Banbury, Oxfordshire

NORLAND HOUSE

An outstanding extended period house situated in this very attractive and highly sought after village, offering light & spacious accommodation, parking for 3 cars, a 1/3 acre plot and a large detached stone annexe.

GROUND FLOOR

A tiled storm porch and casement door brings you into this charming period house, being one of the oldest in the village. The first reception room is currently arranged as a formal dining room but is versatile. The main ceiling beam is supported by two attractive stanchions, oak flooring, turned staircase to the upstairs, down lighters, rear window, front window with deep sill and shutters. The main living room has an impressive inglenook fireplace with a flagstone hearth and multi-fuel stove, bread oven and inset lighting. This bright and spacious room has oak flooring, TV point, single glazed stone mullion windows – with window seats – under stair storage and great views over the village. There is a fabulous old ledged door to the kitchen.

The spacious, light, open plan L-shaped kitchen breakfast room is perfect for families or those who love to entertain a full house of family or friends. The kitchen area has been skilfully arranged to accommodate a range of pale white fronted solid floor cabinets with built in refuse bins, pan drawers, two Neff fan-assisted ovens, Bosch induction hob, concealed extractor hood. There are Quartz work surfaces, a Villeroy & Boch double enamel sink unit, further eye-level cupboards, a plate rack and tall fitted larder unit. Limestone flagstone flooring, track lighting, ceramic wall tiles, window looking out on a rose garden. The generous breakfast room has double French doors that allow light to fill the room and open fully onto the patio. It also has a beautiful limestone floor, column radiator, down lighters, room for a farmhouse table and 8 chairs with comfort, double glazed side door and side window. Further doors lead to a useful boot room, great for storing outdoor wear and drying off wet dogs! The utility room has white fronted base and eye-level cupboards, plumbing for a washing machine, an oak work surface, limestone flooring, down lighters and tiled walls. The cloakroom has half panelled wooden walls and an opaque window.

Seller Insight

Occupying an enviable location on a quiet road in the much sought-after village of Hornton is Norland House, a beautiful four-bedroom period home, which boasts an extremely attractive garden as well as a self-contained annexe. “I’d say my husband and I spent almost two years looking for the perfect property, and that was simply because we had such an extensive wish list,” says Cath. “We wanted an old stone house, one that had real character and charm, and we wanted it to be within a village community in a rural location. But we also wanted good room sizes and lots of light. I was commuting into both London and Birmingham on a regular basis at the time, so we needed easy access to the motorway and mainline rail network without seeing or hearing either! And finally, we wanted a home that made it easy to accommodate and entertain friends and host visits from our large family. When we came across Norland House we felt like we hit the jackpot as the property and location offered absolutely everything we’d been searching for.”

“The house itself is built in locally quarried, warm ironstone with a stone annexe that has served many purposes over the years, including accommodating long stay guests and giving me a quiet space to work from home. The original building is around 450 years old with mullion windows and an inglenook fireplace in the living room. If you look closely you can see the marks where swords were sharpened, probably during the English Civil war.

During our time here we’ve repointed and replastered the house, added a two-storey rear extension, which includes a new master bedroom with a vaulted A-frame oak roof, ensuite shower room with exposed beams and a Juliette balcony that overlooks the garden. Downstairs the breakfast room has been replaced and enlarged, with a utility, boot room and cloakroom added. The kitchen was replaced with a handmade one. We also now have three bathrooms upstairs, including the ensuite, so there are never any queues in the morning!

We’ve done a huge amount of work to make the house into a bigger and better functioning home, but we have maintained the character and charm that drew us to it in the first place. All the work has been done extremely sympathetically so it’s very hard to tell old from new.”

“The garden is another gorgeous feature, very peaceful and not overlooked. Because Hornton is in a valley, all the village gardens are gently sloped but ours is terraced. We have created a number of different areas where we can sit out, relax and entertain… There’s a big patio, two rose gardens, dining terrace, a large area of lawn, and at the top is a beautiful shrubbery with a magnificent walnut tree. From the top you can see right across the village and countryside beyond.” Favourite room: “I like all the rooms and visitors often say coming to the house feels like getting a big hug because it’s so warm and welcoming. I have to say, snoozing in front of the log burner after Sunday lunch is rather nice, but I think my favourite place is on the dining terrace, on a warm summer’s evening, listening to the birds and enjoying a cold glass of wine. It feels very good to be alive”.

“Hornton is a hidden gem. It’s not overpopulated; it has a superb sense of community; but we’ve always felt nicely removed from the everyday hustle and bustle of life. It’s surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside so you get the feeling of being somewhere like rural Devon, but we have the convenience of Banbury only fifteen minutes up the road and access to really good transport links. So overall, it’s somewhere we’ve been able to enjoy the best of both worlds.”

