Much admired house on the green in a perfect English village

Description

The main house, the cottage and the stone outbuildings form an appealing and harmonious group of Grade II Listed buildings on the west side of the village green. The courtyard was formerly the village pound, where stray animals were held, from which the house takes its name.

Old Pound House dates from the mid-18th Century with later additions. A handsome village house set back from the village green with an attractive front facade, built of Cotswold stone beneath a traditional stone tiled roof. The windows are in a pleasing combination of styles offering delightful views across the green to the village at the front and overlooking the walled rear garden.

From the front garden the wide front door opens onto a generous reception hall with a part flagstone and part oak floor which is currently utilised as a dining hall. The drawing room offers an abundance of light and space with leaded windows overlooking the front garden and a large bay window overlooking the rear garden. There is planning permission to extend the drawing room out into the back garden. The kitchen/breakfast room again offers plenty of light with casement windows, a raised ceiling and roof lights over the kitchen, an Aga, granite work surfaces and pantry.

On the first floor there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms, the principal suite occupies one end of the house with access to the back staircase. The windows are predominantly large and to the front with lovely views of the green. On the second floor there is a further bedroom suite with vaulted ceiling and exposed beams and, accessed by a separate staircase, an unmodernised attic room. There is planning permission to add a first floor bathroom.

Adjoining the guest barn, there is a party barn and gym. There is a stone-built studio with kitchen and WC on the other side of the courtyard.

The guest annexe has been tastefully converted and offers stylish ancillary accommodation with oak and flagstone floors, exposed timbers and stone work. On the ground floor there is a kitchen with an AGA, a living room/study and a cloakroom. Reached by an elm staircase the first floor includes a spacious bedroom and bathroom, both with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams.

The formal garden at the back of the property is surrounded by a stone wall consisting of an elevated swimming pool, a garden office in one corner, a large greenhouse and several fully stocked flower beds. Over the wall to the right is a large orchard with a number of mature trees and raised vegetable beds.

Location

Kingham is a particularly attractive village situated on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border in the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This ancient village, dating from Saxon times and recorded in the Domesday Book, is now a thriving community with a village green, a medieval church, a primary school (ranked ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted), 2 public houses (The Kingham Plough and The Wild Rabbit), a hotel, a village shop and post office, village hall, play park and football fields. In 2004 a Country Life panel judged Kingham to be “England’s Favourite Village” and in March 2016 the Sunday Times named it the best place to live in the South East of England.

In addition to the local primary school, a range of other excellent schools are within easy reach. Private schooling includes Kitebrook, Kingham Hill school, Cheltenham Ladies, Cheltenham College and Dean Close, Tudor Hall and Bloxham near Banbury and the array of Oxford schools including Cothill, The Dragon, Summerfields and St Edwards.

Day-to-day amenities can be found at Chipping Norton and Stow-on-the-Wold, and a wider selection in Cheltenham and Oxford. The renowned Daylesford Farmshop, Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor are all with easy reach.

Communications are excellent with rail links from Kingham to Oxford and London Paddington. The National motorway network is accessible via the A40 or the A44 leading to the M40 Junction 8 or 9, and the A40 leading to the M5 Junction 11A. Leisure facilities in the area include racing at Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick, a golf course at the nearby Lyneham. The surrounding countryside provides wonderful walking and riding along a network of footpaths and bridleways.

Square Footage: 4,263 sq ft


Acreage: 0.96 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. After a short distance you will find Squirrel Cottage and Old Pound House on your right-hand-side.

Additional Info

Rights of Way: There are no public rights of way that cross any part of the property.

Services: Mains water, electricity and drainage are connected to the property. Oil-fired central heating.

Local authority: Cotswold District Council. Telephone[use Contact Agent Button].

Council Tax Band: Band G – Old Pound House

Energy Performance Certificate Rating: Band E – Old Pound House

All viewings strictly by appointment only through the vendor’s selling agents, Knight Frank LLP and Savills