House For Sale £1,250,000
Magnificent Victorian House Set On Almost Two Acres In A Charming Village Location.
With an almost stately home appearance, and sitting very comfortably within approximately two acres of beautiful, private grounds, The Limes offers extremely spacious accommodation together with a delightful blend of old world charm and modern day living. On the one hand, features such as the attractive brickwork, sash windows with internal shutters, impressively high ceilings and ornate coving pay a loving homage to the Victorian period. Whilst on the other hand, the superbly designed, hand crafted kitchen and modern bathrooms bring this house right up to date and make it a very warm, comfortable and inviting home indeed.
As you turn off the village High Street and wind your way along the gravel driveway towards the house, there is an immediate feeling that you have arrived somewhere very special. When The Limes finally comes in to view, and you pass through the automated, ironwork gates and see the impressive façade with its stunning arch shaped portico, the feeling is in no way diminished. Quite the contrary in fact, as first impressions go, The Limes really delivers and it only gets better from here.
Originally built circa 1860 to be the Rectory to the neighbouring and historic St. Peter's church, the property was divided in to two homes in 1969. The Limes, so named after the impressive trees along the property's boundary, took the vast majority of the original living accommodation and today boasts in excess of 3,000 square feet of floor space. With close links established with the RAF at Graveley Airfield during the second world war, the Limes has played host to the village fete since that time, right up to the recent pandemic. On occasion, these fetes have been treated to RAF fly pasts by Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancaster Bombers and even The Red Arrows in recognition of these links.
The whole house is incredibly light and airy and flooded with natural light through the huge sash windows in each room. This has been further enhanced with a master stroke by the current owners with the addition of a beautiful lantern in the roof, situated directly above the central, sweeping, curved staircase and first floor landing.
In addition to the main living accommodation, there is a very impressive garden room / orangery with a glass covered paved patio which is adjacent to the garage and affords stunning views of the formal garden. It should be noted that there is approved and current planning permission to remodel this part of the property to further enhance the living accommodation if required.
Offord d'Arcy itself, is a very pretty village with a highly regarded pub, a local shop, a riding school and a livery stable. Buckden village is just a short distance away and offers further amenities including shops and eateries as well as a boating marina. St. Neots town is less than five miles away and Cambridge is just 20 miles away, both offering a commute to London of approximately forty five minutes.
For families of a school age, Offord Primary School is within easy walking distance of The Limes, and for older children both Longsands Academy in St. Neots and Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon are just five miles away. There is also a bus service from the village to the renowned and highly regarded Kimbolton School.
Accommodation
Ground Floor:
Entrance
A very Grand arched shaped portico with a flagstone floor gives access to a part glazed front door and really sets the tone for the rest of the house.
Hall
A generous and very light entrance hall with part flagstone and part boarded floor with doors to all the ground floor rooms and a stunning curved staircase leading to the first floor.
Cloakroom
A good size room with a tiled floor and partly tiled walls and a front aspect window. Fitted with a modern white suite comprising a W/C and pedestal sink, there is a built in cupboard, housing the gas boiler and water softener and there is also plenty of room to hang coats etc.
Kitchen
A beautifully designed and hand crafted kitchen with an excellent range of blue and stone coloured cabinets, display units, shelving and larder cupboards with matching Dexton work surfaces. In addition, there is a very generous island and breakfast bar with matching cabinets and drawers beneath and a very attractive wooden surface. Integrated appliances include a matching stone coloured, oil fired Aga, an electric oven, a large induction hob, two fridges, a freezer, a dishwasher, two stainless steel sinks (one for washing up and one for food prep) plus an inset TV. The room benefits from lots of natural light provided by a front aspect sash window and a part glazed door with a large glazed fanlight above.
Dining Room
A very elegant room indeed, with floor to ceiling bay sash windows with internal shutters, ornate coving, picture rails and a beautiful fireplace, complete with a very realistic, coal effect gas fire. It is very easy to envisage large family occasions and dinner parties in this superb space and the view of the formal garden through the huge sash windows is spectacular.
Drawing Room / Lounge
Almost identical in size to the dining room and with all the same elegance and period features, this is a great room to sit and relax in front of the wood burning stove and watch the TV. That is of course if you can avert your gaze for long enough from the amazing view of the garden and countryside beyond visible through the floor to ceiling sash windows.
Study
A bright and airy room with an open fireplace and a floor to ceiling sash window with internal shutters, which the present owners use for access to the garden and patio via a step on the outside.
First Floor:
Landing
From the entrance hall, a characterful, curved and sweeping staircase with painted spindles and a hardwood handrail, leads up to this spacious landing, which is flooded with natural light via the feature roof lantern and provides access to all the first floor rooms.
Principal Bedroom
A very generous, light and airy suite with a large sash bay window affording spectacular views in three directions over the gardens and countryside beyond. All along one wall, there are floor to ceiling built-in storage units comprising wardrobes with cupboards above and an arch shaped door gives access to an en-suite bathroom.
