Furzen Leaze Farm - Whole

Furzen Leaze Farm is situated in an excellent position between the market town of Cirencester and the village of Ewen on the edge of the Cotswold Hills. Ewen lies on the infant River Thames with the well known public house, the Wild Duck Inn, which is currently undergoing a complete refurbishment. Nearby Cirencester is a popular Cotswold market town which provides a good range of shopping and other day to day requirements. More extensive facilities can be found in the major centres of Cheltenham, Gloucester, Swindon and Bath, all easily accessible.

Motoring connections are excellent. Cirencester provides access to a number of major highways, including the A417/A419 dual carriageway, which connects the M4 and M5 motorways. The A433 / A429 Fosse Way connects with the A40 / M40 to the northeast. Regular train services from Kemble (3 miles) put London (Paddington) in about 75 minutes travelling time.

There are many recreational opportunities in the area, including golf at Cirencester, Burford and Cheltenham, racing at Cheltenham, Warwick, Bath, Newbury and Stratford, hunting with the VWH Hunt and polo at Cirencester Park.

There is an excellent range of schools in the locality, including Rendcomb College, the Cheltenham Colleges, Westonbirt, Beaudesert, Pinewood and Marlborough College. The Royal Agricultural University is located just outside Cirencester.

The farmhouse is approached over a lengthy private entrance drive which also serves the farm buildings. It is set in an attractive position with open views to the south as far as the Marlborough Downs. The house is a charming Grade 2 listed period dwelling, constructed of Cotswold stone elevations under a roof mainly covered in Cotswold slates. It is situated in the centre of the farm and is surrounded by open farmland.  Although the house requires some modernisation and refurbishment, the rooms contain many period features which offer considerable potential.

Outside, the entrance drive swings around the side of the house to a four bay, timber frame garage under a pan-tile roof with a fifth enclosed bay. To one side of this is an equestrian manége (approx. 20m x 35m). The gardens are mainly situated to the western side and rear of the house. Behind these is a pasture paddock. Immediately in front of the house there is a delightful wildflower meadow.

Five further cottages comprise the following:

Number 1 & 2 Furzen Leaze Cottages is a delightful period, grade 2 listed cottage. It originally formed two cottages, which have now been combined into a single dwelling. The cottage is constructed of Cotswold stone elevations under a pitched, Cotswold slate roof.

Numbers 3 & 4 Furzen Leaze Cottages are a pair of semi-detached cottages, set back from the entrance drive. They are constructed of partly rendered stone and red brick elevations under pitched tiled roofs. They were renovated in about 2013.

Mole End is the conversion of a former single storey farm building which was undertaken in about 2005 and has an immaculately kept walled garden.

Shooters Hill Cottage is a detached cottage situated to the south of Lot 1, adjacent to the Ewen road. It is constructed of reconstructed stone under a concrete tile roof. It is subject to an agricultural occupancy condition and is currently occupied by an ex-farm worker and his wife under a Rent (Agriculture) Act tenancy. Outside, the cottage stands in an attractive area of gardens together with a single garage.

The modern farm buildings are located near the centre of Lot 1, adjoining the farmhouse, and approached over the same entrance drive. They comprise an excellent range of modern buildings, mainly utilised for grain storage, with a capacity of up to 2,200 tonnes of on floor storage, comprising 1,900 tonnes supplied by conveyors, and 300 tonnes in bunkers.

The traditional buildings on the farm comprise a traditional barn, which is a magnificent building, listed Grade 2, of Cotswold stone construction under a mainly pitched roof covered in Cotswold slates. There is in addition a traditional stable building (23.0m x 19.6m) of Cotswold stone and red brick construction under a Cotswold slate roof, with a loft over.

The farmland extends to 741.06 acres (299.90 hectares). The farmland is generally productive, with an area of classified grade 1. On the Soil Survey plan the soils are shown as mainly Elmton 2 series, comprising productive limestone loamy soils.

The soils are in good heart, as can be seen from the Soil Analysis in the online data room. There is good vehicular access to most of the field enclosures, either from the public highway or from the farm buildings, located in the centre of Lot 1. The field boundaries are mainly neatly trimmed hedges. Most of the fields are under drained. A number of the fields are bounded by grass and wild flower margins. The woodlands are scattered across Lots 1 and 2, including Purlieus Copse on the north west boundary of Lot 1.

Furzen Leaze Farm is available as a whole or in up to four lots.