An exceptional ring fenced lifestyle farm, with farmhouse, converted barn and cottage, a brilliant range of farm buildings, superb equine facilities and about 60 acres.
Carlton House Farm
A compact ringfenced rural estate providing an exceptional lifestyle opportunity, with the land, houses and buildings providing a brilliant flexibility for many different uses. Set at the end of a private drive of a country lane, the estate has most recently been used as a successful Polo yard, with paddocks and a Polo pitch, and productive and strong yielding arable land. A further 18.6 acres of productive arable land available by separate negotiation if required.
Carlton Farmhouse
The farmhouse is an imposing Grade II listed farmhouse, of attractive mellow red brick under a pantile roof, with a south to west orientation looking out over the charming gardens and grounds and paddocks. The house is believed to date back to the 16th century, with the period detail to support that claim, with additions in the proceeding centuries to create a functional family home with plenty of space and light.
As with all good farmhouses, there is a formal and informal entrance into the circa 4700 sq ft of living accommodation. The principal reception rooms include a charming dual aspect drawing room, with wood burner, alcove cupboards and shelving and a dining room, again with wood burner and stone fire surround. The more day-to-day rooms are south facing, with views of the gardens and beyond. The farmhouse kitchen, with 4 oven Aga, sits conveniently between a relaxed sitting room and the essential utility room. There is a further office, and a study, allowing for privacy if working from home, a cellar, useful store rooms and a shower room off the utility perfect for muddy dogs and children.
The first floor has a pleasingly conventional layout. All five bedrooms are double rooms with good ceiling height. A family bathroom and further bathroom are at either end of the house, so all bedrooms are served by a nearby bathroom. The staircase continues up to two converted attic rooms.
Carlton House Barn
An exceptional conversion finished to a high standard in 2006, with spacious and light living accommodation over two floors, and underfloor heating throughout provided by ground source heat pump. The focal point is a striking living/dining room at the heart of the barn, an amazing open plan area of about 19.8m by 6.8m, with double height vaulted ceilings accentuating the space the room provides, and complete with woodburner. Adjoining this room and all on one seamless level is the kitchen/breakfast room complete with Aga, and French doors to the outside. For functionality a large utility/boot room is off the kitchen. A future proofing ground floor bedroom with en suite wet room is a useful asset. It could be utilised in many other ways such as an office, or TV room.
The first floor hosts the principal bedroom, with built in wardrobes, fine views to the east over the paddocks and farmland beyond, and an en suite bathroom. There is a further double bedroom, also with en suite bathroom. Both bedrooms enjoy vaulted ceilings.
The barn has a south facing orientation, with an initial paved area adjoins the house with large oak pergola, trained with an established grape vine and providing the perfect area for outside dining and entertaining. The paving continues around the house, with an expanse of lawn to the south and wrapping round to the west.
Carlton House Cottage
A detached cottage of traditional brick under a pantile roof, Carlton House Cottage is an early 20th century dwelling that is comfortable and well presented. There is over 1500 sq ft of living space, with a pleasing conventional layout including a kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room and dining room/study with French doors, and three bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. A garden room and WC completes the house which has a parking area, with private gardens away from the buildings and barn. The house could be used for multi-generational living, for staff or let to provide an income.
Buildings
The farm has a brilliant range of buildings, both domestic and agricultural, that could be utilised in many different ways.
The main yard is extensive, with plenty of hardstanding linking all barns and open areas. There are two principal barns, providing American style stabling, tack rooms, hay and straw storage, machinery store, further stabling and storage. The stabling could be easily removed to leave significant open space. A stand alone yard/farm office has a shower room, WC and office area, with a further detached modern building of about 15.7m x 7m used as the farm workshop.
To the east of the converted barn is a further outbuilding, comprising car ports, office, kitchenette, shower room, utility room, and stairs up to a line of four rooms with natural light, offering potential for a variety of uses.
Equine Facilities
The farm is currently used as a Polo yard, mainly for the breaking and training of polo ponies. Extensive stabling, centred on the main barn with American style stabling, provides a total of 11 loose boxes by Monarch. A further substantial barn has a large hay store and machinery storage, with five stables with an open aspect to the south. There are various store rooms.
A covered Monarch five horse walker is an excellent asset to the yard, with neighbouring lunge pen. The star of the show is the 100m x 50m arena with all weather surface, with close panel high board fencing around the entire arena. This is a facility rarely seen on this scale.
The majority of the land is divided in paddocks of established grazing that can be managed and used all year round. An 18 acre field of well-managed grass is used as a polo pitch. There is good hacking locally with quiet country lanes and bridlepaths directly accessed from the farm.
Land
The majority of the 60 acres of land, around the immediate buildings and houses, are divided into paddocks. The field of established grass used as a polo pitch, was formerly cropped as a productive arable field and could be easily returned to that. The remaining 9 acres is in arable use.
To the north of the yard is the ground mounted Solar PV, a 37Kw system, that yields an income.
View payable Stamp Duty for this property
I was highly impressed by the setup of the farm, not least by the three houses is has to offer, but buildings that set the imagination running as to uses.
Ben RivettProperty agent