5 bedroom house

Originally three cottages dating from the 15th century and combined into a single home for the Walton family in the 1540s, Gatehouse is a significant Grade I listed stone-built house of vernacular design, with a thatched roof of Norfolk reed. The house's title comes from the Gatehouse family, who owned it from 1699 to 1947. Indeed, the property has only had five owners in its 500-year history. It has been the family home of the present owners since 2004 and over their tenure has been fully restored and renovated under the guidance of English Heritage, SPAB and the supervising architect, Bruce Yoell. Beautifully presented, the house is set amongst its delightful private gardens. The house and guest cottage both border a mill stream, a leat from the River Brue, and look out over the property's own wildflower meadow to the surrounding countryside beyond. With its Grade I listing, the house boasts many delightful architectural features, which include flagstone and tiled floors, stone mullion windows, window seats, exposed beams and a number of lovely original fireplaces, as well as a Charles Adam overmantel restored by the V&A. There are three well-proportioned reception rooms on the ground floor and a central, split level reception hall, with both the drawing room and study enjoying pretty views out across the gardens. The kitchen is charming and has a vaulted ceiling and windows on two sides, and opens onto the south terrace overlooking the mill stream. The kitchen is fitted with bespoke, Plain English units of painted timber and a 4-oven oil-fired AGA inset into the original inglenook fireplace. A fine oak staircase rises from the hall to the main part-galleried landing, off which are the master bedroom, two further double bedrooms and the family bathroom. Beyond the master bedroom and also accessed from the ground floor by a remarkable dogleg stone staircase,
is a further double guest bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
The property, which is entirely screened from the lane by tall evergreen hedging, is approached via a gravelled parking area beside the double garage with an attached log store. A paved path leads to the house through a delightful cottage style garden, comprising of areas of lawn and borders richly planted with herbaceous perennials, flowering shrubs and roses. A second, more formal area of garden extends out on the other side of the house, with a broad lawn and pretty rose and shrub borders. To one side is a paved terrace leading to the guest cottage, which has a double bedroom and shower room. The terrace extends around behind the house to a delightful, sheltered outside dining area, which has direct access to the kitchen. The mill stream bisects the property, running beside both areas of the garden and separating the garden from the meadow, which is accessible by two attractive bridges; one of stone and the other of galvanised iron. The meadow is bounded by post and rail fencing and is planted with wildflowers in defined areas, with a further lawn at its centre and with separate vehicular access. In all the garden and grounds extend to about 1.8 acres (0.73 hectare).

Street (Millfield School) 3.8 miles, Glastonbury 3.9 miles, A303 7.1 miles, Castle Cary Train Station (Paddington 90 minutes) 8.2 miles, Bristol Airport 27.6 miles, M5/Bridgwater 16.2 miles.
(Distances and time approximate).

Gatehouse is situated on the edge of the small village of Baltonsborough, which is surrounded by the delightful, open countryside of the Somerset Levels and has a church, hall, pub, pre-school and primary school. There are extensive shopping, business and recreational facilities in Glastonbury and Street, which are both within easy driving distance, with the larger centres of Yeovil and Taunton also close by. There is an excellent range of private schools in the area including Millfield and Millfield Preparatory School (both close by). The Cathedral School in Wells and the Bruton, Sherborne and Taunton Schools. For those see

Marketed by: Knight Frank, Sherborne