High Street, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex, CO6

NO ONWARD CHAIN A substantial and beautifully presented Grade II listed village house occupying a prominent position in the heart of Earls Colne. Offering approximately 2,400 sq ft of characterful accommodation, with three/four bedrooms, three/four reception rooms, impressive principal suite, courtyard garden, generous parking and detached garage. A fascinating home combining centuries of history with highly versatile modern accommodation.

Occupying a prominent position in the heart of Earls Colne, The Old Dairy is a particularly attractive Grade II listed village house offering an excellent combination of substantial accommodation, period character and modern-day practicality.

The property forms part of a building of considerable historic interest. Historic England records 83 and 85 High Street as an early 15th-century timber-framed hall house, subsequently altered during the 16th century and later periods. Of particular note are the exposed structural timbers, substantial chimney stacks and evidence of the building's long evolution over several centuries.

The accommodation is arranged over two floors and extends to approximately 2,402 sq ft, with a further detached garage, providing a surprisingly generous and versatile home within the centre of the village.

The front door opens into a characterful reception area where exposed timber framing immediately gives a sense of the property's history. This leads through to a comfortable snug, a particularly appealing room with exposed wall and ceiling timbers together with a brick fireplace and stove.

The principal sitting room is another substantial reception space, again displaying exposed beams and centred around an impressive brick inglenook-style fireplace. An opening connects the sitting room with the dining room, creating an excellent arrangement for entertaining whilst retaining clearly defined individual rooms.

Beyond is the kitchen/breakfast room, fitted with an extensive range of contemporary cabinetry and offering ample space for informal dining. The room enjoys an outlook towards the courtyard garden and provides direct access outside, making it particularly practical for day-to-day family living.

Adjacent to the kitchen is a further room currently arranged as a study, although its proportions and position make it equally suitable as an occasional fourth bedroom, hobbies room or additional reception space. French doors open directly onto the garden.

A ground-floor cloakroom/utility area completes the accommodation on this level.

The staircase rises to a galleried first-floor landing from which the principal bedroom suite is approached. The principal bedroom retains attractive exposed timbers and is complemented by a particularly generous dressing room, fitted with extensive storage.

The adjoining en-suite bathroom is finished to an impressive standard and incorporates both a freestanding bath and separate shower together with twin wash basins.

There are two further first-floor bedrooms, both displaying further character features including exposed timberwork and partially vaulted ceilings. These are served by a separate shower room.

Outside

The property is approached from the High Street, with a driveway running alongside the house and providing vehicular access to a substantial parking area at the rear.

This in turn leads to the detached garage, measuring approximately 20' x 18', providing excellent parking, storage or workshop space.

The rear garden has been arranged as an attractive, predominantly low-maintenance courtyard garden with a south-easterly aspect. Paved seating and entertaining areas are complemented by gravelled sections, established planting, raised beds and mature shrubs, creating a sheltered outside space that can be enjoyed without the upkeep associated with a large traditional garden.

Location

Earls Colne is a popular and well-served North Essex village offering an excellent range of everyday amenities including shops, cafés and public houses, together with schooling, medical facilities and recreational opportunities.

The nearby villages of Coggeshall and Marks Tey provide further facilities, with Marks Tey offering a mainline railway station with services towards London Liverpool Street. Colchester, Braintree and Halstead are also readily accessible.

Being positioned directly within the village centre, The Old Dairy is particularly convenient for those wishing to enjoy village life with amenities close at hand.

Historical Note

Historic England identifies the building as an early 15th-century timber-framed hall house, altered during the mid-16th century and subsequently during the 20th century. The listing refers to two former cross wings, an inserted first floor dating from around 1540, stop-chamfered beams and some reused smoke-blackened rafters within the raised roof structure. The property was formally Grade II listed in June 1962.

Location

Earls Colne is a particularly well-served village situated within the attractive Colne Valley, approximately three miles from Halstead and surrounded by open countryside, woodland and the River Colne.

The village offers an excellent range of everyday amenities, with a traditional High Street comprising independent shops and cafés together with a Co-op supermarket, Post Office, pharmacy and other local services. There is a strong sense of community, supported by an active village hall and the excellent Earls Colne Recreation Club, which provides facilities for cricket, football, tennis, squash, badminton and a variety of other sports and activities.

Leisure facilities are particularly impressive for a village of this size. The Essex Golf & Country Club offers an 18-hole championship golf course, additional 9-hole course, gym, swimming pool, spa, tennis and padel courts, while Colne Valley Golf Club provides a further picturesque 18-hole parkland course with the River Colne meandering through its grounds.

For those who enjoy the outdoors, there is an extensive network of public footpaths and countryside walks, including routes around the Colne Valley and nearby Chalkney Wood. The village also has a wealth of historic character, with St Andrew's Church, numerous period buildings and a local Heritage Museum.

Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery is located within the village, with secondary schooling available in the surrounding area. For commuters, Kelvedon mainline railway station is approximately seven miles away, providing services towards London Liverpool Street, while Chappel & Wakes Colne station provides connections towards Marks Tey and Sudbury. The A12, A120 and A131 are also readily accessible.