PROPERTY TYPE
Detached
BEDROOMS
9
BATHROOMS
5
TENURE
Freehold
Individually Created Period Property Extended and Modernised with Additional Separate Farmhouse (annex potential) in this Rolling Parkland Natural Setting
Substantial Total Accommodation 9,619sqft (894sqm)
Extending to 5.3 Acres in the Heart of this Stunning Charnwood Location
House: Six Reception Rooms, Five Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms
Farmhouse: Four Reception Rooms, Four/Five Bedrooms & Bathroom
Outstanding Uninterrupted Views over the Soar Valley
Delightful Stumpery with Pavillion Garden Room
Energy Rating - House G, Annex G
Council Tax Band H
Tenure Freehold
A rare and unique visitor to the open market, an outstanding country house of style, quality and character situated amongst 5.3 acres of natural rolling parkland on the edge of The Outwoods having far reaching views to Beacon Hill and surrounding countryside. Split level accommodation includes, lounge, billiard room, magnificent dining room with cathedral ceiling and galleried landing, palisaded entrance hall/library, 40'2" x 12'10" refitted living/dining kitchen, superb brick & oak garden room, study, utility room. Five bedrooms and three bathrooms over two floors. Further attached farmhouse and attached barn conversion comprising: four/five bedrooms, four reception rooms, downstairs WC/cloaks, kitchen and bathroom (offering enormous potential). Triple garage with games room, gymnasium and a further studio room with store and home office space.
Location
The property is situated within the heart of Charnwood Forest neighbouring Charnwood Golf Club, well known for its unspoilt woods, walks and local attractions such as the Beacon and 'Old John' both of which are two of the highest vantage points in Leicestershire. Originally a volcanic area, local granite and Swithland slate has been used as building material for many hundreds of years. The nearby village of Woodhouse Eaves offers village facilities including primary school, shops, four popular local pubs, restaurant and church. More extensive local facilities are available at nearby Loughborough and Leicester, the M1 at Markfield affording fast access to both north and south. The Intercity line at Leicester affords a direct train service to St Pancras, London.
Pocket Gate Farm
Pocket Gate Farm comprises conversions and extensions to a substantial range of granite and brick built outbuildings around a central courtyard together with skilfull extension and integration of a former farmhouse to create a substantial suite of self-contained accommodation. The property has extensive split level accommodation of considerable size, character and quality, integrating both the original architectural heritage of the barns together with the very latest in Hi-tech insulation and zoned oil fired central heating.
The property also has full sealed double glazing and a fitted burglar alarm system. Original features include magnificent trusses, exposed brickwork, window and door openings being dressed in exposed brickwork, many with deep granite sills. The centre piece rooms of the house are the magnificent galleried dining room with its cathedral ceiling and split level lounge with two full height glass windows and part cathedral ceiling. In addition is a split level full sized billiard room and reception hall together with a 40'2" x 12'10" living/dining/kitchen. Three of the reception rooms are served by multi-fuel burners within tasteful surrounds. The five bedrooms and three bathrooms are divided over two floors and all the rooms enjoy magnificent open views by virtue of the property's elevated rural location.
The attached former farmhouse and converted barns add great flexibility to the property being used partly as an office with study lending themselves to leisure facilities with further accommodation. The building benefits from its own bathroom, kitchen downstairs WC/cloakroom, two internal staircases and one external staircase. The triple garage is of a particularly good size with first floor rooms which provide further potential. The surrounding gardens and paddocks form part of a site of special scientific interest, with an abundance of bird life including owls, jays, ducks and moorhens. Two noticeable features being large interconnecting ponds (one with an island) and an extremely attractive large granite outcrop with an abundance of natural wildflowers, shrubs and trees. In all, a quite outstanding country property in an equally outstanding location for which early viewing is highly recommended.
THE HOUSE
The property is entered via glazed double doors with matching side screens into the reception hall.
