Easton Farmhouse & Cottages

Water Street, Berwick St. John, Shaftesbury, Dorset

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A delightful detached five bedroom

farmhouse, enjoying an elevated position with the benefit of far reaching southerly views.

Excellent family accommodation with light, airy and spacious rooms.

A formal courtyard of traditional stone and slate barns which have recently been re-roofed.

Three modern storage buildings,

together with a further separate range of modern buildings.

Set within nearly 31 acres of pasture

and woodland. Further land available by separate

negotiation.

Easton Farmhouse & Cottages, Water Street, Berwick St. John, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 0HS

Holiday letting business within the centre of this picturesque village near the Dorset/Wiltshire border.

Located within walking distance of the village centre.

The property has been in the same ownership for nearly 100 years.

Grade II Listed 6 bedroomed period farmhouse.

The main house includes original features such as shutters, beamed

ceiling and open fire places.

The house has a high degree of privacy from the holiday letting

cottages.

Three stone built single storey 2 bedroomed holiday letting cottages.

Range of outbuildings including agricultural barn, open fronted pole

barn and additional barn used for garaging.

The additional barn previously had planning permission to develop a

single storey 3 bedroomed cottage.

Further business potential to convert the agricultural barns into

facilities for the holiday letting complex.

Set in approximately 1.38 acres of gardens and grounds.

Sale due to retirement.

Humberts 16 Hammet Street Taunton Somerset TA1 1RZ

01823 331234

Stephen.richards@humberts,com www.humberts.com

Location

Easton Farmhouse & Cottages is located in the centre of the village of Berwick St. John with church, village hall, playground for young children and the Talbot Inn which is known for good food within the area. The village of Ludwell is 3 miles away including church, village hall, sports club/playing field, shop/post office and The Grove Arms Public House. Winkelbury Hill to the rear of the property is an ancient monument with an Iron Age hill fort and has panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and village. Rushmore Golf Club is located 2¾ miles away to the South. The town of Shaftesbury is 6 miles away and offers further amenities and facilities including secondary school, doctors surgery, dentist, shops, restaurants, supermarkets and Abbey along with St. Mary’s Girls Private School. Shaftesbury is a small historic market town well known for Gold Hill made famous from the Hovis adverts. Nearby Tisbury, just over 7 miles to the North, has a railway station to London Waterloo, a good selection of shops, a Sports Centre and Doctors Surgery.

Local tourist attractions include, Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Stonehenge (English Heritage); Cathedral cities of Salisbury and Winchester, Wilton House, Salisbury, Longleat Safari Park, Nr Warminster; Stourhead gardens (National Trust), Stourton; Minterne Gardens, Minterne Magna; Cheddar Gorge, Cheddar and Wookey Hole Caves, Nr Wells; Kingston Lacey (National Trust), Wimborne Minster, Wardour Castle (English Heritage), Haynes Motor Museum, Sparkford and Fleet Air Museum, Yeovilton. Further afield are Glastonbury Tor and the Spa city of Bath with its Abbey, Roman Baths and Royal Crescent. The harbour towns of Weymouth and the picturesque Dorset coastline including Lulworth Cove, Bournemouth and Durdle Door, the Isle of Purbeck (well known for its beaches), Corfe Castle (National Trust) and Chesil Beach are within easy reach.

There are a number of private schools in the area including Port Regis Independent Boarding & Prep School, Motcombe Park, Shaftesbury, Clayesmore Independent School and Sandroyd Prep School.

The business The holiday letting cottages were converted from traditional stone barns in 1999 and provide three 2 bedroomed single storey cottages.

Currently two of the cottages are let via their agent; www.holidaycottages.co.uk and have a gross turnover figure of £20,000 year ending March 2017. Previously they have let three of the cottages and have had turnover in the region of £25,000.

The business currently does not have a website and they do not carry out any internet advertising as all the advertising and bookings are dealt with by the holiday cottage letting agency.

The business is not VAT registered and the property has been in ownership of the family since 1920 and they are selling due to retirement.

Previously the open fronted barn had planning permission to be converted into a 3 bedroomed single storey holiday letting cottage. Planning reference: 2006/289/FP which could be re-applied for if required.

The agricultural barn could be converted into an indoor swimming pool complex subject to gaining the relevant consents. There is also potential to convert the pole barn into a games room or further storage building.

Sitting room with inglenook fireplace with heavy wooden beams over housing cast iron wood burning stove. Heavy beam over ceiling. Original and built in cupboards.

Dining room accessed from hall. Open fire place. Alcoves with cupboards below. Original window shutters to windows. Oak flooring.

Study with French doors and original shutters with stone steps leading down into the walled garden. Alcove.

Easton Farmhouse

Grade II Listed period 17th Century farmhouse believed to date back to 1680 including such features as Mullioned windows, beamed ceilings and open fire places. The farmhouse is set away from the holiday letting business, giving it a high degree of privacy.

Ground floor:-

Entrance via head wooden curved door into:-

Hall galleried with stairs leading to first floor accommodation. Original balustrade and spindles. Door into:-

Utility room accessed from study. Plumbing for washing machine and Belfast sink unit. Door into rear courtyard. Grant oil boiler. Door into:-

Shower room white suite of close coupled WC, pedestal wash hand basin and modern walk in shower cubicle with chrome drencher shower. Access to roof void. Built in airing cupboard with factory insulated hot water cylinder. Quarry tiled floor. Chrome heated towel rail radiator. Hall accessed from sitting room. Door to:-

Rear porch with door to outside.

