House For Sale £1,400,000
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY: An impressive 9 bedroom, 3 storey Victorian detached family house in need of restoration and refurbishment and offering enormous potential for improvement, standing in grounds of about 1.35 acres. The property’s elevated site provides outstanding views over the surrounding Dorset countryside.
This substantial property is currently part of the Gaunts Estate and is believed to date back to about 1870. In the past it has been both a private home and a school, and it would suit use as offices or practice rooms.
The house is of traditional construction, with facing red brick elevations, stone mullions, an impressive triangular bay window, ornate corbelling and a ridged natural slate roof. It is connected to mains electricity and water and has private drainage and oil fired heating.
The property is set just off the B3078 Wimborne-Cranborne road, on the edge of the picturesque conservation village of Witchampton which has a parish church, a village hall, a community club/shop and a First School and Nursery. Wimborne town centre is about 4 miles away, offering a good range of amenities, and the major coastal towns of Poole and Bournemouth, and the city of Salisbury, all of which have mainline rail links to London, are within about 30 minutes’ drive.
For sale on the open market for the first time in its history, this substantial dwelling has 4 ground floor reception rooms, a large kitchen/family area and ancillary rooms, a cellar, and particularly spacious second floor accommodation. There is also great scope, subject to planning consent, for extension.
There is a charming open-fronted porch with gabled slate roof, quarry tiled floor and ornate timber features, leading to a long entrance hall with quarry tiled floor, cloakroom (with WC and wash basin) and door with steps down to a cellar.
The sitting room has a fireplace, cornicing, picture rails and an impressive A-framed window. Beyond this is a large dining room with brick open fireplace, cornicing, picture rails, and bay window overlooking the gardens. The study has a brick and stone fireplace and a box bay window. The large, dual aspect kitchen/breakfast room, which overlooks the garden and farmland beyond, has oak surfaces, butler’s sink, units, breakfast bar and Karndean flooring.
A door from the kitchen leads to a family room with floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace and inset range, views onto the garden, and a door to a verandah leading to a boiler room (with oil fired boiler and hot water tanks.) There is an inner lobby with a tiled floor, a door to outside, a single cloakroom with WC and wash basin, and a double cloakroom with 2 WCs and 2 wash basins.
Stairs, with a half landing and a large window, lead to a first floor landing with archway feature and under stairs cupboard. Bedroom 1 is a dual aspect room at the rear, with outstanding views over the surrounding farmland. Bedroom 2 is a large double room with a wrought iron fireplace, and bedroom 3 is a large double room with a brick fireplace. Bedroom 4 has a box bay window and a wrought iron fireplace. There is a bathroom with bath, wash basin and WC.
A concealed staircase leads to the large, L-shaped second floor landing which has exposed A-frame timbers and a rooflight. Bedroom 5 is a large dual aspect room to the rear, with exposed A-frame and wall timbers, and superb views over the surrounding farmland. Bedroom 6 has exposed A-frame timbers and overlooks the front courtyard. Bedroom 7 is a smaller double room with exposed A-frame timbers, and bedroom 8 has superb views towards Witchampton village. Bedroom 9 is a single room with a Velux style window giving superb views over farmland, and there is a second bathroom with wash basin and WC. A former bathroom has been stripped out and could be used as a bathroom or a tenth bedroom.
A 5-bar gate leads to a large courtyard with ample space for vehicles/caravans etc. Fronting the Witchampton road is an area of rough grass enclosed by an established treeline including oak and beech. The rear garden is enclosed by established hedges and trees, with lawns and shrubs.
The Promap image is not intended as a precise representation of the property’s boundaries or area of land. It should be treated as an approximate guide only. Interested parties should have their solicitor check the exact dimensions on the Title Plan.
Directions: From Wimborne, proceed towards Cranborne on the B3078. At the crossroads signposted left to Witchampton and right to Gaunts Common, continue ahead, and take the first turning on the left into High Lea Farm.
Council Tax: Band G
EPC RATING: Band F