Principal En-Suite Bathroom
A well proportioned room with a modern fitted suite in white, comprising a tiled shower cubicle, a W/C and a vanity unit with a sink set on a marble top with cupboards below. A large, front aspect sash window provides natural light.
Bedroom Two
Almost identical in size and shape to the principal bedroom, this is another beautiful room that has the added benefit of its own private door to the family bathroom enabling it to become en-suite whenever the need arises. The three sash window bay provides lots of natural light and views over the gardens and countryside beyond.
Bedroom Three
A good size double room with a built in storage cupboard and a large sash window with a view of the garden and church steeple beyond.
Bedroom Four
A double room with a large front aspect sash window and a cupboard housing the water tank.
Bedroom Five / Hobby Room
Large front aspect sash window and access to the loft.
Family Bathroom / En-suite Two
A light and airy room fitted with a modern suite in white, comprising a panelled bath with mixer taps and a shower over, a pedestal sink, W/C. A a large sash window overlooks the garden and a door gives access to bedroom two.
Outside:
Front Garden
A long gravel driveway leads from the High Street to automated, ironwork gates, which open onto a large tarmac drive providing parking for numerous vehicles and benefitting from an electric car charging point. There is a a double garage, a large utility room and a storage shed.
Garden Room / Orangery
Accessed from either the garage or the garden, this is a wonderfully versatile room. With a tiled floor and wall mounted gas heaters, this room is incredibly versatile and suitable for almost any use. Finished beautifully with wall to wall windows and French doors leading to a glass covered, paved terrace, this would be ideal for entertaining and alfresco dining. (N.B. There is current planning permission to remodel this part of the property to enhance the living accommodation still further)
Formal Garden
A beautifully kept and expansive lawn is edged with mature flower and shrub borders and beds and interspersed with some eye catching specimen trees, and a choice of paved patios allow you choose sun or shade. This is a stunning garden and it is very easy to imagine the weddings and fetes that have been hosted here in the past.
Extended Garden
Accessed through ornate ironwork gates as if entering a secret garden, this less formal garden runs all the way to the church at the bottom. As with the formal garden, there is a plethora of mature plants, shrubs, wild flowers, fruit trees and some lovely specimen trees. There is also wildlife pond and a maze of pathways that wind their way around this peaceful and enchanting space. Being very wildlife friendly, several creatures such as deer, badgers, rabbits and squirrels can be regularly seen. This truly is gardener's heaven and from a child's point of view, just an amazing place to grow up.
With an almost stately home appearance, and sitting very comfortably within approximately two acres of beautiful, private grounds, The Limes offers extremely spacious accommodation together with a delightful blend of old world charm and modern day living. On the one hand, features such as the attractive brickwork, sash windows with internal shutters, impressively high ceilings and ornate coving pay a loving homage to the Victorian period. Whilst on the other hand, the superbly designed, hand crafted kitchen and modern bathrooms bring this house right up to date and make it a very warm, comfortable and inviting home indeed.
As you turn off the village High Street and wind your way along the gravel driveway towards the house, there is an immediate feeling that you have arrived somewhere very special. When The Limes finally comes in to view, and you pass through the automated, ironwork gates and see the impressive façade with its stunning arch shaped portico, the feeling is in no way diminished. Quite the contrary in fact, as first impressions go, The Limes really delivers and it only gets better from here.
Originally built circa 1860 to be the Rectory to the neighbouring and historic St. Peter's church, the property was divided in to two homes in 1969. The Limes, so named after the impressive trees along the property's boundary, took the vast majority of the original living accommodation and today boasts in excess of 3,000 square feet of floor space. With close links established with the RAF at Graveley Airfield during the second world war, the Limes has played host to the village fete since that time, right up to the recent pandemic. On occasion, these fetes have been treated to RAF fly pasts by Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancaster Bombers and even The Red Arrows in recognition of these links.
The whole house is incredibly light and airy and flooded with natural light through the huge sash windows in each room. This has been further enhanced with a master stroke by the current owners with the addition of a beautiful lantern in the roof, situated directly above the central, sweeping, curved staircase and first floor landing.
In addition to the main living accommodation, there is a very impressive garden room / orangery with a glass covered paved patio which is adjacent to the garage and affords stunning views of the formal garden. It should be noted that there is approved and current planning permission to remodel this part of the property to further enhance the living accommodation if required.
Offord d'Arcy itself, is a very pretty village with a highly regarded pub, a local shop, a riding school and a livery stable. Buckden village is just a short distance away and offers further amenities including shops and eateries as well as a boating marina. St. Neots town is less than five miles away and Cambridge is just 20 miles away, both offering a commute to London of approximately forty five minutes.
For families of a school age, Offord Primary School is within easy walking distance of The Limes, and for older children both Longsands Academy in St. Neots and Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon are just five miles away. There is also a bus service from the village to the renowned and highly regarded Kimbolton School.