Kitchen of Modern shaker style with wall and base cupboards and wooden work surfaces. Beamed ceiling.

Stairs to first floor accommodation. Oil fired rayburn. Wooden floor. Opening leading through into second kitchen area with matching kitchen units and work surfaces. Belfast sink unit. Electric stainless steel cooker and Halogen hob. Stainless steel cooker extractor hood. Built in fridge/freezer and dishwasher. Door into:- Larder with original scullery including slate shelving. Rear hall with brick floor and door to courtyard as well as a door leading out onto the side garden.

Boot room with ceramic sink unit. Heavy wood beam over ceiling with exposed roof trusses. Open brick fire place. Original brick wash tub. Lower ground floor:- Cellars with 3 chambers with stone and brick flooring and one chamber with a barrelled ceiling.

First floor:- Landing galleried looking down into the hall. Wooden painted doors to rooms. Windows to front. Under stairs cupboard. Built in airing cupboard with factory insulated hot water cylinder.

Bedroom 1 window to rear. Fire place with wall mounted feature living flame electric fire. Original cupboards.

Bedroom 2 window to side overlooking the gardens. Bedroom 3 windows to rear overlooking gardens. Bedroom 4 window to rear overlooking gardens. (Bedroom 3 & 4 are currently interconnecting with an archway).

Bedroom 5 fireplace with wooden surround. Built in cupboards.

Bathroom white suite of low level WC, wall mounted wash hand basin and cast iron rolled top bath. Bedroom 6 window to front with window seat.

Second floor:- Landing giving access to three rooms currently used for storage with a dormer window and 2 windows to side. Outside:-

Front gardens are laid to lawn with original stone paths and original iron railings. To the side of the house is a garden area with dilapidated timber garage with concrete floor.

Old timber granary on staddlestones 4.93m x 4.67m (16’1 x 15’4).

Redundant old chicken house and Greenhouse.

The gardens are an integral part of the property and are located mainly to the side and rear where there is a walled garden area with an orchard and mature trees.

There is a lower garden area facing onto Water Street with vegetable patch and stone garden store. To the rear of the property is a walled garden area with Weeping Ash and a mature giant Sequoia Wellingtonia tree part of the Redwood family.

At the bottom of the walled garden is an orchard with a range of fruit trees including Cox’s, Sunset and Bramley apples, Conference pears and a plum tree.

The Holiday Cottages

All of the cottages are self-contained and are to a high standard including new white bathroom suites, modern kitchens and provide high quality self-catering accommodation with flat screen TVs and include DVD players. Each kitchen is equipped with electric cookers, microwave ovens and fridge/freezers.

The cottages are electrically heated and include feature electric wood burning style stove fires.

Elm Cottage

Single storey cottage providing open plan sitting/dining room kitchen area with heavy beam over ceiling, hall, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Outside to front is a patio area with seating. (Sleeps 3/4)

(Designed for mobility issues with widened doors and light sockets at wheelchair height).

Pond Cottage

Single storey cottage providing open plan sitting/dining room and kitchen area with steps leading down to hall. Door to outside.

2 bedrooms and bathroom. Outside to front is a patio with seating. (Sleeps 3)

Swallow Cottage

Single storey cottage providing open plan sitting/dining room and kitchen area with French doors leading out onto an enclosed patio area. Hall. 2 bedrooms and bathroom. Outside there is an enclosed patio area with seating. (Sleeps 4)

Outside

In front of the farmhouse is an agricultural barn 12.55m x 12.05m (41’1 x 39’5) with power lighting and partial concrete floor. Accessed via sliding double metal doors with a width of 4.94m (16’2) and a height of 3.45m (13’3).

Set in approximately 1.38 acres.

Log/bin store.

Open fronted pole barn 14.23m x 4.82m (14’7 x 15’8).

Guest laundry 2.73m x 1.69m (8’11 x 5’5) with guest freezer and guest tumble drier. Range of cupboards. Stainless steel sink unit with cupboards below.

Open fronted barn 20.77m x 7.63m (68’1 x 20’0) currently used for garaging.

Previously the open fronted barn had planning to build a 3 bedroomed single storey holiday letting cottage. (Planning reference: 2006/289/FP. Plans are available on request).

Tenure

Freehold. It should be noted that the driveway is shared with the farm next door and the residential properties at the bottom of the driveway. In addition there is a footpath that runs up the driveway into the neighbouring property.

Method of sale

The property is offered by private treaty, inclusive of trade inventory to include furnishings, fittings and fixtures within the holiday letting cottages excluding any personal items.

Viewing

Strictly by appointment with agents Humberts. For further information contact Stephen Richards on (01823) 331234.

Directions

From the A303 take the A350 to Shaftesbury. In Shaftesbury take the A350 signed to Poole/Blandford passing Tesco supermarket. Take the A30 signed to Salisbury/Ludwell and follow the A30 for 2 miles to Ludwell, passing The Rising Sun public house. Continue on A30, through the village of Ludwell. Approximately 1 mile further on, turn right (signposted to Alvediston/Berwick St John). Follow the road for 1½ miles to the village of Berwick St John.

In the centre of the village turn right signed to the village hall, opposite the Talbot Inn. Easton Farmhouse & Cottages is straight in front of you located in Water Street and is clearly signed.

File No C6937

16 Hammet Street Taunton

Somerset TA1 1RZ

01823 331234 stephen.richards@humberts.com