Lower Dairy House

A rare opportunity to purchase a unique Grade II listed house of architectural & historical interest set in a beautiful rural location with a wonderful studio/office space, stunning 1 bed annexe, outbuildings, paddock, large gardens and land extending to just under 2 acres.

THE PROPERTY
Lower Dairy House occupies a very special position in this pretty and historic hamlet, made up of just a cluster of houses and a church situated alongside a no through-lane in a tranquil Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty teaming with wildlife.

Built circa 1600, the main house is listed grade II of architectural and historical interest and is built of stone, chalk and brick elevations under a slate roof. It has been lovingly and beautifully restored in recent years, and now provides very light, spacious and versatile accommodation throughout, coupled with a subtle and tasteful finish.

The hall, with custom-made oak cupboards, makes for a generous boot/cloak room and WC. The impressive bespoke kitchen with concrete worktops and Aga really is the hub of the home and forms an open plan arrangement in the centre of the house incorporating a dining area with doors opening onto the rear terrace overlooking the pretty garden and water-meadows. A useful utility room and pantry leading out to a small but very charming seating area amongst raised flower beds and herb garden is the perfect spot for morning coffee. The snug, children's play room and main staircase lead from the rear hall, while a larger sitting room/gallery is at the opposite end of the house, with its vaulted ceiling and exposed oak beams, wood burning stove, slate floor and handmade glazed openings make for an extremely flexible, light and bright space.

The first floor is equally as impressive, with a generous landing that could easily double up as a study, again with fitted oak painted bookcases. The principal bedroom (formerly the old potato store and creamery) with its vaulted ceiling, exposed timbers and medieval clunch (chalk) walls exudes character and hosts a generous shower room, separate dressing room and reveals a secret staircase taking you back down to the sitting room. Three further double bedrooms and family bathroom complete the accommodation on the first floor.

OUTBUILDINGS
The restoration of this property extends to the old Dairy that has been cleverly converted, now providing a very interesting open plan space for any new owner to interpret for themselves. A great addition to the main house, it could easily be used as a home office, suiting anyone who runs a business from home and comes complete with a polished concrete floor, vaulted ceiling, wood burning stove and underfloor heating. At the far end, a charming one bedroomed self-contained annexe/holiday bolthole is perfectly situated offering independent access. Beautifully designed and presented with exposed stone walls and timbers and vaulted ceiling, it opens onto a gravelled seating area and has separate parking to the main house and offers an additional income stream if necessary.

Furthermore, there are a quadrant of outbuildings that have also been restored and suitable for a number of uses, including stabling, storage or indeed conversion into further residential accommodation (subject to any planning permissions which may be required) plus generous open barn garaging.

OUTSIDE
The property is approached via a quiet single track lane leading to a 5-bar gate giving access to an extensive gravelled parking area and open barn garaging. The pretty gardens extend mainly to the rear of the house and comprise of lawned areas surrounded by well stocked herbaceous borders, wildflower garden and orchard. The real surprise however is the natural swimming pond and sun deck, a haven for those who love a cold water dip surrounded by nature. There is also a huge stage/raised deck that would again lend itself to a variety of purposes, maybe for yoga classes, an outside theatre, or perhaps a musical event/party.

Bifolding doors lead out from the kitchen/dining room onto a private and sunny paved terrace overlooking the garden, with views to the water meadows, chalk stream and downland beyond, making for a very tranquil and peaceful setting indeed. In addition, there are two paddocks, the smaller of the two with access from the rear of the property of approx. 0.8 acre, forming the south east boundary, and the larger situated opposite the main house, across the lane, of approx. 1.1 acre. A gravelled track provides overflow parking. The current owners have cleverly created the perfect site in which to camp, with a levelled grassed area ideal for pitching a tent or two, and have positioned a shepherd's hut (available by separate negotiation) together with a shower unit and compost loo. This of course could create a great income stream if needed.

All in all, Lower Dairy Farm would make the most perfect primary or secondary residence in this extremely beautiful location, with further opportunities to explore.

LOCATION
The tiny hamlet of Toller Fratrum, made up of just a small cluster of houses, at the confluence of the Rivers Frome and Hooke, lies at the end of a very quiet and peaceful single track, a short distance from the village of Maiden Newton.

Inhabited from the Bronze Age, Toller Fratrum is a place layered with history: the word Toller derives from the original Saxon name of the chalk river, while Fratrum refers to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (the soldiering doctors of the Crusades) who once owned and ran the farmstead - Toller Fratrum's church of St Basil is dedicated to this 4th century cleric, who became the patron saint of hospitals, and is clearly a place of historic significance with its celebrated and much-visited ancient font.

The popular and vibrant village of Maiden Newton has a post office, newsagent, garage, public house, café, hardware shop, fish and chip shop, doctors surgery, primary school and railway station, with trains to Dorchester, Weymouth, Bath & Bristol; and also offers easy access to the A37 to Yeovil.



Marketed by: Jackson-Stops, Bridport