House For Sale £1,950,000
Built around expansive courtyard gardens, Back Lane seamlessly stitches together a series of old and modern barns to form a wonderfully accomplished and versatile family house in Hertfordshire. Occupying a quiet position, a stone’s throw from the lower green in the sought-after Tewin, it unfolds over almost 4,000 sq ft of beautifully bright living spaces. Currently arranged as two distinct homes, these would easily combine to form one large house. The site extends to almost an acre and there is an independent garden studio/home office.
The Tour
Set back from the main village roads, the house is accessed via a quiet track, hidden discreetly behind high beech hedging, which encircles an expansive shingled parking courtyard.
The house is conceived as a redefined small farmyard, echoing and reinterpreting the local rural vernacular. Converted and new-build, low-lying barns and cart sheds radiate from courtyard gardens and form two clearly defined dwellings. These could be merged to form a single-family home or further adapted to suit working from home or extended family living. United by their scale and simple material palette of local red-brick, rough-sawn greying timbers and pantiled roofing, the internal spaces have an unassuming, contemporary aesthetic.
The primary entrance to the main house leads into a central hallway. Bathed in natural light care of walls of glazing, this connects the open layout of sociable living spaces.
In the lofty living area, soaring ceilings rise with the exposed roof trusses. There are places to relax, eat, make music and work; a sculptural open fire is a wonderfully cosy spot to gather. The many glazed doors give a sense of constant commune with the outside and beckon for alfresco dining on warmer days.
Positioned at the other end of the hall is the large cooking and dining space. Defined by its minimalist detailing, sleek material palette and neutral colours, the kitchen has a generous provision of floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and a central island topped with a waterfall marble worktop, which doubles as a lovely breakfast spot. Sitting to one side is a dining nook, where pitched ceilings add a sense of volume and roof lights hover overhead, ensuring the space is awash with natural light, making it the perfect setting for casual entertaining.
A well-kitted-out utility room sits to the rear of the kitchen and there is a handy WC/shower room next to the hallway.
A spine corridor leads to two bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom and the primary suite. Each has large glazed openings strategically placed to frame leafy views of the private, verdant courtyard. A sliding pocket door opens from the kitchen and leads to a hidden staircase that ascends to a fourth bedroom, concealed within the roof. A wonderful private enclave, there is space to sleep, relax and study.
The adjoining smaller barn offers great flexibility of use. It is currently a self-contained four-bedroom annexe and could draw a rental income. Finished to a high specification, the neutral material and colour palette align with the main house. The living space offers an open layout to cook, eat and dine with a warming log burner centrally. A u-shaped staircase ascends to the voluminous first floor.
Set within the roof space are two large double bedrooms, one with an en suite, a smaller bedroom and a family bathroom. Velux windows ensure an excellent quality of natural light filters in through the course of the day, yet are positioned to allow privacy from the adjacent house. Completing the layout is a fourth double en suite bedroom/office, a handy utility room and a WC, all located at ground-floor level.
Resting in a peaceful corner of the courtyard, between the two wings of accommodation, is the south-east facing boarded garden studio, which is a bright, airy workspace, care of side sliding glazed doors.
Outdoor Space
Externally, the gardens have been thoughtfully landscaped to be low maintenance but also to provide privacy between the two houses. The design also offers several terraces and patios to enjoy the sun throughout the day. Flanking lavender beds and jasmine-strewn trellising add colour and fragrance that are the perfect spots for alfresco eating and drinking. Herbaceous borders surround a central expanse of lawn across the main garden, and a large grassy area is perfect for kicking a ball or trampolining.
There is front parking for several vehicles and a private driveway for additional parking for the smaller home.
The Area
The picturesque village of Tewin is centrally located between Hatfield and Hertford, each accessible within eight miles. Surrounded by pretty, rolling Hertfordshire countryside, the village has a church, a well-used village hall, and lively tennis, cricket and bowls clubs. The community shop is handily located for everyday necessities and the two pubs, The Plume of Feathers and The Rose and Crown; both are terrific local hostelries for a tasty Sunday lunch and a sunny beer garden.
The area offers access to extensive walking routes in the local area, and the enchanting Tewin Orchard Nature Reserve, a mile north, presents varied local fruit trees and a wide variety of wildlife, including badgers and red kites. In contrast, Hopkyns Wood is a shady oak and hornbeam wood dominated by bluebells and wild garlic in springtime.
St Albans, 10 miles south-west, is characterised by its historic architecture and many listed buildings, as well as St Albans Cathedral, Roman Verulamium Park and Museum and the River Ver. It offers a broad selection of independent restaurants and shopping facilities, such as The Maltings, a thriving local shopping hub.
The area is well-renowned for exceptional schooling opportunities. There is an excellent village primary school, Tewin Cowper and Richard Hale, and Presdales secondary schools are within the catchment. There is also a good range of independent schools nearby, including Heathmount, Haileybury and Queenswood.
