3 bedroom house

THE LOCATION

Alpheton is a small and attractive village set to the north of the market town of Sudbury, on the main A134 to Bury St Edmunds, giving it excellent road links. This includes a regular bus service north and south with a stop within easy walking distance. Nearby are the wonderful villages of medieval Lavenham and Long Melford, which has numerous pubs, restaurants, galleries, shops and local primary schools. The surrounding countryside is most attractive. Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds each offer a good range of shops, schools and recreational facilities with train stations connecting through to London, Cambridge and beyond. The cottage is on the main Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds road but set well within the 30 mile per hour limit.  

THE PROPERTY

Smithy Cottage is listed Grade II as being of historical and architectural importance. It is built on a timber frame with traditional lime rendered elevations under a straw thatch roof. The windows at the front are timber frame with leaded lights and secondary glazing and at the rear are more modern wooden casement windows with sealed double glazed panes and secondary double glazing giving extra insulation. The interior contains a wealth of exposed timbers with good ceiling heights on both ground and first floors. There is a beautifully fitted shaker style kitchen and both sitting rooms have inglenook fireplaces, one with wood burning stove. Upstairs are two large vaulted bedrooms, the main one having an en-suite bathroom and the second one having been partitioned to provide an occasional third bedroom/study. There is a second well fitted bathroom downstairs. The house is surrounded by mature gardens with ample parking and a double length garage. 

THE ACCOMMODATION

ON THE GROUND FLOOR

Canopy Porch 6'6" x 3' (2m x 0.9m) Timber framed canopy porch with tiled roof and weatherboarding on either side, seat and post box. Heavy oak ledged and braced front door leading to :

Entrance Hall 7'6" x 4' (2.3m x 1.2m) With exposed ceiling timbers, boxed radiator, quarry tiled floor, electricity cupboard housing meter and modern consumer unit.

Sitting Room 15'x 14'3" (4.6m x 4.3m plus inglenook) At the front of the house with secondary glazed leaded light window overlooking the garden and open fields beyond. Splendid brick inglenook fireplace with heavy oak bressumer, brick hearth and former bread oven door on one side and arched recess on the other, fitted with beaten iron canopy, space for a log basket, with concealed lighting underneath. Splendid exposed ceiling timbers and upright support with brackets and some wall beams. Airing cupboard alongside the fireplace housing the hot water cylinder, radiator, various spot lamps.  

Second Sitting and Dining Room 21'3" x 15'3" (6.5m x 4.6m) Partly divided into two areas by a wall. The sitting area with secondary glazed leaded light window to the front overlooking the garden with fields beyond and a lovely old leaded light glazed window looking through to the breakfast room giving extra light. Red brick inglenook fireplace with red brick bressumer, quarry tiled hearth and fitted cast iron multi-fuel stove with display niches on either side. Fine exposed ceiling timbers and some wall beams. Radiator. The dining area with a secondary glazed leaded light bay window to the front overlooking the gardens with fields beyond, lovely stained glass leaded light window to the side beside the fireplace. This has an arched red brick fireplace with carved oak surround and mantelpiece and Yorkstone hearth, main ceiling with central beam and boxed radiator.  

Inner Lobby 9'6" x 7'3" (2.9m x 2.2m) With a door from the second sitting room through to the kitchen/breakfast room and bathroom. Painted tongue and groove clad vaulted ceiling, quarry tiled floor, radiator, space for a dresser or desk.  

Bathroom 2 8' x 6'6" (2.4m x 2m) Very nicely fitted with a traditional white suite comprising tongue and groove panelling enamel steel bath with traditional style mixer tap and shower spray, low flush WC with wooden seat and pedestal hand basin with tiled splash back, secondary glazed patterned glass window to the side, pine floorboards, painted tongue and groove ceiling with exposed central beam and downlights and wall unit providing two medicine cupboards, three drawers and display shelves, radiator.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room 16'9" x 10' (5.1m x 3m) Across the back of the house with a wide double glazed and secondary glazed window above the sink overlooking the patio and garden with spectacular views for several miles beyond. Beautifully fitted with a range of traditional shaker style wall and base cupboards on three sides, all with pine knobs and real oak wood block working surfaces including drainer. The central feature is a mock fireplace with archway above and concealed light, set into which is a Rangemaster range cooker. Well equipped with integrated dishwasher, integrated larder fridge and larder freezer, porcelain butler sink with traditional style mixer tap, plate rack and under pelmet lighting. LED downlight, radiator and herringbone sealed brick block floor. Under floor heating. 

