House For Sale £575,000
Shop Lane, Leckhampstead, RG20

Space, peace and calm, with a thriving village community, and just a 10-15 minute drive from everything you could need in Newbury. This detached three bedroom bungalow is a gem of a property that needs nothing doing, just move in, unpack and relax.

Situation

Leckhampstead sits to the north of Newbury in West Berkshire, a few miles from the nook of the M4 and A34, within the North Wessex Downs.

Shop Lane in Leckhampstead runs through the centre of this remarkably pretty village, with Enborn sitting fairly centrally on the lane, between the 12th century St James’s Church with its unusual interior brick detail, and the well-used quintessential Village Hall and recreation ground.

“The Village Hall is a great asset, there are weekly coffee mornings, quiz evenings, art shows, and there are events on the village green and recreation ground.”

-  the current home owner

In every direction around this rural hamlet you have green fields and wide open countryside. 

The property

Sitting squarely in a generous plot, this handsome three-bedroom bungalow is well proportioned with a good flow through it.

From the road, which is lovely and quiet even in ‘rush hour’, a slight incline takes you up onto the gravelled driveway, with parking for at least three full-sized vehicles or perhaps a camper van along with the family vehicles. To the left of the drive is a larger-than-average lawned front garden with lovely views, which is fronted by a planted bed and short retaining wall of sleepers.  

You’d be forgiven for thinking this was the main garden, but no, there’s even more to the rear of this family home.

Entrance

The porch offers shelter from the rain and a handy spot to leave wellies after a ramble through the country. Through the front door, you’re into the bright entrance hall with doors leading you into the dining area to the left, and onto the kitchen and utility room, with its connecting door to the garage.

Glazed doors fill this space with light, while a tiled floor connects these hard-working areas, making it easy to keep things clean and inviting.

Living / dining

To the front of the house and facing west, this room captures the best of the daylight throughout the day, and is a lovely bright airy space to gather and relax.

The space has been cleverly zoned. The dining area is to one side with ample space for a proper dining table, while the living space has a wide picture window to make the most of the natural light and those sweeping views.   

Neutral carpets are in good condition and keep the space feeling fresh and bright. Double radiators run throughout the house, and windows are double glazed for greater warmth and fuel efficiency.

Kitchen

Clean and inviting, the kitchen includes a 900cm wide range-style cooker with grill, double oven and electric/induction hob, cooker hood, built-in dishwasher, 1½ basin steel sink with swan neck tap, space for a stool beneath the neat breakfast bar space and useful storage.

There’s wall space should you want to add more cabinets, though you probably won’t need to, and plentiful work surfaces. The oil fired boiler is tucked away to one side.

Utility

Connecting the entrance hall and the rear of the garage is the compact utility space. Part sunroom, part laundry and drying space, this could make a good boot room off the back door with the introduction of bench seating and coat racks. 

Garage

The single garage, built to accommodate a real car, has an up and over garage door, lighting, power and can be accessed from both the front and connecting rear door.

Master bedroom

Talk about a room with a view! This double bedroom has wide French windows that open onto the veranda beyond, making the absolute most of the long rear garden and the rolling green open space beyond.

Catching the morning sun, lie-ins will be even more pleasurable as you get to watch the seasons change from the comfort of your own bed.

Currently furnished with a mirrored double wardrobe and chests of drawers, you have space as well as light and huge views.

“Watching the growing crops in the fields gives you a real awareness of the changing seasons.”

Bedroom two

Making the most of the views, this double bedroom also features wide opening French doors that will be a pleasure to throw open on a summer’s morning as you decide whether to having your morning coffee in bed or on the veranda. What a perfect way to start the day.

Bedroom three

Another properly-sized double, this room has the added bonus of two built-in wardrobes. In addition, you have space for chests of drawers and a bedside cabinet. 

Bathroom

Beautifully tiled on two walls, this well-designed room contains an electric shower over the bath, a vanity cabinet housing a semi-recessed basin and back-to-cabinet loo, and both mirrored and glossy white wall cabinets.

The radiator screen provides a useful shelf, while the bath panel has access providing extra storage for cleaning products. You have an opening obscured glass window as well as fan ventilation, and behind the bathroom door is a full height airing cupboard.

Veranda

More houses should have one of these. Running across the back of the house, with two of the bedrooms opening onto it, the veranda really does make the most of the fabulous views.

Perfect from first thing in the morning with a cuppa to last thing with a sundowner, or throughout the day for family gatherings and barbeques, this really is the perfect versatile space.

“We’ve loved sitting in the garden looking at the beautiful views while listening to the skylarks that sing all day, having barbecues out there and drinks with friends.”

Garden

The rear garden is rather special. Clearly a huge selling point, the lovely big garden runs from the front of the house around the sides and to the rear, stopping only at the post and rail fence that divides you and the rolling green fields beyond.

The lawn has an interesting lower area, accessed down a couple of steps, creating added zoning – perhaps you’ll use it for a new sport such as croquet or badminton, or maybe you’ll indulge that dream of building a koi pond or maybe even a swimming pool. Or maybe just enjoy a simple swingseat with a view.

“The bird life is superb, we have lots of different types coming into the garden and even the red kites will come down if you put something out for them.”

To the sides of the house you have closeboard wood fences, while heading further into the garden you have mature hedging on either side, further extending the privacy while adding interest and habitat for the plentiful garden birds and wildlife.

“We love watching the hedgehogs all summer and filming them with the wildlife camera.” 

A decorative side gate takes you from the front drive onto a gravelled area by the side of the house, edged by narrow sleeper fronted beds. This is an ideal sheltered spot for more outside seating, a barbeque and even a firepit.

Within the garden you also have two sheds, ideal for storing whatever you’d like to store in a garden shed: bikes, lawn mowers, bicycles, perhaps everything you need to create a kitchen garden – you’ll have enough space. 

Location

Within the village you have the hub, the village hall. In the local area you have a fantastic choice of routes for country walks.

“There are lots of lovely walks – you can walk for half an hour around the village or go further afield for hours without seeing a car.”

Slightly further afield you have a great selection of proper country pubs including, within two miles, The Ibex Inn, the gastro Crab & Boar and the Fox at Peasemore.  

Going a little further, you have the Saddleback Farm Shop, a popular lunchtime destination, Snelsmore Common, The Living Rainforest and the unique Watermill Theatre, as well as a selection of golf courses and the market towns of Wantage and Newbury, with its variety of pubs, restaurants – including Michelin starred choices, cinema, shops and businesses.

“It’s an easy drive into Newbury or Wantage and the A34 and M4 are only ten minutes away even though the village has a very rural feel.”

From Newbury train station there are frequent trains to Reading, which is now connected with the Elizabeth Line, London Paddington – accessible in as little 42 minutes, and heading west to Bristol and Penzance. 

You’re also a very short hop to the major road arteries of the M4, A34 and the A4, giving access to Winchester, the south coast, the Midlands, Wales and London. 

Schooling

According to the West Berkshire Council website, the catchment areas are:

Primary – Chaddleworth St Andrew’s C of E, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

Secondary – The Downs School (Zone 1).

In addition, there is a selection of exceptional private schools nearby, including Bradfield College, Cheam School, Downe House and Pangbourne College.

Services

Mains electricity, water and drainage.

Oil fired heating and hot water.

Broadband – Gigaclear is available at up to 900Mbps according to their website.

Mobile – according to Vodafone, their 4G service is ‘good indoors and outdoors’.

Council

The local authority is West Berkshire Council. The Council Tax band is D.

Tenure

Freehold 

“Last but not least, the neighbours are brilliant.

It will be a big wrench to leave!”