Bradnop, Leek, ST13

The Farmhouse
Outside: The Grade II Listed farmhouse is well positioned offering views over the property's own land and the stunning countryside around it. The house is surrounded by gardens to three sides, with the principal garden being south facing and a stone flagged courtyard to the other, with the gardens providing a pleasant mix of lawns, shrubs and well planted borders. The garden includes raised beds and a greenhouse.

On the eastern side of the farmhouse is the traditional L-shaped stone barn and flagstone courtyard which provides privacy and separation between the house and modern farm buildings and yard.

Inside: The farmhouse (marked 10 on plan) is entered through the front door on the southern elevation, which leads into the downstairs hallway with doors to the snug, living room and stairs to the first floor. The living room provides a good-sized comfortable space full of character with exposed beams, stone mullion windows and the original stone fireplace with wood burning stove. The second reception room lends itself well to being a snug with exposed beams, stone mullion windows and oak surround fireplace with wood burning stove. The kitchen comprises a good range of units and the original stone fireplace which now houses an Esse oil fired range cooker. There is also a door to the courtyard. There is a cloakroom accessed from the back hall and stairs down to the cellar.

The first floor comprises two good-sized double bedrooms with a single bedroom and family bathroom.

The second floor consists of an attractive attic conversion with exposed beams and small window with a further sky light providing views of the old railway bridge and open countryside. Across from this bedroom is a shower room with toilet and sink.

There is also a vaulted cellar under part of the house which contains the original salting sink for curing meats. The cellar has electric lighting and sockets installed.

The house benefits from oil fired central heating.
The house was extensively and sensitively renovated in 1996 and retains many original features without compromising on its practicality as a home suitable for modern living.

Traditional Farm Buildings
The traditional farm buildings (marked 9 on plan) are built of stone under a felt and tile roof. It is laid out in an L-shape with the larger part of the building currently used for general storage with the other part being a converted barn which was granted change of use in 1999 to create a craft studio (application SMD/1999/0553). This part comprises two ground floor rooms, the larger of which has an arched window looking out onto the courtyard and two rooms on the first floor both of which have windows and skylights. There is a wc, sink and oil fired boiler located on the ground floor. This part of the building has significant potential for conversion to residential or other uses, subject to gaining the necessary consents.

The building as a whole has a lapsed planning consent for conversion to form two holiday homes (application number SM97-0193 and listed building consent under SM97-0194).

The buildings offer scope for continued use as they are or for alternative uses (subject to planning consent) and could provide the opportunity to develop additional income streams at the property.

Modern Farm Buildings
The farm buildings are located to the east of the farmhouse and comprise:

1. 19m x 18m - Steel portal frame with lean-to, concrete floor under fibre cement roof and Yorkshire board cladding with gale breakers to feed passage. Currently used for loose housing and benefits from mains water and electricity.

2. 18m x 4m - Lean to joining buildings 1. and 3. hardcore floor under fibre cement roof. Currently used for general storage and benefits from mains water and electricity.

3. 18m x 13m - Portal frame, hardcore floor under fibre cement roof, box profile cladding with steel roller door. Currently used for machinery storage and benefits from mains electricity.

4. 18m x 12m - Steel portal frame, concrete centre passage with hardcore floor to either side under fibre cement. Part Yorkshire board clad and part box profile with sliding doors to one end. Currently used for loose housing and benefits from mains electricity.

5. 10m x 6m - Mono-pitch steel frame building with concrete floor under fibre cement roof and timber clad with gale breakers to open elevation. Currently used for loose housing and benefits from mains water and electricity.

6. 9m x 5m - Mono-pitch steel frame building with concrete floor and concrete apron to one elevation. Fibre cement roof with concrete panel walls. Currently used as loose housing and benefits from mains water and electricity.

7. 11m x 6m - Two bay midden with concrete floor and panel walls, concrete apron with drain to dirty water tank.

8. Garage 11m x 6m Steel frame, concrete floor under fibre cement roof and box profile clad with full height hinged doors with pedestrian door. Benefits from mains water and electricity. Adjoining workshop 5m x 5m Steel frame, concrete floor under fibre cement roof, block and stone clad. Benefits from mains electricity

The modern farm buildings provide a useful range of buildings for continued agricultural use or for alternative uses such as stabling, light storage, workshops or various other uses (subject to planning consent).

The Land
The land at Lower Lady Meadows Farm largely lies to the south of the farmhouse and buildings is a well laid out block of productive pasture land being generally level and extending to about 31 acres. There are some small areas of woodland and rough grazing extending to about 1.8 acres. The fields are all interconnecting providing for ease of grassland management and are well fenced for livestock.

The land is well served for access with a stone track heading south from the farm buildings giving access to the fields.

The fields are well sized and suited for livestock grazing and cutting for hay and silage, with all fields currently in long-term grass leys.
The network of stone walls across the farm provide a traditional feel very much in keeping with the local practice. The Churnet Valley Railway forms the eastern boundary and Combes Brook the southern boundary.

Lower Lady Meadows Farm is situated in an attractive area of rural Staffordshire approximately 4 miles to the south east of Leek and approximately 12 miles to the north west of Ashbourne, both of which provide a good range of cafes, shops, schools, pubs and restaurants.

The city of Stoke-on-Trent is approximately 14 miles to the south west and offers a wider range of shops, supermarkets, schools and access to the wider transport network including a train station with trains to London Euston (from 94 minutes).

The M6 (junction 16) is approximately 20 miles to the west of the farm.

Access to the property is via Lady Meadows Lane which is a public highway and crosses a single track railway line forming part of the Churnet Valley Railway, which is a heritage railway line operating a limited number of trains along this stretch of track.