6 bedroom detached house

Built from the soft honey coloured Hamstone so typical of this area, Merifield is a delightful five bedroom Grade II Listed village house with additional one bedroom annex that sits in a central position with around an acre of private gardens. As soon as the front door opens it is immediately clear that this is a home that has been given a great deal of care and attention with immaculately presented and well thought out accommodation. Retaining a wealth of original features and an abundance of character, the property has been well maintained, with a significant number of improvements made over recent years. Period details throughout the house, such as wooden beams, flagstone flooring and beautiful fireplaces have been exposed and sit seamlessly alongside updated bathrooms, kitchen and over all redecoration. Through the clever and thoughtful inclusion of stone and wood there is a real sense of charm and history that presides within this house.

Of particular note is the variety of reception rooms, each with their own character and offering a very versatile layout on the ground floor. For example, the dining room, with its front aspect, has a working fireplace, polished floorboards and lovely bay window. Whereas the drawing room is a large room with a dual aspect and an impressive open fireplace with intriguing carving above thought to come from a nearby church. Working shutters, window seats, exposed beams and flagstone flooring complete the appeal of this space.

Also worth a mention is the kitchen which lies to the rear of the house with direct access to the garden and with a charming breakfast room with two oven Rayburn adjoining it. Reclaimed antique wall and base units and wonderfully tactile pine worktops continue the traditional and rustic theme here and space is available for a large Range size cooker. An excellent pantry also serves as the ideal place for items such as a freezer, washing machine, dishwasher or other white goods along with general produce.

A staircase leads up to the first floor where there are five bedrooms, a bathroom, a shower room and cloakroom. All of these rooms have a variety of original features such as cast-iron fireplaces, wooden floorboards and exposed beams. The master bedroom is particularly spacious with an excellent dressing room which in turn leads into a lovely bathroom with free standing bath and separate shower cubicle.

Something that sets this property apart from many others is the conversion of the former cider house into a separate one bedroom annex, set over two floors and with its own access both front and rear, making it the perfect space for perhaps a relative or even as a lucrative B&B enterprise. With separate utilities and council tax the annex comes with a kitchenette, reception and dining space on the ground floor and a bedroom with impressive wide elm floorboards and an ensuite bathroom on the first floor.

Outside
To the rear of the house is a recently created paved terrace that provides the perfect, private area for a spot of alfresco dining. Beyond this the well-established garden extends to around an acre, partly walled on two sides and mainly laid to lawn with some well stocked borders and mature trees. A small paddock also lies towards the very end of the garden. A Hamstone wall and deep gravelled border can be found to the front of the property with steps up to the front door.

The driveway entrance lies to the right side of the house and provides an area of ample parking for several cars. Three garages with up and over doors and additional eaves storage provide further very useful space.

This part of south Somerset is rightly regarded as one of the finest areas in the South West, as the undulating hills and valleys give way to the wilder, and more dramatic scenery of West Dorset to the south.

Bower Hinton, a hamlet lying to the south of Martock, comprises at its heart mainly period houses and cottages. Most of the hamlet is designated a conservation area in which a policy of strict planning control has ensured that it has changed little over the years. There is an excellent farm shop at Crewkerne which is a five minute drive, and where there are a good range of everyday facilities including a Waitrose Supermarket and a swimming pool and fitness centre.

Communications to the area are excellent, the A303 lies about 1 mile to the south and is predominately dual carriageway to the M3, London to the east and Exeter to the west. There is a mainline station at Yeovil (Waterloo about 2.5 hrs) and Castle Cary (Paddington 95 minutes). Junction 25 of the M5 is within easy reach at Taunton. Rail connections are also available at Crewkerne (Exeter/Waterloo line) or Taunton (Penzance/Paddington).