Nestled in Suffolk's pastoral landscape on the outskirts of Monewden village in Suffolk is this beautiful, Grade II-listed house. The oak-framed, lime-rendered house is set in large gardens extending over approximately three acres, encompassing an orchard, a vegetable garden and an idyllic swimming pond which is swathed in water lilies each year. The house dates to the late 16th century, and the knots and twists of the exposed timber skeleton, paned casement windows and later 17th-century sawtoothed chimney stacks make it a fine example of the Suffolk vernacular. Framlingham is only a short drive away for day-to-day amenities, as is Ipswich where there are direct train links to London.

Setting the Scene  

Positioned on a quiet country lane between Monewden and Otley villages, the gardens of the house blur into Suffolk's rolling pastures and wild hedgerows. On the same lane is Martin’s Meadows, one of only a few flower-rich hay meadows still left in the county and consequently identified as a designated 'Area of Special Scientific Interest'. In spring, the meadows teem with wildflowers and early-purple, green-winged and pyramidal orchids; in late summer, meadow saffron blooms.

The Grand Tour 

A gate in the front hedge swings open to the garden, with a path running past ponds, fragrant honeysuckle and a mature oak tree to the entrance of the house. The timber door, painted in 'Baked Cherry' by Little Greene, sits proudly amidst the white, lime-rendered façade and opens to the centrally positioned kitchen and dining room around which the ground floor living spaces are arranged. 

In the kitchen, oak floorboards run underfoot and exposed oak beams soar overhead. Here, the timber cabinetry is finished in 'Livid' by Little Greene and set with marble worktops. A large cooker with a six-ring gas hob is set into an old fireplace . A casement window over the kitchen sink takes in views over the front garden and wild meadows opposite, while a window on the opposite side of the room peers over the leafy vegetable patch. There is plenty of space for a large dining table to be set in the centre of the room. To the rear of the kitchen is the sunroom; this later addition makes use of locally reclaimed glass doors that can be opened to the back lawn, creating a wonderful flow between inside and out.

On the right side of the kitchen, in a wing of converted manger barns, is a double bedroom and adjoining study, as well as a handy utility room and a shower room. Light falls gently on the smooth, poured concrete floors which contrast beautifully with the weathered surfaces of the manger’s original timber partitions. 

Opening from the kitchen to the left of the plan is a snug, where warm-toned ash floorboards and a wood-burning stove set into a fireplace of exposed brick give the room a cosy atmosphere. Doors on either side of the hearth lead to a living room with high ceilings, where light filters through eight-over-eight sash windows as well as a reinstated oak mullioned window. The generous proportions of the room, coupled with the large open fire set atop a raised hearth, make the space perfect for entertaining guests in the evening.  

Between these reception rooms, a staircase weaves to the first floor where there are two double bedrooms and a family bathroom. In the primary bedroom, light falls through leaded windows and a roof light to land on the undulating surface of the walls washed in ‘Elephant’s Breath’ by Farrow and Ball. At one side there is a built-in wardrobe, while at the other a little boarded door opens to an adjoining dressing room and en suite bathroom. Here, a claw-foot, roll-top bath sits on a floor of decorative tiles, perfectly positioned for admiring the details of the oak beams and stained-glass screen during a relaxing soak. In the second bedroom, wide elm floorboards are complemented by close timber studwork, a sign of its considered late-medieval design.

The walls of the family bathroom are lined with timber reclaimed from one of the farmhouse's original barns, and a red-painted roll-top bath with antique globe taps is striking against the soft grey walls.  

Ascending to the top floor, there is a large room tucked in the eaves of the house, taking in idyllic views over the gardens, swimming pond and the countryside beyond. The current owners have arranged the room with a large double bed, but the space could also make a bright office or a studio.

The Great Outdoors  

The gardens of the house spread over approximately three-acres, and the soft edges and wild plantings meld with the picturesque Suffolk countryside that surrounds the house. A wild swimming pond is bordered by billowing bulrushes and cloaked in pink flowering water lilies that each year make for an idyllic setting for an early morning dip, a weekend of paddle boarding or simply sitting underneath the cherry tree and watching the gold koi swim lazily by. 

Climbing roses wind over the 'Ogden White' lime-washed walls of the house, the red flowers sitting in wonderful contrast with the bright greens and yellows of mature Indian bean and ginkgo trees. Sitting among a series of outbuildings, which make useful potting sheds and wood stores, there is a vegetable garden for cultivating greens, herbs and roots for use in the kitchen, and an orchard planted with fruiting apple, cherry, pear and plum trees. 

A cabin looks over the swimming pond, offering additional space for guests with fantastic views over the flowering lilies. At the rear of the garden a large workshop could also be used as a generous garage. 

Out and About

Surrounded by sprawling fields and pastures, Cherry Tree Farm takes a wonderfully rural setting between the villages of Monewden and Otley. Daily amenities in Otley include a village shop and a post office. Perched on the outskirts of the village is Otley Hall; the Grade I-listed moated Tudor manor is fine example of medieval Suffolk architecture, and in the 10-acres of stunning grounds an oak-framed timber barn is now home to an excellent café. For more architectural delights nearby Helmingham Hall is 10-minute drive, a lovely place for a stroll through the rose garden, orchards and formal plantings 

In Monewden there is Acre Farm is a micro-bakery delivering fresh bread from Wildfarmed flour, buns, apple juice and marmalade. In the village of Framlingham, less than a 20-minute drive from the house, there is an array of cafes and restaurants, including Watson and Walpole for Italian fare, and The Ice Cream Shop just outside Framlingham Castle serving Suffolk Meadow gelatos that are made just outside Halesworth. 

The arts are similarly well served in the area. Snape Maltings and Leiston Abbey host celebrated musical concerts that draw many international musicians. There are also areas of outstanding natural beauty nearby, with nature reserves at Minsmere and Redgrave and Lopham Fenns. The stunning Suffolk coastline with vast tracts of reedbeds, heath and beach, is around half an hour by car. Sutton Hoo, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, sits on the banks of the nearby River Deben.

Ipswich Station, a 30-minute drive away, provides frequent connections to London, as well as to Cambridge and Norwich, and Wickham Market station is only a 15-minute drive.

Council Tax Band: E