Utility Room 11'9"x 4'6" (3.6m x 1.4m) Leading off the kitchen with a half vaulted roof. Base unit at the end with wood block effect working surface (with plumbing for a sink), further working surface to the side with spaces for washing machine and tumble dryer or freezer, floor mounted Camray 2 oil boiler supplying central heating and hot water, quarry tiled floor.  

ON THE FIRST FLOOR

Staircase A turning staircase leads up from the smaller sitting room and splits half way up to either side of the house.  

Bedroom 1 15' x 15'3" (4.6m x 4.65m) A double aspect room with a good high ceiling, partly vaulted with exposed timbers on either side, secondary glazed leaded light dormer window to the front with spectacular views over fields, and a secondary double glazed window to the rear also looking over fields for several miles. Chimney breast, radiator, built-in cupboard and two steps up to :

En Suite Bathroom with Separate Shower 12' x 9' (3.65m x 2.75m) A good sized room with a high vaulted ceiling and useful eaves storage cupboard. Fitted with a traditional white suite comprising heritage roll top free standing bath with chrome claw feet and side mixer tap with hand held body spray, low flush WC with wooden seat, large pedestal hand basin and corner shower cubicle with curved glass shower door, drain off area and electric shower. Patterned glazed secondary glazed window to the side, tiled splash backs, stained pine floor boards, radiator, towel hanging rods. 

Bedroom 2 14'6" x 12'6" (4.4m x 3.8m) Secondary glazed leaded light dormer window to the front with spectacular views to the front over open fields, partly vaulted ceiling with good height, two built-in wardrobe cupboards, radiator and door to :

Study/Occasional Bedroom  3 14'6" x 7'3" (4.4m x 2.2m) With small leaded light secondary glazed window to the side, partly vaulted ceiling with good head height, radiator. AGENTS NOTE this room was created by sub-dividing from the bedroom 2, presently in use as a study/occasional bedroom.  

OUTSIDE

Garage 32' x 10'6" (9.8m x 3.2m) Of timber frame and rendered construction under a pitched clay pantiled roof, up and over door to the front, fine exposed timbers inside, concrete floor, work bench at the end with cupboards below. Power and light connected. Roof storage in the front part. 

Overall Plot - 120' (36.5m) wide x 90' (27.5m) reducing to 75' (23m) deep - around 0.23 acres.

The Gardens The cottage stands well back from the road with a grass verge and then a mature hedge along the front with picket fencing down the side of the drive. Large shingled opening and driveway providing parking in front of the garage and down alongside with a path round to the rear. The front garden is laid to lawn which runs round to the left hand side with an old cast iron pump and flag pole. In the far left hand corner is a timber compound with SHED and LOG STORE, compost space and a LARGER TIMBER SHED with further log storage space. In the front corner is a pedestrian gate. The gardens continue across the back of the cottage with a large flagstone patio by the kitchen door with trellis screens on either side and a path leading round the other side back to the front. Oil storage tank behind a trellis screen with space for wheelie bins. At the rear boundary is a mature hedge.

Beside the cottage is a large lawned area which belongs to the farm landowners. The cottage owners are permitted to maintain this area and use it for additional parking.  

MISCELLANEOUS

SERVICES We are advised that mains water (metered), electricity, drainage and telephone (new broadband super fast fibre) are connected, although we have not made enquiries to confirm. Central heating and hot water powered by oil with storage tank tucked safely at the rear of the property. Various outside lights. Please note we have not carried out a survey, nor tested the plumbing, heating, electrical and drainage systems. House purchasers are always advised to have a survey.

COUNCIL TAX Babergh District Council (Tel: ) advised Charge Band E, amount payable 2020/2021 £2,163.43.

TENURE, SOFT FURNISHINGS & FIXTURES Freehold.  Full list provided with formal contracts. 

VIEWING AND DIRECTIONS  Viewing by appointment please through the vendor's agents, as above.