6 bedroom house

FULL ADDRESS - Alma House, Ash House Lane, Little Leigh CW8 4RG

EQUESTRIAN LIVING...ELEVATED
The equestrian lifestyle is made easy in the warm embrace of Alma House, a convenient farmhouse home surrounded by paddocks and stables. Tradition, modernity, functionality and flow combine with grace; both indoors and out.

Easily accessible from the main road links, travelling along peaceful country lanes, arrive at a small collection of homes set amidst the fields surrounding the outskirts of the rural village of Little Leigh.

Escape the rat race and arrive home already relaxed courtesy of the idyllic setting of Alma House, a home built in 1854 the same year the Battle of Alma River took place, the opening battle in the Crimean War, from where the curious name of the home potentially derives.

ACCESSIBLE RURALITY
Parking is no issue, with a large gravelled area to the front and electric gates opening to a broad driveway, leading to a substantial parking area beside the stables, suitable for a large horse lorry.

A rear porch is handy for returning home from a countryside hack, but for now make your way to the front door and step into the entrance hall, where views ahead through the dining room to the contemporary kitchen extension immediately draw you in.

Oak strip flooring underfoot is homely and in keeping with the heritage of the home, replaced by original wooden floorboards through to the left in the formal drawing room.

ENTERTAINING HAVEN
A cosy room with an intimate feel, the drawing room basks in its views out over fields to the north where horses roam and champ the grass. Perfect for chilly winter evenings, hunker down in front of the open fire, set within its wooden surround, and lose yourself in a book or crossword puzzle. Traditional touches including the dado rail and high ceilings add a sense of modest grandeur to proceedings.

Perfectly positioned for after dinner games and entertaining, the drawing room neighbours the formal dining room, where robust treacle-tone beams span the ceiling in contrast to the honey-toned oak for the floor. Above the dining table a candelabra chandelier adds authentic ambience, particularly with a fire crackling in the open fireplace. Ideally poised, this room flows on perfectly from the contemporary kitchen extension beyond.

HUB OF THE HOME
The hub of the home, this modern family living-eating-cooking space allows the home to move from its original entertaining side to the everyday, family living, 21st century present. Velux lights overhead draw in abundant daylight for a bright and inviting space, warmed by underfloor heating beneath the honed limestone tiles.

Stone coloured Shaker style cabinetry provides a profusion of storage above and beneath the hardy Corian worktops, and includes a handy built-in larder cupboard ideal for storing spices.

FEAST YOUR EYES
Within the central island, an integrated microwave-oven is set, whilst an impressive electric Rangemaster oven is housed within a traditional-feel inglenook. Other in-built appliances include a fridge, dishwasher, sink and pull out bin stores.

On balmy summer days, throw open the French doors and dine alfresco with picnics and barbecues on the patio.

A home with such easy flow, a rear porch offers fantastic every day access – with space to de-boot and remove wet waterproofs, and with access through to the utility room and on to a shower room with shower, wash basin and WC.

Housing the central heating boiler, pressurised hot water tank, a range of tall cupboards for brooms, mops and cleaning essentials and more, there is also plumbing for a washer dryer in here alongside a supplementary sink.

GO WITH THE FLOW
Completing the ‘everyday living’ half of the home, slip through to the snug. With its idyllic views over the fields and toasty log burner nestled within its brick surround, settle down to an evening in front of your favourite programmes beneath the exposed, original beams.

Flow onward, returning to the entrance hall, before ascending the carpeted stairs to the first-floor landing, dressed in light tones.

Immediately to the left, soaking up verdant views through traditional sash windows over the fields to the rear, step through to the third bedroom. Comfortably sized for a chest of drawers and double bed, this room is ideal for children or guests.

SOAK AND SLEEP
Turning right out of this bedroom, refresh and revive in the family bathroom, sleekly tiled in white with burgundy feature banding. A centrally filling bath tub offers the perfect spot in which to soak away the aches, with a traditional-style showerhead fitted above. There is also a wash basin with vanity unit storage and WC.

Next door, also overlooking the paddocks to the rear of the home is the spacious second bedroom, where an array of fitted furniture includes wardrobes and drawers. Carpeted underfoot and dressed in soothing blue tones to the wall, there is ample room for a double size bed in here.

Basking in bucolic views to the front, the bountiful master bedroom affords ample space for a double bed, bedside tables, wardrobes and drawers. Light also streams through from a sash window to the side.

Also framing views over the front fields is bedroom four, currently serving as a homely study and featuring an array of fitted shelves. Working from home is no problem, with fibreoptic broadband to the property operating at speeds of around 70-80 megabytes.

ANOTHER LEVEL
Ascend the stairs once more to discover a second floor, ideal for guest accommodation or as a teenage bolthole. Immediately to the right discover bedroom five, where light pours in through a dormer window and built-in storage is available in the eaves beneath a beam. Currently serving as a storage room, this room could make another office, hobby room or even a lounge or play room.

Serving both top floor bedrooms is a neutrally dressed bathroom, replete with claw-foot roll-top bath with shower head attachment and separate shower cubicle alongside wash basin and WC.

Next door a substantially sized sixth bedroom features exposed beams and offers blissful countryside views from the high window.

Garden, grounds and outbuildings
From the patio doors, step directly out onto the Indian stone paving of the large patio, soaking up the sun from the south and providing the perfect spot for barbecues and summer fun.

Beyond, a large lawned area is enclosed by picket fencing, a safe setting for both children and pets to run around. A large hedge provides privacy along one side, with space to grow your own in the raised bed. Low maintenance and lush, the easy flow of Alma House continues outdoors.

Designed to make ease of the equestrian lifestyle, five of the seven stables (including a large corner stable and wash box) are fitted with hygienic, easy to clean Stable Soft sealed rubber flooring. Particularly kind underfoot for horses recovering from injury, it is the same product used on the walkways and parades of racecourses. Additional buildings include a tack room and workshop.

An all-weather manège installed recently by Landtech Solutions, featuring Clopf fibre surface made by Martin Collins provides good balance and bounce, with light aluminum removable flood lights from the Retractable Light Company.

Pastures totalling four acres are divided by post and rail fencing into five paddocks served by automatic water troughs, with the perimeter fencing to the entire five-acre property containing horse-friendly, dog-proof netting.

FURTHER AFIELD
Enjoy all the perks of rurality, in Little Leigh village, the centre of which is a quarter of a mile away and contains the highly sought-after Little Leigh Primary School. A wide range of schools including the prestigious independent school, The Grange, are located in nearby Hartford, only 15 minutes away by car.

With all its rural charms, Alma House is exceedingly accessible for city commutes, close to all the main roads and only three miles from the M56 and links to the M6 at Junction 10: enjoy all the benefits of the countryside and commute with ease to Manchester and beyond.

All the essential amenities are readily at hand in nearby Barnton village where there is a Co-op, Spar, pharmacy and Post Office. Northwich and its selection of cafes, bars and bistros is only three-quarters of a mile away.

For leisurely country walks, make your way to the Weaver Navigation, where the river and canal divide beneath the swing bridge providing plentiful walks along both.

Delamere Forest is a 20-minute drive away, for endless walks and riding. Enjoy drinks and a bite to eat at the local country pubs including the Leigh Arms overlooking the river.

When the horseplay is at an end, return home to the warmth and welcome of Alma House, a home where tradition, modernity and functionality flow hand in hand, both indoors and out.


Marketed by: Storeys of Cheshire, Cheshire