House For Sale £399,950
Welcome to The Dolls House; An utterly charming detached cottage situated within the beautifully landscaped grounds of the elegant Georgian Grade II Listed country house, Helme Lodge.
Built in the Greek Revival style in 1824 by local architects of great repute Francis and George Webster for William Dilworth Crewdson. As an interesting aside Mr Crewdson was one of the founders of the Kendal bank of Maude, Wilson and Crewdson which opened on Stramongate on 1st January 1788. Through a series of mergers the bank eventually became Barclays Bank in 1969.
Built of local limestone under a slated roof, The Dolls House is a further rarity in that it is detached and occupies a choice setting on the north side of the main courtyard right next to the main residence. As such all of main rooms have south facing windows and a lovely sunny aspect over the landscaped and well maintained courtyard with neat lawn into which is set a central circular pond and fountain. Many of the properties around the courtyard have pyracantha grown in the espalier fashion up their front elevations. Such a lovely sight in autumn when it is adorned with orange berries.
The house has been a well loved retirement home since 2003 and is now ready for the new owners to start a new chapter. A few sensitive upgrades will probably be envisaged as the interior fixtures and fittings date to the original development; whilst dated the appointments are still serviceable and would no doubt set you on as you make your own plans. Whether professional or retired the cottage is perfectly proportioned for one or two.
There is a leisure suite in the main house for all residents to enjoy offering a snooker room, gym and sauna. Outside is a hardcourt tennis court.
Now well established, the well stocked landscaped gardens are beautifully maintained to provide all year round interest and colour. They are administered through the management company ensuring that owners can enjoy them without any of the upkeep saving the inevitable time and cost. This enables you to make the most of your free time rather than being chained to the mower!
One of the main advantages of living at Helme Lodge is the highly accessible location (great for local facilities, the hospital and access to road and rail networks) and the delightful private setting, nestled in open fields on the south side of the Lakes Gateway town of Kendal it was developed in 1987 when it was converted into 12 luxury apartments within the main house and courtyard together with 21 award winning cottages all set within the 5 acre private estate.
The Dolls House offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a slice of country house life with all of the grandeur and character whilst benefitting from the peace of mind of a management company which looks after much of the day to day running for you.
Location
The estate is exceptionally conveniently placed for the Asda and B&Q superstores, Helme Chase doctors’ surgery, Westmorland General Hospital, the West coast railway station at Oxenholme and access to the M6 at J36. There’s also Hensens ice cream parlour on nearby Natland Mill Beck Lane. Perfect as a main or a second home there is great potential to lock up and leave if you worked away or where thinking of it as a base whilst you travelled.
Either a short drive or a brisk walk will take you into the centre of Kendal with all that this popular market town has to offer at your disposal. With a busy high street of retailers there is also a good choice of places to eat and drink with cinema, theatre, live music and more besides at Brewery Arts Centre.
Walk Through
Step over the threshold of the smart front door with carriage lights either side and the ground floor room that greets you is instantly welcoming.
Almost open plan but not quite as the two are separately by the central staircase there is a great warmth of character to this space, created in part by the warm mellow tones of the old pine that has been used on the internal joinery – the staircase, ceiling beams, skirting boards and kitchen cabinets. This is continued to the first floor where there are more pine beams and uprights, four panel doors off the landing into the rooms and in the bedrooms built in wardrobes and cupboards with pine doors. The kitchen cabinets are joiner made from solid pine and the house bathroom has solid pine touches.
Both the sitting room and the dining kitchen have lovely large sash windows looking out to the courtyard and in the sitting room is a stone open fireplace providing a lovely focal point on a chilly evening or at the weekend when you’ve possibly more time to sit and relax with a coffee and a good book.
The dining kitchen is dual aspect with a solid pine kitchen which extends to a peninsula unit which has a fitted pine bench on the dining side. A friendly sociable space for cooking and eating. There’s a hard wearing Chinese slate floor and tiled work surfaces. The hob and oven are built in, whilst there are freestanding washing machine, dishwasher and freezer. A useful under stairs cupboard provides accessible storage space.
Onto the first floor and the landing has access to the roof space via the hatch and two windows onto the landscaped gardens behind the house.
The south facing main bedroom is a really generously sized double. There are two sash windows to the front courtyard and two fitted wardrobes with cupboards over, all of which have solid pine doors. This bedroom has the advantage of an en-suite shower room with a shower cubicle, pedestal wash basin and loo. There’s built in shelving and wall tiling.
The second bedroom is a good double, also south facing with an equally lovely aspect over the front courtyard from the sash window. Storage is available in the built in double wardrobe and separate cupboard, both of which have mellow pine doors.
