Lancaster, Lancashire

COPPERKINS

This period detached property enjoys peace and privacy tucked away in desirable and accessible Hest Bank, close to local amenities and convenient for Lancaster, the M6 and beyond.

Copperkins has been extended and improved by the present owners and offers well-proportioned accommodation with an orientation that is almost directly south facing which provides a bright, sunny aspect. There are three reception rooms and a dining kitchen with ancillary domestic offices. To the first floor are four bedrooms, (one of which is currently being used as a study) a house bathroom and en-suite shower room. Outside is an extensive parking area and a single detached garage together with a large family friendly private garden. In all, 0.25 acres.

Built in 1947 for a relative of Prentice Mawson (1885 - 1954) eldest child of Thomas Mawson, both of whom were well regarded garden designers, landscape architects and town planners. The garden is one of the main selling features. The house is named Copperkins after the five children of the first owners who all had copper coloured hair!

Highly recommended as a house of quality in a prime residential location.

Location

Situated in the picturesque village of Hest Bank, Copperkins benefits from excellent accessibility to the M6 at both J34 and J35, via the new Bay Gateway link road. It is a considered residential choice for the historic city of Lancaster (5.5 miles distant) as it’s within catchment area for the boys’ and girls’ grammar schools and Ripley St Thomas C of E Academy. Lancaster and Cumbria Universities, the two city centre hospitals, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the private Lancaster Hospital (Circle Health Group) can be reached by a short car, bus or bicycle commute.

An ever-popular village, Hest Bank has a vibrant, active local community and a much sought after primary school (Slyne-With-Hest St Luke’s C of E Primary School), in addition to a variety of sports clubs including tennis, football and bowling. Whether you like to walk, run or cycle, there are pleasant routes nearby along the shore at Hest Bank and the towpath of the Lancaster Canal. The shore is managed by the RSPB to protect wintering waders with panoramic views to the Lake District mountains.

Village amenities include a post office, two cafes, three pubs (including one canal-side), a general store, pharmacy, church with new hall and community village hall. The town of Carnforth (4 miles) provides a wider range of facilities including three supermarkets, doctors, dentist and a train station which offers regular services to the west coast mainline station at Lancaster making Manchester and London Euston (and all points in between) eminently commutable; the Lancaster to Euston service takes 2.5 hours. There’s also a highly convenient direct train service to Manchester Airport which saves on parking costs when you are jetting off.

Walking through

Purchased by the present owners in 2001, this has been a well-loved family home, indeed in the words of the vendors “a great house in which to raise our family”. In 2002 the house was extended and improved including kitchen, cloakroom and utility. New Iroko hardwood double glazed windows were installed almost throughout.

The main entrance is on the side elevation with an open slated porch. The front part- glazed door opens to an entrance vestibule from where another part glazed door leads into the main hall. All of the internal doors have been replaced with white panel doors with polished chrome handles, some of the doors have beveled glass to let the light flow through. Off the hall are a useful store cupboard and a cloakroom with an oak floor and a contemporary twopiece suite of vanity unit and WC.

The spacious main sitting room is a treat with a Clearview multifuel stove. It is cosy enough for everyday living but can accommodate a family gathering or party with ease. The south facing aspect is a wall of floor to ceiling windows and French windows creating a garden into house feel. There are double opening part glazed doors into the dining kitchen which was extended at the same time as the sitting room. When the double doors are open the rooms together provide a lovely sociable flow. The dining area has an oak floor, French windows out to the garden which along with a couple of Velux skylights allow light to flood in. The kitchen cabinets were made and fitted by English Hardwood Design Limited (Carnforth), painted in a classic cream with dark wood knobs and black granite worktop they give a timeless look. Cooks of all levels will appreciate the stainless steel Lacanche Macon range cooker with one electric and one gas oven and gas hob plus extractor fan. 1 ¼ bowl stainless sink units are set into the worktop with draining grooves cut in the granite. A peninsular unit separates the kitchen area from the dining space and provides a sociable room at family meal times or when you are entertaining.