“Beyond the top terrace of the garden we have a gate that leads to the village allotments. I grow veg there and it’s where I keep my chickens. It’s actually fuelled our passion for outdoor living which is why we’ve decided to move to a property with more land.”

“We absolutely love this house and if we could pick it up and take it with us, we’d do it in a heartbeat,” says the owner. “I’ll miss everything about it and the lifestyle it has given us here, but most of all I’ll miss the village community we have been part of and the wonderful friends we’ve made during our time here.”*

* These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.

FIRST FLOOR

The split-level landing provides two wide loft hatches, high Velux window, downlights, smoke alarms, a bespoke shoe cupboard, book shelving and exposed stone work. Steps lead up to the rear extension and the main bedroom with a vaulted ceiling, exposed oak A-Frame and purlins. This warm and private room has fabulous hand-made oak wardrobes and drawer sets blending in perfectly. There are two Velux windows, double doors and a wrought-iron Juliet balcony affording great views over the garden and a perfect location to enjoy sunsets directly to the west. The en-suite has a fully tiled shower enclosure with an electric power shower and curved doors. There is also a wash-hand basin with cupboard beneath, low-level WC, ladder radiator, quality floor tiling, wall light, extractor fan, vaulted ceiling with Velux and exposed beams.

The main family bathroom has a wide walk-in shower enclosure with a curved shower screen and rain shower, washstand with a circular white hand basin, column mixer tap and glass shelving beneath. White oval shaped bath on a wooden stand, low-level WC. Large ladder radiator, quality floor tiles, shaver point, rear window with garden views.

The second bedroom is a really bright ‘king size’ room with display ledges, TV point and a shuttered side window giving fine views over the village and open countryside beyond. The equally large third bedroom has a front dormer window. The fourth double bedroom has an airing cupboard, loft access and a tiny rear window peaking up the garden with a charming little shutter. With its tiny window this room will be contested by younger visitors or resident children!

A separate shower room is fully tiled and houses a shower enclosure with rain shower, low-level WC, wash-hand basin with storage below, ladder radiator, fitted mirror, shaver point, wall light point, down lighters and a Velux window.

OUTSIDE

Frontage & Parking Facilities

Norland House sits alongside the village lane with a narrow verge across the wide frontage. There is a raised flower bed on the side with stone retaining walls and one of two David Austin rose gardens on the south side of the house. Steps and a curved handrail lead to a stone wall and gated archway leading to the private side terrace. There is a PIR security light on the annexe illuminating the paved driveway that can accommodate three vehicles (or two larger ones).

Rear Garden

Surrounding the rear extension is a large patio offering privacy with stone retaining walls and two flights of steps taking you up to the larger rose garden in front of a large dining and seating area with stone chippings and lattice fencing giving a screen from the house. The rear garden has been carefully terraced by many hands over time to ensure it is user friendly, manageable and all sections are easily reached with meandering paths and wooden sleeper steps to its many ‘nooks and crannies’. The level lawn area is surrounded by established hedging and shrubbery, a maple tree and two garden sheds. There are three separate power and two cold water points in the garden. There is a level south-facing area beside the annex, which hosts the current owner’s shepherds hut but could host an outdoor kitchen or site a further sun terrace. The garden rises to the rear boundary gently where there is a magnificent walnut tree, with a couple of smaller ones nearby. The garden has plenty of ground cover and is a haven for birds and wildlife, compost area, ferns, variegated holly bushes and at least one buddleia. The garden is enclosed on all boundaries by mature trees, shrubs, bushes and wooden fencing. There is fencing on the rear boundary and a five bar gate leading to the village allotments behind (you can apply for a plot when one becomes available). The garden is directly west-facing and measures around 132ft by 80ft with a total plot of around 1/3 acre.

Detached Stone Annexe

To the north of the house is a substantial ironstone detached outbuilding with a high pitched and tiled roof. It was constructed over 40 years ago to a good standard as a snooker room. Since divided into two large rooms with a smart shower room, it could naturally meet a whole range of requirements with some further work and investment. With necessary consents, these could include a superb gymnasium, offices, passive income through ‘Airbnb’ or full time accommodation for a family member. It shares the main house central heating system, has a cold-water supply, windows and an independent consumer unit.

