5 bedroom detached house for sale

On the market for the first time in over 100 years, Benville Farm offers the rare opportunity to live in a desirable and sought after location within the beautiful county of Dorset. The property is situated off Benville Lane and enjoys a peaceful setting with fantastic views of the property’s land and beyond. The farm buildings, of modern construction, sit to the south of the farmhouse with the productive pasture land and amenity woodland surrounding the property extending to approximately 32.54 acres (13.17 hectares).


Benville Farm occupies a delightful private location in the beautiful hamlet of Benville, three miles to the south west of the village of Corscombe, in a designated National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The attractive village of Corscombe has the locally run pub “The Fox Inn”, together with an active community based around the village hall and St. Mary’s Church.

Approximately 5 miles away is the renowned market town of Beaminster which has good restaurants, an excellent greengrocer and butcher’s shop as well as two doctor’s surgeries and dental and veterinary practices. Both Crewkerne and Bridport are approximately 8 miles away, with the coast and the charming Lyme Regis not much further. The county town of Dorchester, 15 miles away has a great range of amenities such as popular restaurants, cinemas and a good range of high street shops. Public footpath walks and public bridleways can be found on the property’s doorstep.

Communications in the area are good, with the A303 within 20 miles to the north providing access to the South West and to London via the M3. There are mainline stations at Yeovil Junction and Crewkerne with services to London Waterloo. The area is well known for its access to a large number of good private and state schools including Bryanston, Perrott Hill, the Sherborne schools, St. Anthony’s Leweston and the Thomas Hardye school in Dorchester.

THE FARMHOUSE
Constructed in the 1700s this charming Grade II listed farmhouse is nestled in the heart of the Dorset countryside and offers the opportunity to acquire a stunning family home with 32.54 acres of adjoining land and outbuildings. Benville Farmhouse is built of rubble-stone and chalk construction with a mixture of rendered elevations under a slate tile roof with stone gable copings.

An Entrance Hallway provides access to the principle rooms, and as a feature throughout this property, it has beautiful exposed flagstone flooring. Leading from the entrance hallway is one of many versatile Reception rooms/Study, featuring an open fireplace with original bread oven and a deep set window seat enjoying a delightful outlook over the front lawn and fields beyond.

Continuing from the study is the large Rear Hallway leading to the Kitchen/ Dining room and Utility area. Also accessed from the rear hallway is the original Laundry room and whilst now housing the boiler for the property, it could still be used as such with ample hanging and drying space or as further storage/ boot room. The spacious Utility area is situated to the rear of the property with direct access from the garden, with useful sink area, ideal for muddy boots and paws alike. The extended Kitchen/ Dining area was an addition to the property and enjoys double aspect views over the rear garden. The kitchen has been refitted with contemporary flooring a range of modern floor and wall mounted laminate units, small breakfast bar and space for a range of white goods. The kitchen is also equipped with an electric AGA, separate electric induction oven and most useful walk in pantry/ larder. The raised dining area is flooded with natural light again enjoying a pleasant outlook over the rear garden and terrace.
From the kitchen back into the rear hallway, there is a large Utility/Cloakroom. It is also plumbed for a washing machine. The formal Sitting and Dining rooms both boast a wealth of character and charming period features. The spacious Dining room enjoys an easterly aspect over the front lawns and features exposed wooden beams, multi- fuel burner on a raised stone hearth, and most useful storage areas either side of the fireplace with arch framed shelving and cupboards below. Adjacent to the dining room is the generous Sitting room, again featuring a large open fireplace, exposed flagstone floors and two windows with accompanying window seats to enjoy the stunning views from the front of the property.

