House For Sale £395,000
CHARMING DUKE OF BEDFORD COTTAGE, WITH WONDERFUL GARDEN OVERLOOKING FIELDS
A gorgeous 3-bedroom, Grade II-listed Victorian cottage in a gloriously peaceful spot in the lovely, little North Bedfordshire village of Souldrop, with professionally designed garden and a former wash house that could be something more than an outdoor store.
The red brick and old clay tiled cottage was built in 1865 (glance up at the datestone on its end gable) for estate workers at the end of a beautiful row of six, set well back behind gardens, with its front door facing away from the quiet street. The Duke of Bedford, who was Lord of the Manor of Souldrop, was deeply conscious of the welfare of his tenants and their families, ensuring they had better facilities than most. Subsequent owners have also been grateful for his policy of “using only the best materials in construction to avoid needless repairs in the future”.
Souldrop has the best of both worlds. Close to the main road between Bedford, with its outstanding schools and fast trains to London, and Rushden, with its superb Lakes Shopping Village, yet far enough away from the road to avoid constant traffic noise. Just a short hop along a lovely avenue of trees, and eminently walkable, is the larger village of Sharnbrook, its schools for all ages, community sports centre and gym, golf course, theatre, Co-op, farm shop, pub, Indian restaurant and coffee shop.
The friendly Souldrop community is hoping that it will not be long before its own 17th century freehouse re-opens. What is nearly always open for you to visit is the medieval Church of All Saints, which has a remarkable history including having been fought over in 1270 with bows and arrows. Like the village itself, its setting is glorious, surrounded by wonderful walking country, and tucked away such that you might have passed it without ever knowing it were there - church, village and cottage like no others.
ABOUT THE PROPERTY
Aside the little gate a small red postbox peeps over the low stone wall, recalling the days when the cottage was the village post office. A stone path flanked by a mass of evergreens leads you under the protective branches of wonderful old hawthorn and apple trees. Step across the brick circle under a honeysuckle-clad arch that reaches to the sky in an echo of the steep cottage gables and feel a sense of well-being even before you reach the lovely quarry-tiled porch.
The kitchen, with its Shaker-style furniture, has space for your table in the centre, it has a pantry cupboard, and it has a stable door to keep the animals out and allow the sun in, as well as quick access to your vegetables, herbs and outbuildings. What will you use the barn for? A garden office, perhaps, or a gym?
Unless you’ve visited House of Hackney at London Liberty, it might take you a while to adjust to the expensively papered walls and ceiling of the sitting room, but there’s no denying the impact against the gorgeous, original windows and beautiful old pine cupboard to one side of the cosy, eco log burner.
The staircase has similar bold and beautiful walls, as well as an innovative way of reaching its shelving. The bathroom is tucked away (you might consider a light tunnel) so that there are still three super bedrooms, with their unusually tall, sloping ceilings. A mezzanine floor takes advantage in one – exciting for children – where there’s also has a lovely fireplace (complete with bespoke stove), typically installed in one bedroom of Duke of Bedford cottages in case of illness.
As with the cottage, its gardens are sometimes quirky, always charming. A working Belfast sink stands to one side of the porch, a potting sink to the other. An old door and mirror mimic an opening to the former, communal bakehouse, with a lovely area to sit and relax next to it, perhaps watching over young children playing on the lawns. A series of outdoor rooms stocked full of pretty, bee-friendly flowers and shrubs as well as striking, structural plants and bird-filled trees, lead under a rose-clad arbour and culminate in a perfectly peaceful place, complete with romantic, vine- clad seat and a terrace to eat and entertain. Delightful!
