4 Bed Detached house Sold

Believed to date from the 17th century, or possibly even earlier, Walnut Tree House is a fascinating detached Grade II period property that is coming to the market for the first time in almost 100 years.

Upon entry one is immediately conscious of a sense of history, with a spacious beamed reception lobby with working fireplace. This was once the waiting room to the doctor's surgery previously in the adjacent room, now the boiler room with flagstone floor that provides a large storage area, an exterior door and access to a solid staircase up to the first floor. The spacious and comfortable sitting room is the highlight of the property, with a huge inglenook fireplace (now fitted with a practical and convenient wood burner), that incorporates a bread oven, candle cupboard and salt/spice cupboard. Near the fireplace are hooks in the beamed ceiling, where meat was hung to be cured in front of the fire. A vertical beam near the staircase originally provided the door frame to a taproom beyond, providing refreshment to Somerset drovers.

The dining room, like the sitting room, overlooks the front of the property and also conveys a sense of history and occasion, and there is a useful serving hatch to the kitchen. The modern kitchen/breakfast room is bathed in light and has wonderful views of Blagdon Lake and the Mendip Hills beyond. It incorporates a good range of wall and base units and a pantry cupboard. Off the kitchen the utility/boot room area includes storage cupboards and a downstairs cloakroom, and a stable door opens onto the rear garden area.

The enclosed "baulk" staircase off the sitting room is a particular feature of the property, being a very rare example of a Somerset baulk staircase, with a wooden door including oak, holly and apple wood panels. The stairs curve up and around to the first floor bedroom accommodation.

The principal bedroom suite includes a dressing room area with shower and basin and there are wonderful views towards Blagdon Lake and the surrounding countryside. There is a family bathroom and three further bedrooms, off one of which stairs lead down to the ground floor boiler room. From another bedroom stairs lead up to the large beamed loft space, that also gives a glimpse of the historical character of the property and provides potential for further accommodation, such as a playroom, office or bedroom space, subject to the necessary permissions.

Outside - from the kitchen utility area there is direct access to the garden which is mainly laid to lawn with low walls to the end, and a gated path providing access round to the front of the house. Near the back door is a raised terraced seating area that provides a wonderful spot for outside dining and entertaining, with far reaching views toward Blagdon Lake.

There is a pond and a vegetable patch and access through a wooden gate to a gravelled garden area incorporating a good range of shrubs and bushes and a walnut tree. (Agent's Note - there is a short section of unused public footpath running across the gravelled garden). Walnut Tree House owns a double garage, accessed via the driveway of the adjacent property. With separate doors, the dividing wall between the 2 original garages has been removed to create a spacious double garage.

Location - Blagdon is a popular village located on the edge of the Chew Valley between Bristol, Bath and Wells. The area is one of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village offers excellent amenities including a village store/post office, butchers, beauticians, public houses, parish church and an excellent primary school and is in the catchment area for the "outstanding" Churchill Academy and Sixth Form. Bristol Airport is within 6 miles, Wells 12 miles, Bristol 14 miles and Bath 20 miles, with junction 21 of the M5 approximately 12.3 miles away. Mainline railway services are available within 9 miles from Yatton (London Paddington from 114 minutes).