The Helme Lodge Estate
There’s no private gardens as such but all over the estate there are any number of choice spots for sitting out and enjoying the gardens and the views.
The leisure suite is located in the converted cellar of the main house and has external access. Here you’ll find an impressive snooker room with a full sized table, pitch pine wall paneling and an antique score board, ideal for when you’ve guests and fancy entertaining them with something slightly different. If you like to keep in good shape then the gym offers 10 pieces of equipment all maintained by the management company and there for your use. After a long rainy walk or a trek up the fells the sauna might well be of appeal with a 30 minute heat up time it’s convenient for everyday use without the hassle. You’ll also find changing facilities and loos for both ladies and gents down here. The gym is open 7am to 9pm enabling a pre or post office workout with the sauna and snooker room open to 11pm to accommodate a match later into the evening.
Parking is on the gravel area in front of the main house with The Doll’s House having the advantage of a single garage in the attractive courtyard of 17 single garages set up just behind the house. Block built with a slated roof, the garages all look very smart with matching wooden up and over doors and are practically equipped with power and light. Outside in the courtyard is an outside tap for car washing.
Directions
Helme Lodge is very easy to find. Head south east out of Kendal on the Burton Road (A65), past the Leisure Centre, proceeding through the traffic lights and then at the roundabout by Asda and B&Q take the third exit. Turn immediately left into Helme Lodge (there’s a sign on the right of the entrance) and proceed up the tree lined driveway, bearing right onto the gravel parking area in front of the main house. The garages are to be found by bearing left at this point. Once parked, walk round to the left and the courtyard opens up in front of you, The Doll’s House is on your left.
Services
Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage. Gas fired central heating from a Vaillant boiler in the kitchen.
Council Tax Band
E
Please Note
Fixtures and fittings - The property is sold with carpets and floor coverings, curtains, curtain poles and blinds and all kitchen appliances as described.
Tenure
The property is held freehold.
A service charge is payable of £310pcm (2022 figure) to the management company, Helme Lodge Homes and Gardens Ltd who owns the freehold and in which company all owners have a share. The payment covers gardening, building insurance, maintenance and decorating of main structure, cleaning and maintenance of all common areas, external security lighting (timed to come on from dusk until dawn, this includes the two carriage lights either side of the front door on The Doll’s House.)
The property is not available for holiday letting although long term lettings on Assured Shorthold Tenancies is possible. Pets are allowed, but dogs must be on lead at all times whilst in the grounds.
Built in the Greek Revival style in 1824 by local architects of great repute Francis and George Webster for William Dilworth Crewdson. As an interesting aside Mr Crewdson was one of the founders of the Kendal bank of Maude, Wilson and Crewdson which opened on Stramongate on 1st January 1788. Through a series of mergers the bank eventually became Barclays Bank in 1969.
Built of local limestone under a slated roof, The Dolls House is a further rarity in that it is detached and occupies a choice setting on the north side of the main courtyard right next to the main residence. As such all of main rooms have south facing windows and a lovely sunny aspect over the landscaped and well maintained courtyard with neat lawn into which is set a central circular pond and fountain. Many of the properties around the courtyard have pyracantha grown in the espalier fashion up their front elevations. Such a lovely sight in autumn when it is adorned with orange berries.
The house has been a well loved retirement home since 2003 and is now ready for the new owners to start a new chapter. A few sensitive upgrades will probably be envisaged as the interior fixtures and fittings date to the original development; whilst dated the appointments are still serviceable and would no doubt set you on as you make your own plans. Whether professional or retired the cottage is perfectly proportioned for one or two.
There is a leisure suite in the main house for all residents to enjoy offering a snooker room, gym and sauna. Outside is a hardcourt tennis court.
Now well established, the well stocked landscaped gardens are beautifully maintained to provide all year round interest and colour. They are administered through the management company ensuring that owners can enjoy them without any of the upkeep saving the inevitable time and cost. This enables you to make the most of your free time rather than being chained to the mower!
One of the main advantages of living at Helme Lodge is the highly accessible location (great for local facilities, the hospital and access to road and rail networks) and the delightful private setting, nestled in open fields on the south side of the Lakes Gateway town of Kendal it was developed in 1987 when it was converted into 12 luxury apartments within the main house and courtyard together with 21 award winning cottages all set within the 5 acre private estate.
The Dolls House offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a slice of country house life with all of the grandeur and character whilst benefitting from the peace of mind of a management company which looks after much of the day to day running for you.
Location
The estate is exceptionally conveniently placed for the Asda and B&Q superstores, Helme Chase doctors’ surgery, Westmorland General Hospital, the West coast railway station at Oxenholme and access to the M6 at J36. There’s also Hensens ice cream parlour on nearby Natland Mill Beck Lane. Perfect as a main or a second home there is great potential to lock up and leave if you worked away or where thinking of it as a base whilst you travelled.
