laurel houseBurghclere

A MAGICAL PLACE TO CALL HOME

Laurel House lies tucked away at the end of a private drive through secluded woodland. It’s a truly spectacular house that has been a happy home to the same family for more than twenty years.

This very special home has a unique charm that will captivate your heart. The children who have grown up within its walls have now moved on, and it’s time for a new chapter to begin at Laurel House. This handsome country home in an idyllic setting has space, character and charm in abundance. Could this be your forever home?

Just four miles from Newbury, Laurel House offers peaceful country living in a sublimely picturesque setting, yet is close to all the amenities necessary for modern life, and with excellent transport links to London.

This is the sort of blissful family home where children can run free, dogs can lie on the lawn and parents can kick back and entertain friends in style and comfort.

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A MAGICAL PLACE TO CALL HOME

SPACE AND STYLE

The current owners have significantly extended the living space over the years and have transformed the original house into a stylish family home with over 4,500 square feet of living space.

The main house has an integrated annexe with sitting room, luxury bathroom and kitchen.

Benefiting from its own entrance, this space is currently used as a granny annexe, but could be used in a variety of different ways; from staff/nanny quarters to an Air B&B or even a space for older children to enjoy some privacy and independence. Alternatively, it has been thoughtfully designed to easily integrate back into the main house if desired.

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A MAGICAL PLACE TO CALL HOME

Wend your way along a private driveway lined on either side by tall oak trees, before reaching the electric wrought-iron gates. Drive onto the gravelled driveway (room enough here to comfortably fit eight cars) and pull into the oak-framed double carport. Welcome home.

Step past the blooming hydrangeas and through the oak front door. Inside the opening chapter to this wonderful home is revealed in the most spectacular entrance hall with limestone floors, timber ceilings and a double-sided woodburner which really steals the show. Calming shades of grey and cream with tasteful splashes of colour give this space the air of a boutique hotel. Bright and welcoming in the summer, elegant and atmospheric in candlelight during winter evenings, this is a wonderful place to welcome your guests. Large enough for a cocktail party (the current owners have hosted several!), your visitors can enjoy a drink or two here before gathering for supper in the dining room, just the other side of the fireplace.

Beyond the entrance hall you’ll discover an effortless flow to the rooms, with stylish décor and luxurious finishing touches. The current owners have extended and beautifully modernised the existing house, creating exquisite and spacious living areas that effortlessly blend the traditional and contemporary. The vibe at Laurel House is decidedly chic yet deliberately unfussy. This is a home to kick back and relax, and you’ll feel comfortable from the moment you enter the front door.

UNIQUELY YOURS

THE HEART OF THE HOME

There’s lots of space to cook, a fabulous Rangemaster stove with ceramic hob, built-in microwave oven, integrated fridges and dishwasher. Just off the kitchen and down some steps you’ll find a sizeable utility room perfect for housing your laundry and cleaning essentials, plus room for that freezer!

For more formal entertaining you’ll love hosting elegant dinner parties just across the hall in the beautiful dining room. Designed to challenge the notion that a dining room is only used once or twice a year, this room has been specifically created to become a

space that’s elegant yet practical enough to use every day. The current owners have removed the walls yet kept the timber frame, making this room a beautifully intimate space that effortlessly blends with the feel and flow of the downstairs living areas.

Downstairs there’s a mixture of large open spaces to entertain, and intimate private spaces to relax or work. The kitchen/breakfast room is a real hub of family life. Elegantly designed in a farmhouse style yet equipped to please the most discerning home cook, this a dream of a kitchen. Take a seat at the table for homework or informal kitchen suppers in front of the pretty arched window. Hand-built wooden cabinets painted in a chalky white complement tactile wooden work surfaces. Show off your best crockery in the glass fronted display cabinets which are lit from above, and fill your built-in wine rack with your best bottles of Montrachet.

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Magic Moments

The elegant and spacious formal sitting room is a haven whatever the season. Drawing light in through its many windows and the French doors at the southern end, this is our favourite space at Laurel House. Get toasty warm in front of the crackling log fire after a bracing afternoon walk through the woods. Allow the afternoon to slip into the evening and swap the tea and Sunday papers for a glass of wine for a truly relaxed experience. Timber beamed ceilings and a huge fireplace as the focal point continue the feeling of character and charm that abounds throughout this home. At Christmas time this is the perfect place for family and friends to gather, whilst in summer, throw open the French doors and wander in and out with a glass of something chilled.

From the dining room, step through into the cosy snug – a peaceful haven in which to relax, read a book or curl up in front of the fire and watch a movie together.

