House For Sale £1,500,000
EXCEPTIONAL HOME IN RURAL NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - WITH SWIM SPA LEISURE COMPLEX, AROUND 1.25 ACRES AND MUCH MORE
From Victorian farmhouse to luxury wellbeing retreat, York Cottage, with its 5 lovely bedrooms, gorgeous AGA kitchen and glass garden room link to the spa, has welcomed many a person into its beautiful house and surroundings. As it is today though, few have been able to call it home. With living space to die for, glorious gardens, garaging and gravelled parking for at least ten cars, this is some home.
On the edge of the Northamptonshire village of Bozeat, with a field separating the house from its nearest neighbour on the lane and set well back and screened by its own copse, you could be forgiven for not having caught sight of York Cottage in passing. Yet while you might see more cows than cars from the house, you can be on the main road between Milton Keynes and Wellingborough in no time and at the latter railway station in ten minutes, from where you can be in London in under an hour.
Ten minutes is also all you need to drive to Rushden Lakes Shopping Village, New Lodge Vineyard at Earls Barton, Castle Ashby, with its superb pub, fine dining restaurant, café and deli, and the quaint market town of Olney, with its antique shops, numerous eateries, independent shops and wild river swimming. The Half Moon pub at Grendon is a lovely 30-minute country walk away. Bozeat village itself has its own pub, Indian takeaway, general store, surgery, primary school, and playing fields, with outdoor gym, children’s play area. and most sports catered for from tennis to table tennis.
Bozeat’s magnificent 12th century Norman church, which survived the 1729 Great Fire, is one of many reminders of the village’s rich history, with significant Saxon and Roman finds too. More recently, Bozeat was renowned for its boot and shoe trade, with one firm designing football boots for Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore. The village is also known for the number of wells there are, which were the only source of water for people and their animals before mains supplies reached Bozeat in 1949. Many relied on a communal well, although life was easier for the York Cottage farmer who had his own (it’s still in the garden today) - quite a thought as you relax in the spa.
ABOUT THE PROPERTY
Alicia Keys’ Fallin’ is played on the Grand Piano in the centre of the oak floor of the reception hall as guests are welcomed with a glass of champagne. They glance around at the sheer beauty of the hall, with its tall, corniced ceiling, sliding sash window, Lincrusta panel between skirting and dado shelf, and the striking Victorian, cast iron fireplace. Later, eight couples tuck into a sumptuous feast prepared in the 5-oven, electric AGA, logs ablaze in the beamed dining room.
A dream for most, this is reality at York Cottage, which is designed for year-round entertaining. Two sets of bifold doors extend the kitchen to the south-facing garden terrace, French doors similarly opening one end of the spa pool leisure complex, the glass link between the two providing a delightfully calming place to sit and enjoy the gardens on both sides, not to mention the nighttime starlit sky.
Impressive as York Cottage is to visitors, it’s perfect for family life too. Surrounded by bird-filled trees (with more to be added at the end of the lawn along with a wildflower bank), yet full of natural light. And space.
It’s an uncanny fact though that - despite a gorgeous sitting room, with its magnificent Victorian fireplace, as well as a snug (equally suited to a playroom), and despite bedrooms akin to a country house hotel, not least the superb main bedroom suite and the lovely, bright bedroom overlooking the garden (a balcony, perhaps?) - everyone gravitates towards the kitchen.
Fortunately, the hub of the home is not only breathtakingly beautiful, with its Shaker-style, painted furniture topped by wonderful quartz, and fabulous appliances including AGA, hot tap and American fridge/freezer that dispenses iced water, it is large enough for everyone to mingle, to chat to the cook, for happy family breakfasts, and to slump on the sofa.
The leisure complex speaks for itself - swim spa, sauna, showers and changing rooms, yet gym and games space as well. With a football pitch-sized lawn and an exciting copse too, don’t be surprised at seeing a lot of your children’s friends. Yet you also have a lovely, secluded garden to the side, perfect for that evening glass of wine. York Cottage is a special family home.
AGENTS NOTE
A business is currently run from York Cottage and, as such, viewing times are limited.
