4 bedroom equestrian property for sale

Welcome…
Highclere is a secluded haven, nestled in the heart of the rolling Oxfordshire countryside, with no neighbours for hundreds of meters in each direction. This marvellous family home offers a peaceful setting and a slower pace of life in the country, ensuring your privacy and tranquillity. The magnificent Thame Park is just across the quiet country road, providing immediate access to the footpaths through the 1000 acres of parkland, with roaming wildlife and countless walking routes. The land measures around 2 acres in total, with two paddocks beyond the gardens, stretching down to a small brook.

As you arrive, turning into the driveway, you will see a small front lawned garden surrounded by hedging, giving a sense of privacy and anonymity from anyone who should drive past. There are large timber gates that, when opened, reveal the full extent of the grounds. The gravelled driveway extends down the side of the property to the end of the garden and orchard, passing the annexe and culminating at a turning area at the studio and workshop/gym.
The original part of the property was constructed in the 1920s and has the character and charm that one would expect, from timber floorboards to tiled fireplaces and box bay windows. Once purchased by a builder for his own family, the property underwent a dramatic extension, more than doubling the footprint and increasing the bedroom number to 4.

Come on in…
The covered entrance provides shelter as you enter the property. The front door opens to reveal a hallway with original treated pine floorboards and a turned staircase that ascends to the first floor. There is also a WC with a wash hand basin and a quarry-tiled floor.

Lovely Living Spaces…
The living room is spacious and bright, with large windows and two sets of French doors that lead out to the gardens and allow the light to pour in. The flooring is reclaimed beech from a former ballroom and is the perfect accompaniment for this large room - you could push back all of your furniture and dance on this floor once more.

"It is a great house for hosting parties. We open all the doors, and people spill out into the gardens where the children can play freely."

The log burner sets the scene for a cosy evening in front of the TV, where the whole family can gather and relax.

A study is at the front of the property. Part of the original part of the property is a box bay window at the front - the perfect location for a desk where you can work in natural light and take in the front garden where birds fly between the hedges and trees. The original fireplace has a tiled surround and could be lit on those wintery days when you are working hard. The chimney has not been blocked up but will require a flue if it was to be used.

Family Farmhouse Kitchen…
The ballroom flooring extends into the kitchen, a quintessentially English farmhouse kitchen, complete with an oil-fired Aga that gently warms the space all day and night. A pulley maid clothes airer hangs above for a quick and cost-efficient way to dry clothes. This is the heart of the home, where family and friends gather around the kitchen table. Hours are spent eating and chatting. Food and wine are shared, as well as stories. This is the room where it all happens. Wooden units are fitted to the perimeter and topped with oak worktops. The Belfast sink is positioned in front of a lovely window. There are views down the paddocks and to the woodland at the very end.

"Seeing animals in the paddocks and surrounding farmland from the kitchen window is lovely."

There is space for a large American-style fridge freezer and a dishwasher, ensuring that you are living a slower pace of life in the country, you are not without your modern conveniences. There is a traditional larder cupboard with shelving, a quarry-tiled floor, and a vent to ensure safe food storage.

The separate utility room has a range of units for storage and space for a washing machine and tumble dryer. There is access out to the driveway, perfect for coming in from the paddocks or a long walk with muddy boots and kicking them off here.

Time for bed…
Climb the stairs to the first floor, where you will find 4 spacious bedrooms, giving enough space for the whole family. The principal bedroom is at the rear of the home, with a door leading out onto a decked balcony to take in the view over your paddocks and the rolling countryside beyond. There are fitted wardrobes and a recently fitted en suite shower room with pale sage metro tiles and Amtico flooring. Imagine waking up with the morning sun streaming through the curtains and making a cup of tea to bring back to bed as you watch the sun rising and the birds and wildlife from the comfort of your bed.

The second bedroom also has a door leading to the balcony and those magnificent views. There are two further bedrooms positioned at the front of the property.

The house bathroom, also recently fitted, has a modern suite with a bath and shower over, a wash hand basin in a vanity unit and a WC. The illuminated mirror is not only great for personal grooming, there are in-built bluetooth speakers so you can play your favourite musical accompaniment to sing to in the shower.

Glorious Grounds…
Highclere offers plenty of outdoor space, perfect for families or individuals seeking a rural lifestyle. The paved patio area, accessed by French doors, is ideal for al fresco meals or evening drinks. The lawn extends to include an orchard of mainly apple trees, but there is also a pear and plum tree too. Plenty of home-grown fruits to make pies, crumbles and your own jam in the autumn, providing ample opportunities for outdoor activities and family bonding.

"We take the apples from the orchard to a local place to get them pressed to make apple juice or cider.”

There is a pond, which attracts lots of wildlife, beautiful insects, and the odd pheasant that strolls through.

"There is so much wildlife; we have a woodpecker and sometimes an owl that you can hear calling at dusk, as well as Red Kites and Buzzards- not something we ever saw when we lived in London."
A gate at the end of the garden leads directly into the two paddocks where there is a small stable and a water supply, perfect for keeping your horse at home. The land stretches down to large Poplar trees and a small stream.
"Parties are great - we can be as loud as we want!"

The Annexe…
Whether you are looking for accommodation for a relative or a separate unit to rent out as a supplementary income, the annexe is perfect. Half of this building is used to run a business, offering a reception area and treatment room. The other half is rented out as a one-bedroomed cottage. Incorporating the treatment room into the cottage would be straightforward and offer a very comfortable two-bedroomed property. In such idyllic settings, this could be very lucrative on either a short-term rental option or a longer-term tenancy basis. The building is eco-friendly and well-insulated, with large windows and bifold doors overlooking the fields.

The reception, treatment room and shower room have underfloor heating using an innovative and highly effective electric system that is also cheap to run. The rest of the annexe is heated with smart electric Fisher storage heaters.

There is space at the side of the annexe for parking and a little garden area.

The Workshop…
At the bottom of the garden, where the gravelled driveway ends, is the workshop. A substantial building separated into two spaces. One half is a garage and workshop, with a bench to work and plenty of space for storage. At the end of the garage the space is currently set up as a gym.

The other half of this building is a magnificent studio space. Painted white and with a vaulted ceiling, this space offers a wealth of potential. Subterranean windows and a glazed door fill the space with natural light and a picturesque view, making this a fantastic workspace or artist studio. There is even a log burner to keep you warm and cosy all year round.

"It's great to walk down the garden to work or train, a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the family home, in peaceful isolation."

Out and about…
With Thame Park just opposite the property, the walks available are marvellous, and there is a footpath to nearby Siddenham. But Thame is only half A mile away, a swift trip by car or a 10 minute walk, where you will find the historic market town, complete with supermarkets such as Waitrose. There are restaurants, coffee shops, independent businesses and boutique shops.

For transport links, the Thame & Haddenham Parkway station is very close by and has direct trains into London that take around 45 minutes, which is perfect if you still need to commute into the city, and the motorway is only 7 miles away if you need to drive.

This area is renowned for fantastic schooling, and there are excellent options to choose from, including exceptional state schools, grammar schools and private schooling if your budget allows.

"There is no bus stop nearby, so the school bus actually picked our children up from the house each morning. There was no excuse for being late!"