Accommodation
Ground Floor:
Entrance
A very Grand arched shaped portico with a flagstone floor gives access to a part glazed front door and really sets the tone for the rest of the house.
Hall
A generous and very light entrance hall with part flagstone and part boarded floor with doors to all the ground floor rooms and a stunning curved staircase leading to the first floor.
Cloakroom
A good size room with a tiled floor and partly tiled walls and a front aspect window. Fitted with a modern white suite comprising a W/C and pedestal sink, there is a built in cupboard, housing the gas boiler and water softener and there is also plenty of room to hang coats etc.
Kitchen
A beautifully designed and hand crafted kitchen with an excellent range of blue and stone coloured cabinets, display units, shelving and larder cupboards with matching Dexton work surfaces. In addition, there is a very generous island and breakfast bar with matching cabinets and drawers beneath and a very attractive wooden surface. Integrated appliances include a matching stone coloured, oil fired Aga, an electric oven, a large induction hob, two fridges, a freezer, a dishwasher, two stainless steel sinks (one for washing up and one for food prep) plus an inset TV. The room benefits from lots of natural light provided by a front aspect sash window and a part glazed door with a large glazed fanlight above.
Dining Room
A very elegant room indeed, with floor to ceiling bay sash windows with internal shutters, ornate coving, picture rails and a beautiful fireplace, complete with a very realistic, coal effect gas fire. It is very easy to envisage large family occasions and dinner parties in this superb space and the view of the formal garden through the huge sash windows is spectacular.
Drawing Room / Lounge
Almost identical in size to the dining room and with all the same elegance and period features, this is a great room to sit and relax in front of the wood burning stove and watch the TV. That is of course if you can avert your gaze for long enough from the amazing view of the garden and countryside beyond visible through the floor to ceiling sash windows.
Study
A bright and airy room with an open fireplace and a floor to ceiling sash window with internal shutters, which the present owners use for access to the garden and patio via a step on the outside.
First Floor:
Landing
From the entrance hall, a characterful, curved and sweeping staircase with painted spindles and a hardwood handrail, leads up to this spacious landing, which is flooded with natural light via the feature roof lantern and provides access to all the first floor rooms.
Principal Bedroom
A very generous, light and airy suite with a large sash bay window affording spectacular views in three directions over the gardens and countryside beyond. All along one wall, there are floor to ceiling built-in storage units comprising wardrobes with cupboards above and an arch shaped door gives access to an en-suite bathroom.
Principal En-Suite Bathroom
A well proportioned room with a modern fitted suite in white, comprising a tiled shower cubicle, a W/C and a vanity unit with a sink set on a marble top with cupboards below. A large, front aspect sash window provides natural light.
Bedroom Two
Almost identical in size and shape to the principal bedroom, this is another beautiful room that has the added benefit of its own private door to the family bathroom enabling it to become en-suite whenever the need arises. The three sash window bay provides lots of natural light and views over the gardens and countryside beyond.
Bedroom Three
A good size double room with a built in storage cupboard and a large sash window with a view of the garden and church steeple beyond.
Bedroom Four
A double room with a large front aspect sash window and a cupboard housing the water tank.
Bedroom Five / Hobby Room
Large front aspect sash window and access to the loft.
Family Bathroom / En-suite Two
A light and airy room fitted with a modern suite in white, comprising a panelled bath with mixer taps and a shower over, a pedestal sink, W/C. A a large sash window overlooks the garden and a door gives access to bedroom two.
Outside:
Front Garden
A long gravel driveway leads from the High Street to automated, ironwork gates, which open onto a large tarmac drive providing parking for numerous vehicles and benefitting from an electric car charging point. There is a a double garage, a large utility room and a storage shed.
Garden Room / Orangery
Accessed from either the garage or the garden, this is a wonderfully versatile room. With a tiled floor and wall mounted gas heaters, this room is incredibly versatile and suitable for almost any use. Finished beautifully with wall to wall windows and French doors leading to a glass covered, paved terrace, this would be ideal for entertaining and alfresco dining. (N.B. There is current planning permission to remodel this part of the property to enhance the living accommodation still further)
Formal Garden
A beautifully kept and expansive lawn is edged with mature flower and shrub borders and beds and interspersed with some eye catching specimen trees, and a choice of paved patios allow you choose sun or shade. This is a stunning garden and it is very easy to imagine the weddings and fetes that have been hosted here in the past.
Extended Garden
Accessed through ornate ironwork gates as if entering a secret garden, this less formal garden runs all the way to the church at the bottom. As with the formal garden, there is a plethora of mature plants, shrubs, wild flowers, fruit trees and some lovely specimen trees. There is also wildlife pond and a maze of pathways that wind their way around this peaceful and enchanting space. Being very wildlife friendly, several creatures such as deer, badgers, rabbits and squirrels can be regularly seen. This truly is gardener's heaven and from a child's point of view, just an amazing place to grow up.
