5 bedroom detached house

A fine detached stone house of c.2,600 sq ft, presented in fantastic condition & set in a charming village with a great school. 30x20 ft kitchen, bay-fronted living room with fireplace, 4 bedrooms & 3 en-suites, plus high energy efficiency. Bicester (40 mins rail to London) 6 miles, Oxford 10 miles. NO CHAIN.

Kirtlington needs little introduction locally. It is, simply, one of the most popular villages in North Oxfordshire. There are many reasons. The great local primary school also feeds through to an excellent C of E secondary in Woodstock (with private schools also within easy driving distance). Two high quality pub/restaurants provide great food and drink. Close road and rail links (40 mins to Marylebone from Bicester North - 6 miles away) provide immensely easy commuting.

The old stone quarry by the canal, plus the Capability Brown gardens of Kirtlington Park, offer lovely walks etc. But for many, it's the community with its all-inclusive ethos, sense of vibrancy and spirit that makes it the sort of place people rarely want to leave.

Orchard House was built to an exacting spec to provide a contemporary layout for modern tastes, a remit it excels in delivering. The result is a house that's just as stylish as it is relaxing, from the oak flooring that travels seamlessly through the downstairs, to the bespoke cabinetry, to the bay window seat in the sitting room. Both the flow and the natural light make it a house that's positive, welcoming, easy to use and enjoy. And that makes it equally tempting whether you're a family with growing children or downsizers who want to continue enjoying a great living space.

An oak-framed open porch shelters the smart front door. Once inside, the broad hallway seems to be flooded with light from all directions. It’s an interesting design, thoughtfully created to feel welcoming and spacious.

On the right, a pair of glazed, timber doors open to the living room. This is a fantastic space, large and well proportioned with a wide bay window to the front that features a deep window seat, the perfect spot from which to watch the world go by. In the fireplace a powerful and efficient woodburning stove is ideal for cold winter evenings. And either side of the fireplace, a pair of windows bring in yet more light. At the back of the room, the bespoke unit covering the whole wall is useful and attractive, with a myriad of hidden cupboards and a range of shelves flanking a broad space created to house a tv.

Across the hall, another reception is nominally termed the study but which would just as easily serve as a play room or snug. Next door the staircase adds yet more panache to the whole experience. Sturdy oak posts and rails frame toughened glass inserts, ensuring the natural light has little to hinder it. And next to the stairs is a modern cloakroom. The pair of doors next to the cloak access deep storage cupboards.

The door at the back of the hall opens to the real heart of this house. The design of the kitchen is deliberate in creating areas for different uses while linking each to the other. Look right and a set of sofas focus in on another bespoke set of cabinets, discreet doors beneath with a broad timber top above. To the rear, glazing runs the full width of the house, overlooking the garden, with two pairs of French windows to access it. The considerable light is amplified still further by three large roof lights above.

Then over to the left an island includes a breakfast bar and large storage drawers, as well as the cooker hob with a floating extractor above. Units running round two walls include dishwasher, double oven, fridge, freezer etc, with pristine white cupboards and worktops that contrast perfectly with the wood grain style of units below. This room really is all things to all people; our vendors tell us they have spent 90% of their time in here, as it’s so perfectly accommodates every possible need. And, as if it were needed, there is also a utility room adjacent, with plumbing for washing machine, tumble dryer etc. This room also features a door to the garden, so it doubles as a dog lobby/boot room.

At the top of the stairs, the landing leads off to all rooms. First on the left, an ample double room is well-proportioned and bright, with a good size window looking out over the garden. It’s en-suite with a smart shower room presented in perfect order. Opposite, another good size double room is equipped with a further en-suite with both a floating vanity unit and a thermostatic shower. Back across the landing you will find the family bathroom. Following the same style as the ensuite, this time there is a bath as well as a separate shower, catering for all tastes. And while not solely ensuite to the bedroom next door, the clever design includes a “Jack and Jill” arrangement whereby the bathroom has one door to the landing and another to the bedroom adjacent.

And the last of the four bedrooms is the most alluring. Two sets of double wardrobes cater for every need, ensuring the bedroom can remain spacious and uncluttered. The en-suite may follow the style of the others, but it’s larger and contains a pair of vanity units as well has a very wide shower. The whole effect is simple, high-quality design that’s just as pampering as it is intelligent.

Outside, the cul-de-sac lane is pleasant and leafy. To the front, the house sits well back from it behind a smart, block paved driveway secured by a pair of electric gates. There is ample parking here for four or five cars off road, with more parking (or storage) provided by the inset garage to the rear. A close board fence to the left culminates in a pedestrian gate at the rear to access the garden behind. And at the front, various pretty shrubs and flowers are maturing into a soft and attractive frame to the boundary, with a seating area behind it off to the right.

Behind the house, the garden is broad, running the full width of the house and wrapping round to the right. The stone paved terrace runs the full width of the kitchen and utility. Thereafter, a pleasant lawn is the predominant feature, finished off with a stone wall for most of the rear boundary. There are two further seating areas, one tucked against the rear fence and another, paved and timber-edged terrace in the far right corner, taking some shade from the pretty apple tree The whole effect is of secluded and peaceful relaxation, with ample space for the family to kick a ball about or entertain friends. For those who don’t know the village, there are sublime local walks, just a few minutes away, down to canals and locks, or across into the beautiful grounds of Kirtlington Park barely 100 metres distant.

Mains water, electricity, gas CH
Cherwell District Council
Council tax band G
£3,663-78 p.a. 2023/24
Freehold