Reception Hall
16' 7" x 15' 7"
With window to side elevation, beamed ceiling, quarry tiled flooring, radiator and arched alcoves with brick pillars behind which is a library area with shelving. Off is an inner hall with radiator and access to bedrooms.
Dining Hall
29' 5" x 16' 2"
Previously used as a dining room with a full height picture window overlooking open countryside, Velux double glazed roof light and window to rear elevation. A focal point of the room being a French multi-fuel burning stove inset within brick fireplace surround with matching full height chimney breast, exposed brickwork and roof trusses/beams. Cathedral ceiling with central galleried landing, ceramic tiled flooring and return staircase off to first floor with walk-in cupboard under. Double doors opening to the billiard room.
Billiard Room/Games Room
31' 6" x 16' 4"
With three sets of windows to the side and rear elevations with granite sills enjoying views over the rear garden and views beyond. High beamed ceiling, two double radiators, useful cloaks cupboard and ceramic tiled steps leading up to the inner hall.
Inner Hall
LWith window and glazed door onto central courtyard and to rear enjoying views over open countryside. Ceramic tiled flooring, deep window recess, exposed brickwork, double radiator, ceiling spot lighting, walk-in pantry with shelving and recesses for fridge/freezer etc., telephone point and built-in cupboard off with electricity fuse boards etc. Off is:
Rear Lobby
Glazed door and window to central courtyard and double radiator.
Superb Split-Level Lounge
34' 4" x 17' 10"
Part Cathedral ceiling with two exposed roof trusses, multi-fuel burning stove set within a full height chimney breast with matching side plinths with oak and granite tops and display alcove and quarry tiled hearth. Three double radiators, TV aerial point, two glazed doors taking advantage of the open views, exposed roof trusses and access to loft storage space. Steps rising to an area with wooden floor and large double glazed picture window with louvred shutters enjoying far reaching views.
Living/Dining Kitchen
Comprising:
Kitchen Area
13' 0" x 18' 11"
Having a comprehensive range of base cupboards and drawers, wall cupboards with three glass display cabinets with lighting, pull-out carousel, granite work surfaces, sink with swan mixer tap, island with range of built-cupboards and display shelving, built-in Range cooker with induction hob, ovens and grill under and extractor over, wine cooler and integrated Siemens dishwasher.
Living/Dining Area
12' 3" x 20' 4"
With six windows to both the side and rear elevations overlooking the courtyard and paddocks. Multi-fuel burning stove inset within full height chimneybreast and ceramic tiled hearth. Glazed door to outside, oak laminate flooring, three double radiators and TV aerial point.
Superb Brick & Oak Garden Room
23' 6" x 10' 5"
Being oak framed, exposed beams, roof trusses and sealed double glazed picture windows and French doors onto three sides taking full advantage of views over the magnificent gardens, grounds and Outwoods. Attractive flagstone flooring and inglenook style fireplace housing a Jotul wood burning stove on a brick hearth with oak mantel over and exposed brickwork. Underfloor heating.
Utility Room
14' 2" x 9' 5"
With quarry tiled floor, single drainer sink, adjacent roll top work surfacing, base cupboards, three-quarter height larder unit, space and plumbing for washing machine, space for tumble dryer, double radiator, beamed ceiling, window to rear and built-in airing cupboard off with hot water cylinder and electric immersion heater.
Home Office
12' 2" x 8' 0"
Having a built-in worktop with cupboards under, radiator, high ceilings with exposed beams, feature window to the gardens and multi-paned arched window to courtyard.
Bedroom accommodation is divided over two floors.
Split-Level Landing
On the first floor approached via a return staircase from the dining room is a fully galleried landing looking down to the magnificent hall.
Master Suite
23' 1" x 14' 9"
(Measurement with sloping ceiling) Accessed via a lobby leading is the master bedroom.
