5 bedroom farm house

Dating back to the 17th century or earlier and Grade II listed, Stayners Farm is in a lovely setting, positioned well back from the passing lane and backing onto unspoilt countryside. It is built of local stone under a slate roof with a later extension at the rear with views across the garden towards Bulbarrow Hill. It was clearly built for someone of means as it contains some fine original architectural features such as moulded ceiling beams, chamfered stone fireplaces, fine plank and muntin dividing walls and nail studded plank doors. The property has been the much-loved home of the current owners for the past 12 years and has evidently been lovingly maintained and updated and is now beautifully presented. The house has an east/west axis with 3,500 ft² of accommodation spread over three floors including a suite of converted attic rooms in the roof space. Most of the ground floor is floored with Travertine natural stone tiles and incorporates four good-sized reception rooms; characterful sitting and dining rooms, both with inglenook fireplaces fitted with wood-burning stoves, the walk-through media room/study and the green oak-framed garden room, which has gas-fired log effect stove, lovely views across the garden and opens out to the adjacent terrace. The house also has a charming and cosy kitchen/breakfast room with an original elm window seat and is fitted with a Fired Earth tiled floor, bespoke painted timber units, electric hob and oven and a two-oven AGA inset in a range fireplace. Off the first floor landing are the guest bedroom, which has windows looking out to the front and back thereby catching both the morning and afternoon/evening sun, two further west-facing double bedrooms and a single bedroom that currently serves as a home office. The principal bedroom is in the roof-space along with its own adjacent bath shower room and a studio/storeroom and the former has fantastic, far-reaching views of the surrounding countryside.

Stayners Farmhouse is separated from the lane by a wide grass verge and the front garden, which is bound by waist-high stone walling and has flowerbeds filled with flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials plus a gate and gravel path to the front door. On one side is a gravelled parking area extending along one side of the house to a double stone-built double garage with integral workshop. Most of the garden extends out behind the house and is divided into two parts separated by a tall beech hedge. Immediately behind the house is a paved terrace leading onto a level lawn split onto two by a meandering gravel path. Fringing the lawn are deep, richly planted herbaceous borders, a pergola and rose-hung arbours, which provide a rich palette of colour throughout the growing season. Beyond the beech hedge is the kitchen garden containing of a small mixed orchard and four raised vegetable beds, one of which contains asparagus. Overlooking the kitchen garden are a south-facing summerhouse and a timber garden store. The rear garden is bound on either side by tall, close-boarded fencing and tucked away at the rear is a concealed compost area. In all about 0.43 acre (0.17 hectare).

Sturminster Newton 3.3 miles, Sherborne (Waterloo 2.25 hours) 8.6 miles, Dorchester 17.5 miles, Bournemouth Airport 29 miles. (Distances and time approximate).

Stayners Farm is situated off a peaceful lane on the edge of the small village of Lydlinch and within the lush and verdant Blackmore Vale, part of the Dorset AONB. Most day-to-day needs can be met in the nearby small town of Sturminster Newton, including GP, dental and veterinary surgeries, with a wider choice in the larger towns of Dorchester and Sherborne. The latter also has a regular and direct rail service to Waterloo (2.25 hours). The property is also only about an hour's drive from Bournemouth Airport. Dorset is renowned for its wide choice of excellent schools from both the state and independent sectors.