Hitcham, Suffolk, IP7

LOCATION: Hitcham is a popular village with village shop and parish Church and is surrounded by countryside providing some fine country walks. The well served historic village of Lavenham is 5 miles away, the A14 trunk road providing access to the ports of Ipswich and Felixstowe and access to the Cathedral town of Bury St Edmunds can be joined at Stowmarket, the latter also providing a commuter rail service. The county towns of Ipswich and Colchester are 15 miles and 20 miles respectively. Various high quality schooling options are available close by including Old Buckenham Hall in Brettenham (1.6 miles), Finborough School (6 miles) and Culford (18 miles).  

SUMMARY: Holmwood is a stunning detached country house dating back to 1865 and was once the gamekeeper's house for the Brettenham Hall estate. The house is finished in an attractive red and grey gault brick façade with charming iron latticed casement windows and diagonal shafted chimneys. The house has been greatly improved in recent years and provides versatile accommodation well-suited to modern living. Accommodation in the main house includes a charming drawing room with exposed timbers, a separate sitting room and a dining room. There is a newly installed kitchen with a versatile breakfast/living/boot room adjacent, a study and a ground floor shower room. Upstairs are five bedrooms and a further bathroom. Outside, the grounds are one of the property's finest features and are arranged into various distinct areas. A sweeping driveway leads past the front of the house, is bordered by areas of lawn and leads into a generous area of parking. This continues to the front of a large barn (in need of repair) which offers considerable scope for improvement/development and also has its own separate access from the lane (together with the annexe). Beautiful formal gardens surround the house itself with sunny terraces and areas of seating. Fenced paddocks offer the ability to keep horses/ponies or livestock. In addition there is a large section of idyllic private woodland with a vast array of mature specimen trees. A high quality two bedroom detached annexe has its own private outside space and has been finished to an exceptional standard and offers the ability to create a meaningful income through letting/holiday letting and there is also a range of stables/workshops.  

In all about 8.5 acres (sts).  

ENTRANCE HALL: Formed of an attractive porch with original front door, vaulted ceiling and staircase rising to the first floor. Doors leading to:- 

SITTING ROOM: A particularly characterful area with picture rail running throughout and stunning secondary glazed windows overlooking the front lawns. Space for seating arranged around a central mellow red brick fireplace with space for a wood burning stove. Arched opening leading to:- 

DRAWING ROOM: A stunning, well-proportioned room with a wealth of character from exposed ceiling timbers and a central brick fireplace with oak mantel, herringbone brick hearth and inset wood-burning stove. Timber and glass double doors open onto terracing and provide an attractive view over formal gardens. Door leading to:- 

KITCHEN: Recently upgraded with a flagstone floor and matching range of base and wall level shaker style units with wood-effect work surfaces incorporating a one-and-a-half sink with mixer tap above and drainer to side. Space for a free-standing range cooker with extraction above and with extensive storage throughout. Separate discreet pantry area providing further storage and space for free-standing refrigerator/freezer.  

DINING ROOM: With a lovely brick floor, plenty of room for dining table and chairs and a dual aspect outlook. Feature fireplace with brick surround.  

BREAKFAST/LIVING/BOOT ROOM: Also with flagstone flooring and providing a versatile area currently used for dogs and further dining space and with fitted coir matting and stable door opening onto the driveway. Atrium style skylight and with space and plumbing for a washing machine and useful storage cupboards off.  

INNER HALL: With doors leading to:- 

STUDY: A versatile room currently used as a home gym and for storage.  

SHOWER ROOM: Finished with tiled flooring and a shower cubicle with glass screen door, traditional style W.C and a wash hand basin on a wooden plinth.  

FIRST FLOOR  

LANDING: With access to loft storage space and useful cupboard off and with doors leading to:- 

BEDROOM ONE: A well proportioned dual aspect double bedroom with alcove suitable for storage.  

BEDROOM TWO: A charming dual aspect double bedroom with vaulted ceiling providing a sense of light and space and beautiful cast iron fireplace and fitted wardrobe off.  