Helping to keep the dining kitchen as a presentable living space is the provision of a separate utility room. Fitted with base and wall units and shelves there’s great storage. A fully glazed door leads outside. Also off the kitchen and with a full height glass door to the garden is a practical boot room with an oak floor and lots of storage for footwear, coats and kit.

Two further reception rooms have had various uses as the family’s requirements have changed over the years. A second sitting room is always beneficial for a family and possible options could be a formal dining room, a study for those looking to work from home, a play room if you have little ones, a dedicated hobbies room or a ground floor bedroom. The larger of the two rooms has a wall of bookshelves to be included in the sale.

Rising to the first floor the staircase has a split-level landing and a feature tall window. The main landing has a loft hatch with a pull-down aluminum ladder providing access to the roof space which is lit and boarded for storage.

The principal bedroom is a good size with three fitted wardrobes and enjoys a view over roof tops to Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland fells beyond. There’s an en-suite shower room with a corner shower cubicle, vanity unit and WC. Lacking in most modern houses and always valued, there is an airing cupboard with radiator.

The three further bedrooms, two doubles and a single, (currently being used as a study) all offer pleasant aspects and in the smaller double is some built in storage. There is a house loo separate to the bathroom. The latter has a bath and vanity unit with a window overlooking the delightful rear garden providing no better place to brush your teeth!

Gardens

First impressions count and the drive has ample space for parking and turning which is rare in many houses and so much appreciated. Bordered by a beech hedge the tarmac area is edged in stone setts and offers room for cars, campers and caravans.

To the west stands a single garage with power, light and a wooden up and over door. To the east is a useful lean-to providing storage and undercover drying area. A sandstone flagged path leads past the garage to the rear garden. For peace of mind, the garden is gated either side of the house making it secure for children and dogs.

Rounding the corner of the house the garden opens out – there’s an extensive flagged terrace bordered with a low stone wall topped with flagged coping stones. Throw some cushions on these and you’ve seating for a crowd. The south facing terrace is the perfect place for alfresco dining and enjoying the wildlife pond or sitting long into a summer’s evening round a fire pit as the sun sets. The garden is a joy and the present owners have actively planted to attract nature. Deep planted borders have established planting with a wide variety of trees, flowering shrubs and perennials. There’s colour and interest almost all year round including a good show of flowering bulbs, starting in early spring with snow drops followed by bluebells and daffodils under the trees in the orchard (eating and cooking apple trees). Scents from the lilac, roses and jasmine combine with colour from acers, azaleas, rhododendrons and hydrangeas making this a garden for all seasons. Come December you’ll be able to trim the holly bush for your Christmas wreath and garlands. At the far end of the garden stands a shed next to an orchard with a few raised beds where you might fancy growing your own vegetables. The terrace has wall mounted carriage lights, electric power point and an outside tap for watering.

INFORMATION

Directions

Easily accessible, the house can be approached from a number of directions – from the Hest Bank coastal area, from Lancaster/A6 or from the north.

Approaching from Lancaster direction, leave the city travelling northbound on the A6. After crossing over the Bay Gateway link road (the A683) turn second left onto Hest Bank Lane. Drive straight ahead here and over the crossroads (with Hasty Brow Road and Throstle Grove). Now take the third turning on the left onto The Drive. It’s the second house on the left.

Practical information

Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage.

Gas fired central heating to radiators with a heated towel rail in the bathroom. Both the condensing Vaillant Eco-tech boiler and pressurized hot water storage tank are located in the loft. Both showers are run off the mains hot water system.

Security alarm.

Council tax band F

Please note

• Carpets, curtains, curtain poles, blinds and kitchen appliances as listed are all included in the sale.

• The Drive is privately owned by the residents who share in the upkeep.

price

Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Printed 07.10.2022

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