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SWEET DREAMS

Follow the stairs up to the first floor and out onto a spacious and light-filled landing. From this beautiful space, the upstairs bedrooms gently reveal themselves. There are six beautifully presented double bedrooms and a gorgeous family bathroom with roll-top bath, separate shower and double sinks. There’ll be no arguing over who gets the ‘best’ room….(although you’ll definitely want to save the master suite just for you!).

The master suite is a show-stopping room you’ll find difficult to leave. The inner hallway

is lined with bespoke built-in wardrobes before the space opens out into a spacious and peaceful sanctuary. Drift off to sleep in your super-king sized bed, under a spectacular vaulted timber ceiling. Wake up to views of the morning mist over the garden before stepping into your luxurious bathroom suite, worthy of a place in any five star hotel. Enjoy a long soak in your lavish bathtub before enveloping yourself in a toasty towel fresh from the heated rail. What could be better? On more busy mornings, wake up with an invigorating drench in the luxurious shower.

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A MAGICAL PLACE TO CALL HOME

It’s time to explore your beautiful garden. Completely sheltered and totally private, the garden extends to about 0.62 acres and wraps around the house, offering perfect views from every room. The garden at Laurel House is a wonderful blend of the formal and relaxed, with spaces to play, entertain or just relax.

Challenge the family to a game of cricket on the spacious lawn…read the morning papers with a cup of coffee in one of the many sun-traps, or enjoy an alfresco meal overlooking the formal knot garden amidst a riot of colour in the sheltered patio.

Just beyond the gates are acres of woodland walks to explore if you fancy a romp with the dogs.

step outside

OUT AND ABOUT

With all this peace and privacy you could easily forget that you’re just four miles away from Newbury. Laurel House sits in the heart of the bucolic countryside beloved of Stanley Spencer and the inspiration for Richard Adams’ book Watership Down. Burghclere is a friendly and welcoming village with lots going on and a real community feel. There are regular local social events including a quiz night, youth football club and even a model railway! Highclere Castle, the setting for the world-famous TV Series Downton Abbey is right on your doorstep and is open to the public for various social and cultural events throughout the year.

The village has a pre-school, primary school and secondary school (Clere School) all rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted. There are miles of footpaths, bridleways and woodlands to explore on foot: why not enjoy a brisk Sunday walk with the dogs down to the Carpenter’s Arms where you can enjoy a cracking lunch overlooking Watership Down? If fine dining is your thing, you’ll find award-winning restaurants The Woodspeen and The Vineyard a short distance away. At the nearby David Lloyd club, you can enjoy a game of tennis, a swim or a massage in the spa whilst the children enjoy the Kids Club.

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THE PERFECT LOCATION

In recent years, nearby Newbury has undergone something of a renaissance and now boasts a wealth of high-end shops and independent boutiques, restaurants, a cinema, two theatres and trendy canal-side wine bars. There’s a large Waitrose and Sainsbury’s superstore in town, plus an M&S Food and other major stores in the retail park just outside the town. There are numerous parks and playgrounds, and pretty canal-side walks to be found.

There’s an excellent choice of independent schools in the area including St Gabriels, Cheam, Thorngrove, Elstree, Brockhurst & Marlston House, Marlborough College, Radley, Horris Hill and Downe House. If you’re commuting to London by train you can choose between Newbury

(London Paddington 45 minutes) or Basingstoke (London Waterloo 52 minutes). The A34 and M4 are nearby providing fast access to Reading, London or the West Country.

THE FINER DETAILS

Beautiful woodland setting 6 Bedrooms Sitting Room Drawing Room Dining Room Family Room 3 Bath/Shower Rooms Gardens Double Garage Double Car Port Self-contained annexe with sitting room, kitchen, bathroom

Freehold Main House: 4540 Square Feet Garage: 546 Square Feet

Mains water and electricity Oil fired central heating Private drainage

EPC Rating D

Local authority: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: 01256 844 844

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Ground Floor First Floor

CellarGarage

Approximate Gross Internal Area: Main House: 4,540 sqft / 422m2 Garage Building: 546 sqft / 51m2 Total: 5,086 sqft / 473m2

This floor plan including furniture, fixture measurements and dimensions are approximate and for illustrative purposes only. Boxbrownie.com gives no guarantee, warranty or representation as to the accuracy and layout. All enquiries must be directed to the agent, vendor or party representing this floor plan.

HOW TO FIND US

LAUREL HOUSE, EARLSTONE COMMON, BURGHCLERE, NEWBURY, RG20 9HN

From Newbury, take the A339 south, passing St Gabriel’s School. At the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, take the second exit and turn left immediately

before passing The Swan. Proceed for 1.7 miles up Jonathon Hill and carry on along Well Street. Bear left, staying on Well Street, before turning left past The Clere School. Take the second track on the right down to Laurel House.

To view Laurel House call the Stowhill Estates Team on: 01235 751 888 | hello@stowhillestates.com

laurel houseBurghclere