BEDROOM THREE: An ideal guest bedroom with outlook over the front lawns.  

BEDROOM FOUR: With stripped pine wood flooring, vaulted ceiling and an outlook over the rear gardens and paddocks.  

BEDROOM FIVE/DRESSING ROOM: Adjacent to bedroom one and with a lovely outlook over the formal gardens. Currently in use as a dressing room but which could equally serve as a fifth double bedroom if required.  

BATHROOM: With tiled flooring and containing a tongue and grove panelled bath with mixer tap and shower attachment over. W.C., pedestal wash hand basin and linen cupboard off.  

OUTSIDE The property benefits from an impressive front garden with an open area of lawn and containing a number of mature specimen trees. Five bar gates open onto sweeping gravel driveway which leads past the house, between the house and annexe and expands into a generous area of off-road parking for numerous vehicles. The driveway continues through further gates to the front of the BARN and an additional separate vehicular access from the lane. Situated discreetly within the grounds is an extremely high quality (and recently constructed):- 

ANNEXE/HOLIDAY COTTAGE Constructed in 2022 and with a carefully designed layout to ensure privacy between the annexe and main house and which would cater beautifully to buyers with a need for multi-generational living or as a means to generate income through letting/holiday letting. The property is currently classified as a 'furnished holiday let' and we are advised that it is exempt from business rates although it is for the buyer to satisfy themselves on this point. A timber gate with a gravel pathway leads up to the front door and there is a charming area of enclosed garden, private to the annexe as well as a stone paved terrace.  

KITCHEN/DINING/LIVING ROOM: Beautifully finished with partially vaulted ceiling with skylights and glass panel door allowing for plenty of natural light. The kitchen has been finished with a high-quality range of fitted units with quartz work surfaces incorporating a one-and-half sink with mixer tap above and drainer to side. Space for cooker, space for refrigerator and plenty of storage. Room for a dining table and chairs and seating. High quality limestone flooring runs throughout.  

BEDROOM ONE: A well-proportioned double bedroom with an outlook over the front lawns and a door leading into:- 

EN-SUITE: Containing a tiled shower cubicle with glass folding door, W.C., pedestal wash hand basin and a chrome heated towel rail.  

BEDROOM TWO: A further well-proportioned double bedroom with a range of fitted storage and an outlook over the lawns to the front.  

SHOWER ROOM: Containing a corner shower cubicle with glass screen doors, rainfall style shower head and additional attachment below. W.C., pedestal wash hand basin and a chrome heated towel rail.  

The property benefits from a range of useful outbuildings including a STABLE BLOCK with 4 loose bays and a workshop to the rear. In addition, there is a substantial tin BARN with a considerable foot print which is in need of modernisation/replacement but provides the potential for further structures subject to any necessary consents.

Beautiful formal gardens have been planted with a stunning variety of colourful flowers with well-stocked beds and various terraces ideally placed to capture the sun throughout the day. Of particular note are impressive mature Oak and Silver Birch trees. The gardens are enclosed, in large part, by willow fencing.

The grounds continue with a range of fenced paddocks which are both stock proof and rabbit proof. To the rear of the plot is a stunning area of woodland with deer fencing between it and the garden and which abuts open countryside to the rear.  

SERVICES: Main water and private drainage. Main electricity connected. Oil fired heating by radiators. NOTE: None of these services have been tested by the agent. 

EPC RATING: Exempt - listed 

AGENT’S NOTES The property is Grade II listed and dates back to 1865.

The annexe currently has holiday let (FHL) classification.

Shooting rights exist over the woodland although in reality we understand are seldom exercised. For more information please contact the office.  

WHAT3WORDS: hobbies.trudges.deck 

LOCAL AUTHORITY: Babergh District Council  

COUNCIL TAX BAND: F 

VIEWING: Strictly by prior appointment only through DAVID BURR. 

NOTICE: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these sales details, they are for guidance purposes only and prospective purchasers or lessees are advised to seek their own professional advice as well as to satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their correctness. No representation or warranty whatsoever is made in relation to this property by David Burr or its employees nor do such sales details form part of any offer or contract.