LOCATION

Hornton village has been closely associated with warm ironstone for around 1,000 years, evidenced in all the local villages and was used when nearby Broughton Castle was fully overhauled in around 1530. The quarry only ceased production of this attractive stone in 2000. It was rumoured that Oliver Cromwell stayed overnight in the village at the time of The Battle of Edgehill in 1642 (and was still late for the start!). The village community is extremely friendly, active, and all residents are made very welcome. The village school has enjoyed an excellent reputation over many decades, the Church (dating from the 12th century) is close by and there is also a Methodist Chapel and thatched pub. The village green hosts a large annual fete that is well attended by many neighbouring villages and the Maypole dancing is always a lovely thing to witness surrounded by many diverse side stalls. There are some fabulous old stone and thatched houses in the village and the playing fields, tennis courts and village hall are on Bell Street at the edge of the village. Senior schooling is in Bloxham at The Warriner that now has a 6th form also. There are several excellent farm shops nearby including Carpenters near Warmington. The village pub – The Dun Cow – offers good food. Alternatively, the nearby Falcon is a very popular restaurant, The Bell at Shenington is well regarded, The Moon & Sixpence is just across the M40 in Hanwell and The Castle restaurant overlooks nearby Edghill battlefield. The M40 (J11) is around 5 miles to the south giving fast access to the motorway network. Birmingham airport is around 38 miles away. Regular, direct trains from Banbury give access to Marylebone, central London, and central Birmingham in less than an hour.

Local Authority

Cherwell District Council.

Telephone (01295) 227000.

Council Tax Band ‘F’.

Current Payable £3,217.51p PA

Services

Mains electricity, water, drainage, oil-fired central heating to radiators, BT (fast broadband should deliver 66-73 Mbps download, and 16-18 Mbps upload speeds typically).

Viewing Arrangements

Strictly through the vendors sole agents Fine & Country on either (01295) 239665 or (07761) 439927.

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday 9am - 7pm

Saturday 9am - 5pm

Sunday By prior arrangement

Directions

From the Banbury Cross, head northwards to the main crossroads at the Three Pigeons public house. Turn left here on to the A4100 Warwick Road and stay on this road until you leave the outskirts of Banbury. After just over a mile turn left where signposted Horley & Hornton. As you enter Horley, turn right at the only T-junction and continue for around a further 3 miles. Turn left in to Hornton and you will be on Millers Lane. Just after the bungalows on your right, you will easily find our Fine & Country board outside this handsome property.

Guide price £950,000

Registered in England and Wales. Company Reg No. 09929046. VAT No. 232999961

Registered Office 5 Regent Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2PE copyright © 2023 Fine & Country Ltd.

Norland House, Millers Lane, Hornton, Banbury

Approximate Gross Internal Area

Main House = 1836 Sq Ft/171 Sq M

Annexe = 470 Sq Ft/44 Sq M

Total = 2306 Sq Ft/215 Sq M

FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY - NOT TO SCALE

The position & size of doors, windows, appliances and other features are approximate only. © ehouse. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited. Drawing ref. dig/8562912/LPV

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 09.08.2023

FINE & COUNTRY

CHRISTOPHER E MOBBS FNAEA CPEA PARTNER AGENT

Fine & Country Banbury

36 years experience | 07761 439927 | DD: (01295) 239665 email: chris.mobbs@fineandcountry.com

Chris was born and educated in Banbury and has been a senior and key member of Fine & Country since he joined in January 2003. He is a long standing and active fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents and joined the industry in May 1986. Chris is a consummate professional accepting only the highest standards of marketing, integrity and customer care. He also holds the CPEA qualification gained in 1993 after 2 years studying property law, sales & marketing and building construction. Chris has lived in Hanwell for over 33 years with Elizabeth, (his wife of 38 years), so is without doubt a local property expert!

YOU CAN FOLLOW CHRIS ON

“Outstanding. Chris could not have made the experience of buying a house any better.

The communication throughout the whole process was incredible. Chris offered advice when ever it was needed, made himself available at all times of the day (often very late at night - sorry Chris!) and followed up on questions with lightening speed. We were nervous buyers due to our circumstances of returning to the UK recently and needing a home quickly. Chris kept us informed and even reached out simply to let us know if there wasn’t an update. This made a huge difference and kept us confident and reassured.

Chris’ genuine care made us feel part of the local community before we even arrived. And our children look forward to seeing him like a family friend. We sincerely feel very very fortunate that Chris happened to be the agent for our house purchase. Thank you Chris!”

“Chris Mobbs is an exceptional agent we would recommend to anyone. He was so helpful from the very first interaction, listened to us and helped the process go through as smooth as possible. Chris made a normally stressful process fun, due to him working so hard and having the answers before we had to ask. Cant recommend him highly enough.”

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