Master Bedroom
With window within recess taking advantage of open views and an attractive porthole window feature in exposed brickwork. Two double radiators, exposed roof truss, exposed beams, double glazed Velux roof light, built-in wardrobes with hanging rails and storage and telephone point.
En-suite Shower Room
15' 6" x 9' 10"
Fitted with a white four piece suite comprising a wet room style shower with glass screen, his & hers vanity sinks with cupboards and drawers under, Bluetooth mirror and light over and shaver points, low level WC with dual flush, Porcelanosa tiled flooring, radiator, exposed trusses to ceilings, Velux roof window, built-in airing cupboard housing the insulated hot water cylinder and shelving.
walk-in store cupboard with shelving and two windows.
Dining Room
9' 9" x 9' 3"
With window to front.
Hall/Living Room
24' 0" x 14' 10"
With attractive refurbished original brick and feed troughs, exposed beams, panel heater, secondary staircase off to first floor with storage space under, two windows to front and door onto rear courtyard.
Office/Library
15' 5" x 9' 10"
With windows to front and side, panel heater and shelving.
adjacent woods, leading in turn to a private driveway approach to the property itself and the adjacent farmland and yet Woodhouse Eaves is only half a mile walk away. A sweeping driveway leads into the front of the property providing hardstanding for a large number of vehicles off which are two courtyards retaining the integrity of the origins of the property. The central courtyard is ornamentally laid with two raised flower beds. A stone staircase rises to the rear of the former farmhouse with dog kennel and store underneath and off is a rear passage and boiler room housing the Sime oil fired central heating boiler.
The setting is quite superb, the property nestling with typical Charnwood Forest countryside complete with its own large rocky outcrop with a mixed abundance of natural trees, shrubs and wildlife, a major central feature of the gardens is a large ancient rocky outcrop much of which has been excavated as part of a quarry and circles an area of lawn, the rocky cliff face being lit by sodium uplighting providing a spectacular night time illuminate feature. Paths have been cut and laid in stone to the rear of this rocky feature by a dedicated gardener and much of the outcrop has been painstakingly exposed by removing grass and weeds to create this spectacular natural feature. A stone path laid into the rear of the outcrop leads up to a gravelled platform on the summit from which the most spectacular views can be enjoyed over the gardens, open countryside beyond with the backdrop of the Outwoods.
Additional features in the gardens include an octagonal shaped gazebo with seat, an abundance of mature trees including many oaks and a spinney of silver birch. There is a granite outcrop and 12 individual seating areas have been created. To the rear of the garden a castle like 'ruin' folly with seating area has been custom built with reflections of 'Old John'. The drystone wall which surrounds the property has been completely rebuilt and immediately behind the property is a substantial flagstoned sun terrace overlooking a natural restored rockery with ornamental gravel and planted with shrubs. Gravelled beds are enclosed by box hedging which lead down to extensive lawns, lakes and rockery outcrops.
The gardens have been landscaped and the gardens immediately surrounding the property are lit with an impressive variety of outside lighting. A central feature of the garden is a large ornamental fish pond with an abundance of aquatic life, water lilies and a central island connected via a bridge and featuring a considerable number of aquatic plants. In all, a unique property in a spectacular forest side setting with elevated views over the entire Soar Valley and with Loughborough in the distance.
The Stumpery
A further particular feature of the gardens is an ambitious stumpery project inspired by King Charles's own stumpery at Highgrove. Constructed from an enormous selection of tree stumps having been all excavated locally, the stumpery surrounds a sunken garden. Contained within the stumpery is a seating area with chairs carved from tree stumps and this whole feature of the garden is a dramatic garden sculpture and is also a haven for natural wildlife. Constructed at the centre of the Stumpery is a fully heated double sized pavillion/garden room, beautifully crafted in timber with seating and dining space, an ideal place to relax and entertain.
Services & Miscellaneous
It is our understanding that the property is connected to mains water and electricity. There is oil central heating and drainage is via a septic tank.