The Old Rickyard

The Old Rickyard is a classically inspired country house designed by the renowned architect Robert Adam. The house was constructed about 20 years ago and has now settled nicely into its mature grounds complementing the beautiful views across its own paddock to a longer rural outlook. The house has been designed to maximise its position and relationship with the land, resulting in fabulous distant views on the south side, combined with privacy and seclusion in the garden. The grounds have been cleverly designed with more formal, intricate areas beside the house and cottage, and a more naturalistic open-plan design looking towards the open fields beyond. The house itself is approximately 5,500 sq ft and is arranged elegantly over two floors. There is an attractive central octagonal atrium hallway linking the Georgian inspired classical front of the property with the local generic brick and flint farmhouse portion at the rear. The house benefits from large sash and casement windows and each room either looks out over manicured grounds or benefits from a longer beautiful view. Although of a traditional design, The Old Rickyard benefits from the comfort and ease of modern living including underfloor heating throughout, tasteful wooden double glazed windows and stylish open fireplaces. The accommodation is well laid out and flows well, and the rooms are spacious and well-proportioned, and filled with plenty of natural light. The main reception rooms are elegant in style and all have attractive wooden floors and working fireplaces. The stunning kitchen is well appointed with bespoke painted wooden cabinetry, a large central island, smart granite worktops and an Aga range cooker, and large French doors open onto the south facing stone garden terrace which has spectacular views. The staircase leads up to the first floor where there are six double bedrooms and four bathrooms, including the fabulous principal bedroom suite with French doors and a Juliet balcony giving fantastic views across the garden to the stunning countryside beyond. In addition, a former period barn has been converted into a charming two bedroom cottage complementing the accommodation in the main house. The cottage also benefits from underfloor heating throughout and has been well designed with a smart kitchen, limestone floor throughout and attractive open fireplace.

The Old Rickyard is situated in Lower Green, on the edge of the village of Inkpen, surrounded by stunning rolling countryside offering superb walking, riding and cycling opportunities. Inkpen has a fantastic local community, a popular gastro-pub and a well-regarded primary school, and nearby Kintbury provides excellent local amenities including a village shop/post office, primary school, doctors’ surgery, bakery, butcher and popular pub. There is also a station providing a direct service into London Paddington. A good choice of cafes, pubs and shops can be found in Hungerford and Marlborough and the larger town of Newbury caters for most other everyday needs. The area has all the advantages of rural outdoor space combined with accessibility to larger towns and transport links. Communications are excellent with easy access to the M4 and the A34 linking with London, Heathrow Airport and the West Country, as well as train services from Kintbury, Hungerford and Newbury. There is a wide choice of schools in the area including Cheam, Elstree, Horris Hill, Downe House, Marlborough College and Bradfield College.

The gardens and grounds have been cleverly and imaginatively designed and extend to approximately 5.5 acres. The garden is now well established and enjoys different areas of interest and ‘garden rooms’ created by attractive brick walls and mature yew hedges. There is an enticing mix of tucked away and secluded areas, in contrast to wider open spaces with views towards the rolling countryside of the Berkshire/Wiltshire border. There is a seamless transition between the grounds and paddock land, and the fields and view beyond, demarcated only by some tasteful estate fencing. There is a delightful cobbled courtyard to the side of the house planted with specimen plants and shrubs designed for year-round interest, and around the house itself there are borders filled with seasonal planting creating a most beautiful foreground to the attractive architecture of the house itself. There is also a charming walled kitchen garden which is currently arranged with oak framed raised beds, fruit cages and an area of cut flowers and mature fruit trees. The property is approached from the village lane across a smart gravelled driveway leading to a turning area in front of the house. There is a further parking area, and a double car port, to the side.

Marketed by: Strutt & Parker, Newbury