Transport links are also very good, with London, Kings Cross just 20 minutes by train from Welwyn North, one and a half miles west of Welwyn Garden City. Central London is less than 30 miles south.
Council Tax Band: G
The Tour
Set back from the main village roads, the house is accessed via a quiet track, hidden discreetly behind high beech hedging, which encircles an expansive shingled parking courtyard.
The house is conceived as a redefined small farmyard, echoing and reinterpreting the local rural vernacular. Converted and new-build, low-lying barns and cart sheds radiate from courtyard gardens and form two clearly defined dwellings. These could be merged to form a single-family home or further adapted to suit working from home or extended family living. United by their scale and simple material palette of local red-brick, rough-sawn greying timbers and pantiled roofing, the internal spaces have an unassuming, contemporary aesthetic.
The primary entrance to the main house leads into a central hallway. Bathed in natural light care of walls of glazing, this connects the open layout of sociable living spaces.
In the lofty living area, soaring ceilings rise with the exposed roof trusses. There are places to relax, eat, make music and work; a sculptural open fire is a wonderfully cosy spot to gather. The many glazed doors give a sense of constant commune with the outside and beckon for alfresco dining on warmer days.
Positioned at the other end of the hall is the large cooking and dining space. Defined by its minimalist detailing, sleek material palette and neutral colours, the kitchen has a generous provision of floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and a central island topped with a waterfall marble worktop, which doubles as a lovely breakfast spot. Sitting to one side is a dining nook, where pitched ceilings add a sense of volume and roof lights hover overhead, ensuring the space is awash with natural light, making it the perfect setting for casual entertaining.
A well-kitted-out utility room sits to the rear of the kitchen and there is a handy WC/shower room next to the hallway.
A spine corridor leads to two bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom and the primary suite. Each has large glazed openings strategically placed to frame leafy views of the private, verdant courtyard. A sliding pocket door opens from the kitchen and leads to a hidden staircase that ascends to a fourth bedroom, concealed within the roof. A wonderful private enclave, there is space to sleep, relax and study.
The adjoining smaller barn offers great flexibility of use. It is currently a self-contained four-bedroom annexe and could draw a rental income. Finished to a high specification, the neutral material and colour palette align with the main house. The living space offers an open layout to cook, eat and dine with a warming log burner centrally. A u-shaped staircase ascends to the voluminous first floor.
Set within the roof space are two large double bedrooms, one with an en suite, a smaller bedroom and a family bathroom. Velux windows ensure an excellent quality of natural light filters in through the course of the day, yet are positioned to allow privacy from the adjacent house. Completing the layout is a fourth double en suite bedroom/office, a handy utility room and a WC, all located at ground-floor level.
Resting in a peaceful corner of the courtyard, between the two wings of accommodation, is the south-east facing boarded garden studio, which is a bright, airy workspace, care of side sliding glazed doors.
Outdoor Space
Externally, the gardens have been thoughtfully landscaped to be low maintenance but also to provide privacy between the two houses. The design also offers several terraces and patios to enjoy the sun throughout the day. Flanking lavender beds and jasmine-strewn trellising add colour and fragrance that are the perfect spots for alfresco eating and drinking. Herbaceous borders surround a central expanse of lawn across the main garden, and a large grassy area is perfect for kicking a ball or trampolining.
There is front parking for several vehicles and a private driveway for additional parking for the smaller home.
The Area
The picturesque village of Tewin is centrally located between Hatfield and Hertford, each accessible within eight miles. Surrounded by pretty, rolling Hertfordshire countryside, the village has a church, a well-used village hall, and lively tennis, cricket and bowls clubs. The community shop is handily located for everyday necessities and the two pubs, The Plume of Feathers and The Rose and Crown; both are terrific local hostelries for a tasty Sunday lunch and a sunny beer garden.
The area offers access to extensive walking routes in the local area, and the enchanting Tewin Orchard Nature Reserve, a mile north, presents varied local fruit trees and a wide variety of wildlife, including badgers and red kites. In contrast, Hopkyns Wood is a shady oak and hornbeam wood dominated by bluebells and wild garlic in springtime.
St Albans, 10 miles south-west, is characterised by its historic architecture and many listed buildings, as well as St Albans Cathedral, Roman Verulamium Park and Museum and the River Ver. It offers a broad selection of independent restaurants and shopping facilities, such as The Maltings, a thriving local shopping hub.
The area is well-renowned for exceptional schooling opportunities. There is an excellent village primary school, Tewin Cowper and Richard Hale, and Presdales secondary schools are within the catchment. There is also a good range of independent schools nearby, including Heathmount, Haileybury and Queenswood.
Transport links are also very good, with London, Kings Cross just 20 minutes by train from Welwyn North, one and a half miles west of Welwyn Garden City. Central London is less than 30 miles south.
Council Tax Band: G
