Wonderfully positioned house with stunning gardens, traditional outbuildings set in just over 3 acres of mature grounds.
The Old Parsonage is a fine grade II listed former parsonage
situated in an excellent position next to the church on the edge
of the popular village of Higham. The architect was Sir George
Gilbert Scott and it is of brick and flint construction under a
slate roof and built in the gothic revival style. The house
is well situated within its spacious grounds which have mature
gardens, a natural swimming pond with oak framed summer house, specimen trees, vegetable garden with greenhouse, an orchard and a large grassland paddock.
The house is entered through a timber door which is set in a gothic limestone arch and into a fine entrance hall with a Minton tiled mosaic floor, similar to that seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The centerpiece of the hall is an impressive cantilevered staircase which sweeps elegantly to the accommodation above. On the left of the Hall there is a WC and cloakroom. On the right of the hall is the drawing room with its south facing bay with stone mullions as well as a pretty marble fireplace with a Jetmaster insert open fire place. The dining room, which originally would have had a dividing wall between the drawing room is open plan and the two rooms create a large entertaining space with wonderful south facing windows with views over the lawn and garden beyond. The next room off the hall is the breakfast room, which has a stone fireplace, cast iron insert and a large window with views to the East. The breakfast room is linked to the kitchen through a Gothic style pointed arch and can also be entered through a side passage leading to a lobby and side door. It has a full range of fitted units, an island unit with induction hob and three over electric Aga recessed into a chimney with a timber framed surround. There is plenty of space for storage. A stable door gives access to a sheltered garden and a second door to a large utility room with built in units and a double sink with drainer. There is a fireplace containing a cast iron range. Leading from the utility is a corridor off which is a larder, WC and storage room which is the former harness room. There is also a cellar with wine/port bins and a boot room leading off a side passage.
Upstairs there are six bedrooms, a storage/dressing room and three bath/shower rooms, including two en suites.
Outside
The property is nicely set back from the village road behind a belt of mature trees and shrubs. The garden to the south of the house is separated by a clipped hedge from the parking area and is mainly laid to lawn and backs onto fields. To the east is a delightful terrace garden with stunning rose beds and this leads to the superb natural swimming pond with a diving platform and fronts the superb oak framed summer house. To the north of the house is a further gravelled parking area as well as the coach house, behind which is the double garage and garden store. Beyond the garden is a hedged field, which has a water supply, vegetable garden, greenhouse and an old field shelter.
View payable Stamp Duty for this property
I love this period of architecture - great ceiling heights, elegant rooms and a solidity of construction not found in more modern properties. The natural swimming pond is amazing.
Tom OrfordProperty agent