A truly unique contemporary country house

Description

Far End is accessed via a lengthy gravel driveway leading to a turning and parking area in front of the house. An architectural marvel, the house is clad in oak, presenting a striking contrast to the traditional Cotswold stone properties that characterize the region. Seamlessly blending with its natural surroundings, Far End embodies contemporary design while celebrating the stunning Cotswold views. Constructed from concrete and wood, the house showcases exquisite design and impeccable finishes, featuring exceptional joinery, metalwork, wooden floors, and expansive glazed windows. Insulated with sheep’s wool, Far End boasts an energy efficiency rating of A.

The spacious accommodation spans four floors, with the expansive kitchen/breakfast/living room as a standout feature. One end houses an elegant Bulthaup kitchen, complete with a large stainless steel preparation island and dining area. At the opposite end, a cosy sitting area includes a built-in log burner with a heat-retaining stone wall, large sliding doors, and electric internal and external blinds. The doors open at either end, offering breath-taking views of the gardens, grounds, and beyond.

The versatile lower ground floor can be adapted to suit the owners’ preferences, currently serving as a media room with a drop-down screen and space for a built-in projector, storage rooms, an exercise room, and a shower. With a door leading outside, the media room could also function as a guest or staff apartment.

The first and second floors host the bedroom accommodations, providing a well-balanced ratio of bedrooms to bathrooms. This includes the luxurious master bedroom suite, featuring a dressing area and an adjacent balcony accessible from the landing.

The Cottage is a thoughtfully designed guest cottage featuring floor to ceiling windows. This spacious retreat offers a warm ambiance and long-range views over picturesque fields, ensuring a truly serene experience for guests. The ground floor encompasses a welcoming reception hall, a cosy sitting room, a well-appointed kitchen/breakfast room, and a utility room. The sitting room, complete with a log burner, invites guests to unwind and enjoy the tranquil surroundings. The fully fitted kitchen, adorned with marble work surfaces and a double Belfast sink, affords lovely views over the expansive grounds and beyond.

Upstairs, two generously sized bedrooms and a bathroom provide ample space and comfort for guests. The Cottage’s triple-glazed windows not only contribute to energy efficiency but also enhance the peaceful atmosphere, allowing guests to fully appreciate the breath-taking scenery that envelops this charming haven.

The gardens artfully embrace the existing mature trees, showcasing lush lawns and charming informal wildflower areas. Meandering paths grant access to the orchard, potting shed/ garden store, and greenhouse, which boasts raised vegetable and herb beds. The paths lead to a natural swimming pond, accompanied by a standalone wood-fired sauna.

Adjacent to the house and accessible from the kitchen, a spacious entertaining deck offers partial coverage and horizontal electric blinds for added shade when needed. The covered section features a cosy seating area, BBQ/outdoor dining, and an entertaining space equipped with a basin, built-in hot plate, and stone preparation island. At one end of the decking, a magnificent magnolia tree stands, while a box hedge parterre lined with gravel pathways adorns the side.

Illuminated pathways and up-lit trees encircle the house, creating a magical ambiance at night. Beyond the formal gardens surrounding the property, a level grass area, once a grass tennis court, is ideal for croquet. With a large playground and trampoline, the gardens promise hours of entertainment for children.

Location

Nestled in the breath-taking Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Kingham is a charming and highly sought-after village on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border. Steeped in history dating back to Saxon times, Kingham is a vibrant community boasting a village green, a 13th-century church, an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ primary school, two acclaimed gastro pubs (The Kingham Plough and The Wild Rabbit), a hotel, a village shop and post office, a village hall, and a play
park with football fields.

Honoured as “England’s Favourite Village” by Country Life in 2004, and named the best place to live in the South East by the Sunday Times in 2016, Kingham continually ranks as one of the most desirable villages to call home.

The region offers a plethora of activities, including electric bike tours, horse riding, hiking, clay pigeon shooting, and visits to renowned attractions such as Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Cotswold Farm Park, and Batsford Arboretum.

Sports enthusiasts will enjoy nearby racing at Cheltenham, Warwick, and Stratford-upon-Avon, golf at Lyneham, and polo at Kirtlington, Cirencester, and Beaufort. The beautiful countryside invites walking, riding, and cycling along an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways.

Throughout the year, the Cotswolds hosts an array of events, from the world-renowned Cheltenham Literature Festival and Cheltenham Gold Cup Week to major music events like Wilderness Festival and the Big Feastival in Kingham. Additionally, a diverse calendar features concerts, exhibitions, literature and art festivals, Kingham Lodge’s biennial sculpture show, and theatrical productions.

Alongside Kingham’s village primary school, the area boasts an array of excellent private and state schools, including Kitebrook in Moreton-in-Marsh, Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Ladies College, various Oxford schools, the Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water, and Burford School in Burford.

Everyday amenities can be found in Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Burford, with a broader selection in Cheltenham, Oxford, Stratford, and Banbury. The renowned Daylesford Organic Farm Shop, just two miles away, offers an extensive range of food, homewares, garden essentials, cookery courses, and craft workshops for children and adults.

Additionally, the luxurious Soho Farmhouse, a 12-mile drive away, provides a countryside retreat for food, drink, wellness, and outdoor activities.

Excellent transport links include easy access to the national motorway network via the A40 or A44, connecting to the M40 at Junctions 8 or 9, and the A40 to the M5 at Junction 11A. Kingham’s mainline railway station offers convenient connections to Oxford, London Paddington, and Worcester. International airports at Birmingham, Heathrow, and Bristol are also within reach.

Square Footage: 5,468 sq ft


Acreage: 3.19 Acres

Directions

From Stow-on-the-Wold, take the A436 signposted to Chipping Norton. After about 3 miles turn right signposted Kingham. Pass Daylesford Farm Shop on your right-hand-side and at the next T junction turn right to Kingham. On entering Kingham take the first right turn on to West Street, continue to West End where at the triangle of grass turn right. Continue for a short distance and take the straight track on your left hand side where Far End will be found at the bottom.

Additional Info

Cotswold District Council: T:[use Contact Agent Button].

Services: Guntamatic Biostar wood pellet boiler with 6 tonne wood pellet store allowing bulk delivery. Standby gas boiler with LPG tank. Mains water mains electricity and drainage to a septic tank with soakaway. The house is fitted with a heat recovery ventilation system and (for summer comfort) heat control external blinds on the south and west elevations. The cottage has a 2kw electric heater in the ventilation system, a log burner and is triple glazed.

Photovoltaic array: 30 Sanyo solar photovoltaic panels which have generated 16,862kw/h in 4.5 years = 3747kwh/yr. Commissioned in November 2011 with an early Feed-In Tariff of 43.3p per kw/h. The installation thus provides an income of c. £1,600/yr on top of electricity bills being reduced by the amount of the solar energy produced being used on site.

Rainwater storage: Large underground storage tank storing runoff from the house and cottage roofs.

All viewings to be arranged strictly by appointment via Savills[use Contact Agent Button].

Particulars prepared: May 2023. Photographs taken May 2021 and July 2023.