Either a short drive or a brisk walk will take you into the centre of Kendal with all that this popular market town has to offer at your disposal. With a busy high street of retailers there is also a good choice of places to eat and drink with cinema, theatre, live music and more besides at Brewery Arts Centre.
Walk Through
Step over the threshold of the smart front door with carriage lights either side and the ground floor room that greets you is instantly welcoming.
Almost open plan but not quite as the two are separately by the central staircase there is a great warmth of character to this space, created in part by the warm mellow tones of the old pine that has been used on the internal joinery – the staircase, ceiling beams, skirting boards and kitchen cabinets. This is continued to the first floor where there are more pine beams and uprights, four panel doors off the landing into the rooms and in the bedrooms built in wardrobes and cupboards with pine doors. The kitchen cabinets are joiner made from solid pine and the house bathroom has solid pine touches.
Both the sitting room and the dining kitchen have lovely large sash windows looking out to the courtyard and in the sitting room is a stone open fireplace providing a lovely focal point on a chilly evening or at the weekend when you’ve possibly more time to sit and relax with a coffee and a good book.
The dining kitchen is dual aspect with a solid pine kitchen which extends to a peninsula unit which has a fitted pine bench on the dining side. A friendly sociable space for cooking and eating. There’s a hard wearing Chinese slate floor and tiled work surfaces. The hob and oven are built in, whilst there are freestanding washing machine, dishwasher and freezer. A useful under stairs cupboard provides accessible storage space.
Onto the first floor and the landing has access to the roof space via the hatch and two windows onto the landscaped gardens behind the house.
The south facing main bedroom is a really generously sized double. There are two sash windows to the front courtyard and two fitted wardrobes with cupboards over, all of which have solid pine doors. This bedroom has the advantage of an en-suite shower room with a shower cubicle, pedestal wash basin and loo. There’s built in shelving and wall tiling.
The second bedroom is a good double, also south facing with an equally lovely aspect over the front courtyard from the sash window. Storage is available in the built in double wardrobe and separate cupboard, both of which have mellow pine doors.
The Helme Lodge Estate
There’s no private gardens as such but all over the estate there are any number of choice spots for sitting out and enjoying the gardens and the views.
The leisure suite is located in the converted cellar of the main house and has external access. Here you’ll find an impressive snooker room with a full sized table, pitch pine wall paneling and an antique score board, ideal for when you’ve guests and fancy entertaining them with something slightly different. If you like to keep in good shape then the gym offers 10 pieces of equipment all maintained by the management company and there for your use. After a long rainy walk or a trek up the fells the sauna might well be of appeal with a 30 minute heat up time it’s convenient for everyday use without the hassle. You’ll also find changing facilities and loos for both ladies and gents down here. The gym is open 7am to 9pm enabling a pre or post office workout with the sauna and snooker room open to 11pm to accommodate a match later into the evening.
Parking is on the gravel area in front of the main house with The Doll’s House having the advantage of a single garage in the attractive courtyard of 17 single garages set up just behind the house. Block built with a slated roof, the garages all look very smart with matching wooden up and over doors and are practically equipped with power and light. Outside in the courtyard is an outside tap for car washing.
Directions
Helme Lodge is very easy to find. Head south east out of Kendal on the Burton Road (A65), past the Leisure Centre, proceeding through the traffic lights and then at the roundabout by Asda and B&Q take the third exit. Turn immediately left into Helme Lodge (there’s a sign on the right of the entrance) and proceed up the tree lined driveway, bearing right onto the gravel parking area in front of the main house. The garages are to be found by bearing left at this point. Once parked, walk round to the left and the courtyard opens up in front of you, The Doll’s House is on your left.
Services
Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage. Gas fired central heating from a Vaillant boiler in the kitchen.
Council Tax Band
E
Please Note
Fixtures and fittings - The property is sold with carpets and floor coverings, curtains, curtain poles and blinds and all kitchen appliances as described.
Tenure
The property is held freehold.
A service charge is payable of £310pcm (2022 figure) to the management company, Helme Lodge Homes and Gardens Ltd who owns the freehold and in which company all owners have a share. The payment covers gardening, building insurance, maintenance and decorating of main structure, cleaning and maintenance of all common areas, external security lighting (timed to come on from dusk until dawn, this includes the two carriage lights either side of the front door on The Doll’s House.)
The property is not available for holiday letting although long term lettings on Assured Shorthold Tenancies is possible. Pets are allowed, but dogs must be on lead at all times whilst in the grounds.
