3 bedroom detached house

Hornbeam Cottage is a delightful family home, originally three cottages on the renowned Highclere Estate, believed to date from 1700 but probably with earlier origins. The core of the house has well proportioned principal rooms with traditional shutters and a wealth of attractive original features including an exposed cruck timbered frame. The house has been sympathetically modernised and offers flexible accommodation. There is a versatile and spacious dining hall which links the downstairs in a useful and charming way. This room has solid elm floorboards and an exposed brick fireplace with a bread oven and wood burning stove. Double doors lead into the elegant drawing room which is over 20' in length and has an open fireplace, an attractive bay window and French doors to the garden terrace. The sitting room/study also has a fireplace, and a striking old quarry tile floor. The kitchen/breakfast room is fitted with high quality bespoke cabinetry and smart natural stone worktops, and there is also a useful utility room. The first floor is centred around an attractive landing with beautiful exposed timbers leading to the main bedroom suite which has wonderful views over the garden, and an en suite bathroom and designated dressing room area. There are two further bedrooms and a family shower room on this floor.

The gardens and grounds are a tremendous asset to the property, and cushion the house in a manicured green environment with attractive mixed borders providing colour and interest for the majority of the year. The swimming pool has a stone terrace surround and is positioned in a sheltered spot close to the house providing a focal point for outside entertaining. There is a double garage with a storage room above, which could potentially be made into a hobby room. There is also a garden shed partially housing the swimming pool equipment. To the front of Hornbeam Cottage there is a large area of land with swathes of spring bulbs and flowers which have naturalised over time. There is a greenhouse and additional parking in this area.

Hornbeam Cottage is situated in a no through lane in the hamlet of West Street on the edge of Burghclere. This is a popular and highly accessible part of north Hampshire surrounded by stunning countryside within the North Wessex Downs AONB, offering fantastic walking and riding opportunities along the many footpaths and bridleways. Burghclere itself has an active community, and a primary school, pub, village hall and church, and the larger village of Kingsclere also offers excellent local amenities including a village shop, doctors' surgery, chemist and primary school. Nearby Newbury caters for most other day-to-day needs, and offers an extensive variety of shops, cafes and restaurants. Newbury racecourse, the Watermill Theatre and Highclere Castle, famous as the setting for Downton Abbey, are also nearby. Road and rail communications are excellent with easy access to the A34, M4 (J13) and M3 (J6) all providing fast access to London and the West Country, and good train services from Newbury into London Paddington or Whitchurch into London Waterloo. There is a wide range of schools in the area for children of all ages, including Thorngrove, Horris Hill, Elstree, Cheam, Downe House, St Gabriel's and Marlborough College.