House For Sale £350,000
CHARMING 19TH CENTURY COTTAGE WITH 21ST CENTURY COMFORTS APLENTY - NOT TO MENTION GARAGE, GARDEN AND BARNS
A delightful, Duke of Bedford, 2-bedroom cottage in the popular North Bedfordshire, riverside village of Oakley, with new double-glazed wooden windows, and new kitchen and bathroom, yet with its Victorian character undimmed. Standing well back from the High Street amid a row of six similarly beautiful cottages, Rose Cottage has gardens front and back, and a barn and garage in between that were built over 100 years apart, but both of which have scope for all manner of uses.
For a small village, Oakley has a remarkable number of facilities. How lovely to be able to walk to schools for all ages, to pop across the High Street to the Bedford Arms, a highly thought of 18th century inn and restaurant fifty yards in one direction, and to a shop and post office a similar distance to the other. How lovely too to wander to Sunday service at the 12th century Church of St Mary, to know that there’s always something going on at the village hall, and for children to meet up with friends at the scout hut or the playing fields.
All this and the village is within easy reach of major road routes and less than four miles from the county town of Bedford, with its restaurants, supermarkets, shops, theatres, world-renowned private schools and fast trains to London and elsewhere.
Have a round of golf and pick up the Sunday joint from the farm in the adjoining village of Pavenham. Bromham surgery is just five minutes away. And you’re surrounded by beautiful countryside, woods and wildlife sites, with the Ouse Valley cycle route on your doorstep and with fabulous walks along the River Great Ouse beyond the historic twin bridges. There’s something for everyone of whatever age in Oakley and Rose Cottage is ready to welcome you into the friendly community.
ABOUT THE PROPERTY
Glance up at the nearby date stone, complete with Ducal coronet, and you’ll see Rose Cottage and its neighbours were built in 1868 by the 8th Duke of Bedford, He used the best materials available to avoid unnecessary repairs later, and his tenants had better facilities than many, including outside barn, the luxury of an earth closet, and water from a communal well.
The barn is now ready to be made into an office or gym, perhaps, and a brand-new downstairs bathroom is where the well was. Beautiful, reclaimed quarry tiles are underfoot in both the bathroom and the kitchen, the latter with Belfast sink as a nod to the past, and painted, Shaker-style furniture housing every modern appliance today’s family could need.
As soon as you step through the bespoke, wooden stable front door, with its lovely timber and tiled hood, a cast iron bell pull still in place, onto the oak floor of the sitting room, you instantly feel at home. There’s no more welcome a sight than a roaring log fire in the beautiful, Victorian fireplace when you and your dog return from a long winter walk along the river.
Yes, you have the open fire to add to lovely traditional-style radiators, not to mention bespoke, wooden, double-glazed windows, but just as warming are the gorgeous, old pine doors, original panelling, floorboards and ceiling timbers, none more so than in the two spacious bedrooms upstairs.
Higher than expected ceilings add to the feeling of space. Their rise and fall, peaking at the top of the illuminated, exposed red brick wall in the main bedroom, enhanced by gorgeous beams, adds to the romance of your new cottage home.
You’ve a surprising amount of built-in storage space too. Not to mention a place for coats and shoes in the rear boot room. And a choice of private outdoor space. Green fingers can work their magic in the exceedingly peaceful garden beyond the garage, perhaps growing the veg. for Sunday lunch; or in the front garden, tending roses that gave the cottage its name. Sit out with morning coffee or early evening glass of wine in a courtyard complete with Victorian lamp post and look forward to happy days ahead.
