Church RoadWest Beckham, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6NX

Norfolk is blessed with many Old Rectories, of varying styles and ages. The Old Rectory of West Beckham is a fine example, built in the early 19th century, with an imposing yet comfortable presence in this unspoilt area of North Norfolk. Set within wonderful and private gardens of over four acres, the house and grounds present a brilliant lifestyle opportunity.

One of the key features of The Old Rectory is how it has been improved and maintained by the current custodians. Upon taking ownership some fifteen years ago, a sympathetic and thorough programme of works were undertaken to create a home that retains the detail and character one would expect, yet with modern additions such as double-glazed sash windows and doors and major works on the roof to dramatically improve the efficiency of a home on this scale.

The house has a lovely balance of formal and informal rooms, with clever spaces that open up to create expansive living space, whilst also having more cosy areas, there is certainly the space for families to spread out in. An elegant staircase hall is a fitting entrance to the house, with a study immediately off this, with fireplace and bay window with view to the neighbouring church. On the south side of the house are the principal rooms, taking in the views over the gardens. A charming drawing room, with bay window, French doors and wood burner, is a delightful room in its own right, yet transforms into a highly impressive living and entertaining space when folding doors are peeled back to join the dining room. A great addition to the house was the orangery, with underfloor heating, to not only create a calming space to look out over the gardens, but provides the all important link from the kitchen to the dining room. The kitchen breakfast room has an open plan feel through to the garden room, via bespoke arched doors. Shaker style cabinets and granite worktops provide the functionality in the kitchen, with a gleaming 4 oven Everhot. The quality of units continue into an adjoining second kitchen with a walk in pantry. Service rooms include a utility and boot room, and a cellar.

Two staircases lead up to the first floor, with landing linking all rooms. The five bedrooms are all double rooms, with tall ceilings creating a spacious feel particularly with the views out over the gardens and grounds. The principal bedroom at one end of the house, is complete with en suite bathroom, with the remaining bedrooms served by a family bath/shower room, and separate WC.

Coach House and outbuildings
An original coach house is an attractive building where one half has been converted into a ground floor studio, with first floor office above, with the other half remaining delightfully unaltered with cobbled floor and original stable stalls, utilised as storage, with WC and hot water. The converted half is perfect for working from home, amongst other things, whilst the entirety of the building could be combined to great effect, with scope to become ancillary accommodation to the main house.

A useful double garage, and timber sheds and carports, provide the all important storage space required for a house and grounds of this size, with a second vehicular access to a further parking area.

Gardens and grounds
One of the highlights of The Old Rectory is the magical gardens and grounds, of over 4 acres, with an abundance of seasonal colour in all the ‘rooms' that have been created by the current owners. The effort of establishing the gardens is hugely admirable, with great thought given to the entirety of the land, ranging from formal and neatly clipped areas, to banks of rhododendrons and azaleas, to the more open landscape of the park like areas to the south and east, there is something for everyone.

The immediate gardens to the south of the house are pleasingly refined, with paved terrace, framed by well stocked herbaceous beds and expanses of lawns, whilst wisteria adorns the house. A Cedar roofed covered seating area on the terrace provides the idea setting to enjoy the surroundings and to entertain from, with views across to the wildlife pond. The paving continues to become a path leading through a long iron pergola that tempts you into the gardens beyond the established camellias and fine trees.

The path continues through clipped box hedging, to a further herbaceous garden framed by cotoneaster hedging and a pair of Irish yew. The gardens then start to become more informal, whilst full of interest. Lawn or wood chip paths meander through shrubberies, underplanted with hundreds of seasonal bulbs, creating the ultimate setting for endless games of hide and seek for children, or given the ring fenced nature of the grounds, an ability to wander off to their hearts content. The paths eventually open up to the park like grounds to the south and south east, a balancing contrast to the more confined formal areas, yet special in its own right for the abundance of specimen trees, wild flower areas, hedged avenues and mature boundaries of shrubs and ancient oaks. Adjoining the house, and useful for those with dogs or young children, is an enclosed courtyard directly accessed from the house, with a greenhouse and potting shed conveniently close by. The main entrance to The Old Rectory is through electric gates, onto a tarmac parking and turning area for many cars and indeed boats given the ease of getting to the coastline.

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