarrant Hinton and farm shop in Gunville. Blandford Forum with its historic Georgian market square is only a short drive away and has an excellent range of amenities including an M&S food hall, Lidl and Tesco superstore. There is a Waitrose nearby in Wimborne and for a wider range of amenities Salisbury, Dorchester and Poole are all within about half an hour’s drive.

Communication links around the village are excellent, the business centres along the coast from Poole, Ferndown and Bournemouth through to Southampton and Portsmouth are all within reasonable driving distance. The A303/M3 is easiest route to London and Salisbury is the most convenient station (London Waterloo around 1 hr 45 mins). There is plenty of opportunity for sport and recreation in the area and excellent walking, riding and cycling in the countryside that surrounds the village. Within about ½ hour you can be enjoying water sports and sailing in Poole Harbour Studland Bay or walking in Wareham Forest, the Purbecks or along Dorsets renowned Jurassic coastline.

Property information
Tenure: Freehold.
Services: Mains water and electricity. Private drainage (septic tank). Electric heating.
Mobile and Broadband: Good broadband (FFTP nearby) and moderate mobile coverage. For more information go to
Covenants and Easements: Please seek specific advice from a solicitor.
Local Authorities: Dorset Council.
Council Tax: Band F. Charge for the year 2026/27 £3,827.52
EPC: Band E (potentially Band D)