The first floor comprises five bedrooms, two family bathrooms and is accessed via staircases at either end of the property. The Master bedroom is at the top of the stairs from the kitchen with an Ensuite. Whilst being a good sized double bedroom in its own right, Bedroom three could be incorporated with the Master bedroom to create a vast Master Suite and further improve on the ample accommodation this property provides. A separate gallery landing and cloakroom divides bedrooms two, four and five from the Master and Bedroom Three and could if required, be suitable for multi-generational living. From the stairs at the North end of the property there’s a Family bathroom with bath, WC, pedestal basin and bidet as well as secondary Jack and Jill access to Bedroom four. The second Family bathroom is situated at the opposite end of the spacious landing and comprises Bath with attached shower point, WC, basin and heated towel rail. The large bathroom does also have space for inclusion of a separate shower if desired. Bedroom two is a spacious double with a door from the main landing and a second door to the second landing. A separate gallery landing and cloakroom divides bedrooms three and four from the Master and Bedrooms One and Two and could if required, be suitable for multigenerational living. Bedroom  Three  is a fair sized double room with fireplace (not operational) as well as a single built in wardrobe space with views across the garden and leads directly to Bedroom  Four which is another generous room and like all the accommodation, featuring attractive deep set windows with double aspect views over the courtyard and towards the farm buildings. Completing the diverse range of accommodation the property has to offer is Bedroom Five, a smaller single bedroom which could also be utilised as a study/ work space or again incorporated into bedrooms four or two to create one larger room.

OUTSIDE
There is garden space to the front and back of the property, with a flat lawn garden with a selection of mature trees to the front and a raised garden and patio/ terrace to the rear. The front garden is bordered with black iron estate fencing and also has access to the main driveway and parking. At the rear is a concrete terrace/ patio area, providing the ideal space for alfresco dining as well as the elevated garden area bordered by mature hedging. There is also a side gate through the hedged boundary onto the neighbouring lane.

FARM BUILDINGS
There are a total of six farm buildings, all situated to the south of the farmhouse and located within a private and secluded farmyard.

Barn 1 is a ‘James’ constructed steel framed covered yard with a concrete floor, timber space boarding, rendered concrete panels and part cladded and sheeted roof.

Adjoining is Barn 2 a six bay steel framed lean-to with timber space boarding, a concrete floor under a fibre cement roof. Adjoining is Barn 3, a former grain store of steel under a fibre cement roof, part concrete panel and fibre cement cladding.

Barn 4 comprises an open fronted fodder and storage barn of steel and part brick part CI cladding with an asbestos roof.

Barn 5 is attached to barn four and is built of brick and stone under a sheeted roof.

Barn 6 is a detached pole barn under a sheeted roof.

THE LAND
The land comprises a block of five attractive enclosures of Grade 3 gently sloping pasture land, the enclosures are contained within well-maintained traditional hedgerows and offer far reaching views over the rolling countryside. The land is currently utilised for the grazing of livestock and has significant amenity and conservation appeal. The land totals 32.54 acres (13.17 hectares), as shown shaded red on the attached identification plan. In total the property totals 35.19 acres (14.24 hectares).

DESIGNATIONS
The land is located within Dorset’s National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

OVERAGE
The farm buildings will be sold subject to an overage provision which will apply in the event that planning permission is granted (or general permitted development rights are exercised) at any point in the future for anything other than agricultural, horticultural or equestrian purposes. The erection of a dwelling house or other residential accommodation subject to an agricultural tie will trigger the overage provision. In the event that the overage provision is triggered within the next 25 years, a payment equivalent to 25% of the market value of the land with the benefit of planning permission, or 30% of value received by the owner on the sale of the land following the grant of planning permission, will be payable (subject to certain agreed deductions). The overage payment must be paid on the date of disposal following the grant of planning permission or the date two years following the date of a planning permission or general permitted development rights (whichever shall be the earlier). 

LOTTING
The property will be offered for sale as a whole. The right is reserved however, to alter or amend the proposed lotting and prospective purchasers shall make no objection to any such changes.

SERVICES
The Farmhouse is connected to oil fired central heating, mains electricity, septic tank drainage and a newly installed bore hole private water supply. The farm buildings and land have the benefit of the private water supply.

AGRI-ENVIORNMENT SCHEMES
The land is not currently subject to any agri-environment scheme agreement.

TENURE
The property is of a freehold tenure with the benefit of vacant possession to all parts.

SPORTING RIGHTS
Sporting and mineral rights are included within the sale.

*Agents note: please be aware that the furniture in the photos are virtually staged and are NOT included in the sale.*