APPLEFORD ROAD

This graceful and quintessentially English 18th century country house sits gently within its exquisite landscape. Lovely 19th century cast iron window boxes beneath 16-pane sash windows and hipped dormers to the second floor, all make for a delightful entrance to the front of the house.

Built in 1741, Mill House showcases the stunning classic design and symmetry of the Georgian period. Original architectural and design details abound throughout the house. These include beautifully proportioned rooms with decorative plaster cornicing, floor to ceiling large pane sash windows, dado rails and deep skirtings. Panelled doors, reveals and walls, original wooden shutters and ornately carved fireplaces, with chain mesh spark curtains, all feature.

The front door, approached through the rose courtyard, opens to an entrance lobby and study and on to the main hall, in the heart of the house. All reception rooms radiate directly from the hall, making for a pleasing flow to the ground floor.

The book-lined study has an intricately carved fireplace surround with marble slips and hearth and overlooks the rose courtyard. The beautiful, dual aspect drawing room features three full height, 18-pane sashes to the bay window, opening directly to the garden. The striking marble fireplace surround, and hearth has honey coloured marble inserts and makes for a pleasing centrepiece to this lovely room, with its views over the lawns, rose parterre and ancient Cedar of Lebanon trees.

The dining room, presently used as an art room, affords the same views, and has doors opening to the kitchen and hall. Opposite, the sitting room overlooks the front gardens and features an open fireplace, two built-in corner cupboards and wooden shutters.

At the end of the hall is the kitchen with painted wood floor and wall units, a four door Aga, an Aga range cooker with a six burner hob and a walk-in pantry. Directly off is a large utility room with a walkin Chubb safe, cloakroom and access to the second staircase. There is a good sized boot room with bench seating, rear lobby and boiler room also off the kitchen.

From the hall, stairs wind to a galleried landing. The dual aspect principal bedroom, spanning the depth of the house, has an entrance lobby providing fitted wardrobes to one wall. Beyond is a large bathroom with separate bath and shower, and steps down to a further bedroom. This bedroom would make an ideal nursery or large dressing room, depending on needs. A large guest bedroom has an en suite bathroom with separate shower and lovely views over the gardens. There are three further bedrooms on this floor, two with walk-in wardrobes, a large family bathroom and two walk in linen cupboards.

A door opens to a winding staircase to the second floor where there are two attic bedrooms, a small sitting area and large bathroom, an ideal teenagers retreat

Technical specification:
Alarm connected and monitored by Chubb
Fire alarm system connected and monitored by Chubb
Chubb walk-in safe
CCTV and entry phone to entrance gate
Commercial grade Hi-speed broadband throughout the house

Outside
Magical gardens, grounds, a web of waterways, and three islands make for an enchanted paradise, affording its future custodian a true Swallows and Amazons lifestyle.

The sound of the water is an integral part of all that this utopian idyll offers. The rush of the mill race, the cascade of water as it falls from the sluice gate to the streams below, and the gentle burble as it joins the river.

The entrance drive passes the stunning mill pond, encircled by a pergola covered walk, festooned with wisteria, virginia creeper and roses. A wooden jetty projects through the lilypads enticingly. Paths lead off through wooded copse in all directions. Wooden bridges and a rope bridge crisscross the mill streams and Thames tributaries as they follow their course to the river. Paths are mown through the woodland, which during spring is a carpet of bluebells. Weeping willows grace the waters’ edges, and the mostly broadleaf woodland includes horse chestnut, oak, beech and copper beech. A number of the endangered dawn redwoods are also present and thriving. Dotted throughout the woodland are clusters of silver birch, a yew tree avenue, cherry tree walk and an octagonal wooden summerhouse.

This rich habitat is not only a haven of peace and tranquillity but supports all manner of wildlife.

The more formal gardens surround the house. They include the front rose terrace, with its old red brick paths, leading to the front door and an evening terrace on the banks of the mill pond, a lovely spot to catch the last of the evening rays. The courtyard garden, enclosed by brick walls with pleached hornbeam above, provides a sheltered space to entertain friends and family. At the rear of the house is the rose parterre and croquet lawn beneath the boughs of two ancient cedar of Lebanon trees.

A very rare and truly wonderful, magical rural idyll.