Village Farmhouse

Outstanding 17th Century farmhouse with about 3 acres and significant stone barn.


Description

Re-thatched just a few years ago in 2014, Village Farmhouse was built around 1650 from stone which came from its own land.
Wander around the farmhouse and it’s clear that the interior has evolved throughout the ages, without sacrificing the immense character of each room. Victorian tiles vie for
attention with lovely old wooden, terracotta and quarry tiled floors. You might duck under some doorways, but you’ll stand tall in all the rooms. You’ll lose count of the various and
interesting knobs on the old doors. Beautiful timbers demand attention throughout, some studded with ironwork and others wound with original rope reed ties, providing additional talking points.
Just as generations of families have used the farmhouse in different ways, the space is such that there is still an unusual amount of flexibility to suit your lifestyle perfectly.
Whether it’s a dinner party or a major function, can there be anywhere better than Village Farmhouse for entertaining? And can there be anywhere more cosy to come home to following a winter walk along the river or through the ancient woods, logs ablaze in the stoves, warming soup simmering on the AGA
in the farmhouse kitchen?
Deep sills set into thick stone walls provide window seats in some rooms to sit and gaze out at the old orchard and the rest of the land. What will you see in the future? Will it be a haven for hens, sheep and goats as it is today, or will you keep horses? Might you design a beautiful landscaped garden, the
natural spring feeding a wildlife pond perhaps, wonderful views across to the lakes in the valley below, and to the higher fields
where owls and other birds of prey launch themselves from towering trees. House, barns and land combining to form a uniquely special property.

Location

Approx.mileages:
Bedford railway station: 9 miles – fast trains to
London 39 minutes. Good village bus service

Set in the heart of the conservation area of the lovely little North Bedfordshire riverside village of Odell, Village
Farmhouse is not only a wonderful and hugely interesting family home with some 3600 square feet and six bedrooms,
but it comes with multiple income earning possibilities from its land and stone barns. Given investment, the magnificent
attached former threshing barn and the charming detached former dairy could be turned into something truly special.
There’s no doubt this is an opportunity to create a lifestyle that most can only dream of.

Described by H.E.Bates in ‘‘Down the River’’ as “a village embued with a timeless natural beauty”, there’s a sense that
Odell has taken more care than many a village to avoid spoiling what has served it well for centuries. Village Farmhouse
is one of many beautiful stone homes once belonging to the Castle, which stands on the hill overlooking the 15th century
perpendicular Church of All Saints to one side and, to the other, the Bell Inn, which was built alongside the village green
at a similar time as the farmhouse. Whilst the historic nature of Odell is apparent at every turn, its friendly community
has never stood still – the village was even one of the first in the Country to launch its own web site and its hall hosts all
manner of popular events.

Odell lies between Harrold and Sharnbrook, both a short cycle ride away, with their sought-after schools for all ages,
independent shops, Co-ops, theatre, pubs and restaurants. A lovely walk through Harrold and Odell country park, with
its nature reserve, three lakes and café, and on over the ancient bridge spanning the River Great Ouse, takes you to
Carlton, to pick up fresh bread and local produce from the quaint little stores there. Odell is blessed with many super
walks, not least through Odell Great Wood, “the noblest wood in this county”, part of the forest that once stretched as
far as the Fens. Just 9 miles away is the County town, its world-renowned Harpur Trust private schools and fast trains to
the Capital. An amazing home in an amazing location.

Square Footage: 3,556 sq ft




Marketed by: Savills, Harpenden