Church Lane, Stonehouse, GL10

Nutshell Cottage sits in a truly stunning canal side location a few miles west of Stroud, with the Stroudwater Navigation flowing gently past the garden gate and open meadows stretching out beyond. It is a rare thing to find a home so completely at peace with its surroundings, and rarer still to find one with a history as rich as this. The property is Grade II listed, and Historic England informs us that it was first listed in 1987. According to that entry, the cottage was built in 1778 for the wealthy owners of the Lower Mills estate, and was used as an unloading point for goods arriving by barge, which were then stored in neighbouring Nutshell House - a wonderful thread of local history that still runs through the building today.

The current owners not only saw the huge potential in Nutshell Cottage, but have executed the renovation perfectly. Over seven years of ownership, they have completely transformed the house with a clever, comprehensive programme of work. The resulting property is quite extraordinary - one that honours the considerable history and character of the building whilst bringing it bang up to date, aligning it beautifully with the way we live now. The accommodation is arranged over two floors. An entrance hall, utility room, shower room, a superb 20' sitting room with vaulted ceiling, fireplace and glazed doors out to the garden, and a first class 32' kitchen/family room with a lovely pistachio coloured Aga and all the space you need to cook, eat, entertain and relax are on the ground floor. On the first floor, a landing serves four bedrooms and a family bathroom. Windows throughout enjoy a lovely outlook over the surrounding fields, the towpath and picturesque St Cyr's Church. The house is beautifully decorated throughout, with high quality fittings used at every turn - the result of a renovation carried out with real care and a genuine understanding of what makes this house so special.

The property benefits from a garage, parking and lovely gardens with an enclosed courtyard. The garage is detached, and found at the front of the plot, with the drive to the front of this. A path leads past a raised bed to the front garden and a good level lawn. This is edged with brick faced borders planted with a variety of established shrubs. Steps lead up to the front door past another well stocked border to the front door. There are two paved terraces to the left of this path, with double doors that open onto this area from the sitting room. This is the perfect spot for a table and chair set, or outdoor sofa, as you can watch the horses in the neighbouring field. At the rear you'll find a paved walled courtyard. This is accessed from the kitchen, with a unique inside/outside pizza oven, and a gate that opens directly on to the towpath.

Nutshell Cottage sits beside a delightful old 'hump back' bridge, with open views to the south and west over meadows, and St Cyril's Church visible on the opposite bank - a most attractive building with a striking 14th century tower. Stroud is about three miles away, Stonehouse High Street a ten minute walk and the train station fifteen minutes on foot. Both towns have mainline stations, with London Paddington around 90 minutes away, and major supermarkets including a large Waitrose. Stonehouse retains a traditional High Street with independent retailers and is associated with Wycliffe College, a leading independent and prep school, while Stroud is home to boys' and girls' grammar schools. The area offers lovely walks, not least along the canal path in both directions, and is equally popular with cyclists. For those needing good access to the motorway network, Junction 13 of the M5 is close by. The essence of living at Nutshell Cottage, however, is being at peace with nature and enjoying the proximity to wildlife, particularly along the canal, which attracts a large variety of wildfowl and offers an ever-changing scene right on the doorstep.

Property information

The property is freehold. Mains gas, electric and water are connnected. Private connection to mains drainage and sewer. The council tax band is E. We have checked the service and reception levels available locally through the OFCOM network checker and the broadband services available include standard & superfast broadband, and you are likely to have good service from the main service providers (EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone) although this may be limited inside the property.