Magdalen Laver, Ongar, CM5

Molmans Barn, Magdalen Laver

Guide Price £1,500,000 – £1,750,000

There is something very special about a home that has stood for more than 400 years. With roots dating back to the early 17th century, Molmans Barn is a Grade II listed barn conversion where the history of the building is still very much part of everyday life.

Set within approximately 1.5 acres in the Essex countryside at Magdalen Laver, the property offers more than 3,500 sq ft of flexible accommodation, with a layout that can work in a number of different ways.

The approach sets the tone straight away. Electric gates open onto a generous gravelled driveway with plenty of parking, surrounded by mature trees and planting, with the weatherboarded barn sitting comfortably within its setting. The substantial garage is accessed from this part of the property, adding useful additional space alongside the main driveway.

Step inside and the character is everywhere. Exposed oak timbers, brickwork and high ceilings are a reminder of the building’s past, but despite its age and scale, Molmans Barn doesn’t feel formal. It feels like home.

Two large reception rooms sit at the heart of the property, each with its own atmosphere. One is light and open, with a vaulted ceiling, exposed timbers and a striking wall of glazing that floods the room with natural light. It is easy to picture it filled with family and friends at Christmas, but it feels just as suited to those long summer evenings when the light carries on well into the day.

The second reception room has a warmer, cosier feel, centred around the substantial brick fireplace, with exposed beams rising above. It still has the scale you would expect from a barn conversion, but it feels comfortable and easy to live in.

The kitchen and breakfast room is the natural everyday hub of the house. Shaker-style cabinetry, granite work surfaces, integrated appliances, a range cooker and large central island sit alongside the original timber frame, while the L-shaped layout opens naturally into its own informal dining area. It is a space that works just as well for breakfast before the day begins as it does for everyone gathering in the kitchen in the evening. When you want something a little more formal, there is also a completely separate dining room with plenty of space around the table.

The accommodation is practical too, with utility space, storage and solar panels adding another useful feature to a home of this scale.

There are four bedrooms and four bath or shower rooms, including three en suites, but Molmans Barn offers far more flexibility than a conventional four-bedroom home. Part of the accommodation can be used with a greater sense of independence while still remaining connected to the main house, making it particularly useful for multigenerational living, older children, regular guests or simply a family who would like different areas of their own.

Tucked away above is another characterful room, currently used as a home office. With exposed beams and the large brick chimney running alongside it, it could just as easily become a studio, reading room, hobby space or somewhere quiet to retreat to.

Outside, the grounds are a huge part of what makes Molmans Barn feel so special.

Around 1.5 acres surround the house, with lawns, mature trees and established planting creating plenty of space for everyday family life to spill outdoors. The large pond, framed by the weeping willow, forms a lovely focal point, while different seating and patio areas give you places to enjoy the garden throughout the day.

It is easy to imagine summer lunches outside, friends staying into the evening, children having plenty of room to play, or simply finding a quiet corner with a coffee and enjoying the peace of the setting.

The open-sided carport also brings further potential. Previous planning permission has shown the opportunity to extend this area to create additional accommodation, giving a future owner the chance to explore what more could be done here, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

Magdalen Laver offers the peaceful countryside setting you would hope for, while still keeping everyday life within easy reach. There are good pubs and places to eat dotted through the surrounding villages, with Moreton and Matching Green close by, while Ongar and Epping offer shops, cafés and day-to-day amenities.

For a little more choice, Bishop’s Stortford is also within easy reach, with a wider selection of restaurants, shopping and leisure. London connections are good too, with the Central line from Epping and direct rail services from Bishop’s Stortford into Liverpool Street.

It gives you that lovely balance of coming home to space, privacy and countryside, without feeling removed from everything around you.

Molmans Barn is difficult to sum up simply by listing its rooms. It is the history, the space, the flexibility and the way the house and grounds work together that make it somewhere you can genuinely imagine building a life.