5 bedroom house

About the House cont'd

The spacious galleried landing has a seating area with windows overlooking the front and there is also a reading room which could be used as part of a private guest wing if required. There are five double bedrooms, a dressing room, two en suites, a family bathroom and a shower room.

There is ample parking around the property, two double garages and one recently built triple garage. The property is set in the centre of its grounds and has a high degree of privacy and protection. The house is in an elevated position with panoramic views all around but particularly to the rear over the grounds and paddock and across to the woodland and adjoining lakes.

Within the grounds (though not owned) is one of the smallest churches in the Diocese of Oxford, St Leonards. The beautiful stone-built church dates to the 13/14th century and was saved from demolition in the 1970’s and is now a daughter to the church in Haversham, both within the parish of Haversham-cum-Little Linford.

History and heritage

Bury Court is on the site of the former Linford Hall which was demolished in the 1960’s. The estate was bought by a local developer, Joe Fitzgerald, who built Bury Court as his personal home. The original part of the house was built about 50 years ago and was designed in the Queen Anne style with the tall sash windows, high ceilings and decorative panelling and coving typical of that period. It was built using many of the original Tudor and Georgian bricks from Linford Hall and also used reclaimed materials from Whittlebury Hall which was derelict at that time. These included the stone balustrading and flagstone terraces, slate roof and chimney pot,a feature white marble fireplace used in the drawing room and the large wrought iron electrically operated gates at the end of the main drive.

History cont'd

The vendors have extensively extended the property, adding wings at either side which have been carefully designed to blend with the original. There is potential to create an independent annexe in either wing if desired.

The property has also been fully modernised including comprehensive security systems, Cat 6 wiring throughout and fibre broadband. All the sash windows are double glazed. High specification features include walnut and granite floors, a bespoke kitchen, a walnut staircase and Duravit and Grohe bathroom fittings and furniture throughout, successfully combining classical design with contemporary amenities.

Ground Floor

The contemporary panelled front door has glazed sidelights and opens into the impressive reception hall which is panelled to dado height and has walnut flooring and a butterfly staircase to the galleried landing. Beyond the staircase there is an area which is used as a music room and has glazed French doors to the rear terrace.

Principal Reception Rooms

The dual aspect drawing room has sash windows to the front and rear. There is walnut flooring, decorative coving and a white marble 18th century decorative fireplace housing a Firebelly woodstove. The wall opposite the fireplace has recessed glass display shelves. The walnut flooring continues into the adjoining dual aspect family room which has a Jotul contemporary gas fire in the corner. There is a cloakroom with Duravit fittings. The sitting room is connected to the orangery by double doors and has two pairs of French doors to the rear terrace. There is a range of fitted units spanning one wall with a central recess to house a television, and a Firebelly woodburning stove is located centrally.

Other Reception Rooms

The family room has a door to the dual aspect craft room which has windows to the rear and side, and a range of fitted units with a sink. There is also a study which has two windows to the front, inset display shelves and a built-in cupboard.

Gym and Office

A glazed door from the sitting room leads to the dual aspect home gym which has space for at least five pieces of equipment. A door leads to an inner hall which has a range of full height storage cupboards and a three piece cloakroom.

Stairs from the hall lead up an office above which measures over 40ft. and spans the full length of the east wing of the property. It has walnut flooring, and floor to ceiling triple Velux windows overlooking the grounds to the north and south. There are also aluminium double glazed doors with wing windows to a wrought iron Juliet balcony with views over the grounds to the east towards St Leonards parish church.

First Floor

The galleried landing has contemporary lighting and space for a seating area overlooking the drive and front garden. A cupboard on the landing houses the technology for the alarm system, CCTV and intercoms along with the networked Cat 6 cabling which runs throughout the property.

Principal Bedroom Suite

The master bedroom is accessed via a dressing room which has bespoke birds’ eye maple fitted wardrobes and cupboards. The bedroom has walnut flooring, and dual aspect windows with views to the front and rear. The en suite shower room has Duravit and Grohe fittings and furniture.

Other Bedrooms and Bathrooms

The galleried landing gives access to two further double bedrooms, one with an en suite shower room. The other bedroom has a range of fitted wardrobes by Sharps and is adjacent to the family bathroom which has a bath, separate shower cubicle, a washbasin, bidet and WC all by Duravit. The remaining accommodation on this level could be used as a private guest suite and comprises the reading room, two dual aspect double bedrooms and a shower room.

Drive and Garages

The property has two electric gated driveways and the principal entrance has period wrought iron electric gates hung on stone piers with voice and video intercom. The tarmac driveway leads to a block paved area, with a turning island, and space to park numerous cars in addition to the newly built detached triple garage which has three electric up and over doors. The drive continues on both sides of the property and leads to two double garages which are situated below the entertaining terrace at the rear. To the rear of the triple garaging there is a timber machinery store and oil tanks, and there is a further timber machine store on a concrete pad in the top corner of this part of the garden. The rear driveway from Church Lane also has electric gates and voice and video intercom.

Gardens and Grounds

Bury Court is set in mature landscaped grounds with manicured lawns which surround the property, with mature specimen trees interspersed and on the boundaries providing a high degree of privacy. The rear garden faces south and includes an extensive raised flagstone terrace with stone balustrading and far reaching views across the grounds and countryside beyond. There are two mature Wisteria plants on the rear of the property and the terrace also has an inset rose bed. Steps lead down to a further paved area with a greenhouse and access to the double garages.

A post and three rail fence separates the formal gardens from the grass paddocks which gently fall away to the south, down to the lake which is enclosed by mature woodland on three sides. A mature hedge runs the whole length of the western boundary alongside Little Linford Lane with separate gated access. The Little Linford protected nature reserve lies to the east.

Little Linford

Little Linford is a hamlet of mainly large properties and a church, St Leonards, which is adjacent to Bury Court. The hamlet is set in the Great Ouse valley and is surrounded by open countryside and protected lakes with a wide range of wildlife.

Local shopping facilities is available in the neighbouring town Newport Pagnell or the pretty Georgian market town of Olney with more extensive shopping and leisure and facilities available in Central Milton Keynes.

The neighbouring village Haversham is less than 5 minutes’ drive away and has a primary school which is rated outstanding by Ofsted. There is also an excellent choice of private schooling in the area including the Harpur Trust in Bedford (coaches pick up and drop off students a mile down the road from the property), Bury Lawn and Swanbourne House preparatory schools and Stowe, Thornton College (near Buckingham) and Northampton High School.

Leisure Activities

Leisure activities include Haversham sailing club, angling on the river Ouse and local lakes together with theatre, cinema, Xscape snowdome and David Lloyd centre in Milton Keynes. The property is only 14 miles from Woburn with its three top 100 championship golf courses and there is horse racing at Towcester and motor racing at Silverstone.