Guildford, Surrey

THE OLD COTTAGE

The Old Cottage is a historic period home dating back to 1664 with a wealth of features including old ships beams, inglenook fireplaces and York stone floors. There are four bedrooms, two bathrooms and three reception rooms plus a very useful garden office. Outside there is a delightful formal garden, full equestrian facilities, all set within one and a half acres. Located within Wood Street Village and its surrounding countryside and yet only minutes away from Guildford, one of the most desirable town centres within the prime commuter belt of London.

STEP INSIDE

The property is set off the main road and is accessed through double wooden gates into a driveway and courtyard with places for parking.

The front door leads into a porch area and then through into a reception room with a fabulous inglenook fireplace and beamed ceiling. The owners currently use this as a dining area although it could be readily used as a very grand reception hall. A door leads through to a hallway that has a further reception room off it. This is a double aspect family room with a wood burning stove and a further beamed ceiling which are a feature throughout the property,

At the end of the hallway is the kitchen, this is a dual aspect room with modern cabinetry and appliances and a breakfast bar. A door from the kitchen leads through to a large utility room / boot room, which has two doors leading through to the garden and a further door to the downstairs cloakroom.

Back through to the entrance and dining area and there is a door through to the drawing room. This is a lovely dual aspect room with another large inglenook fireplace and york stone flooring throughout.

Opposite the entrance to the Drawing room are stairs leading up to the landing. Directly on the right is the main bedroom. Some of the walls in this room show exposed beams and there is a wonderful irregularity about this room that exemplifies historic period homes. There is a door off the bedroom that leads through into a dressing area with dual mirrored wardrobes off to either side and this then leads through into the en-suite bathroom.

Off the landing on either side are bedrooms two and three, both of which are good sized double bedrooms with bedroom three featuring a quirky little mezzanine nook accessed via a ladder. Bedroom four at the end of the landing is an L-shaped bedroom with views over the stables and paddock. The family bathroom is also at the end and has a vanity, wc and shower.

There is history galore throughout the home with many of the beams being old ships timbers many of which are believed to have originated from the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. There is even one in the attic with Roman numerals on it!

Yet despite its age and eligibility the house is not listed and this has allowed the owners to sympathetically upgrade the various aspects of the house including the windows, which has eliminated the draughts so often found in period properties.

SELLER INSIGHT

I knew The Old Cottage was something really quite special when I first walked through the front door and saw the beautiful oak beams and inglenook fireplace; it felt like I’d finally come home and it’s fair to say that I had, as here we are nearly 30 years later,” say the owners.

“It’s very rare to have the opportunity to live in a location that encompasses all the benefits of the countryside combined with easy access to amenities in town; it truly is the best of both worlds here. There are some lovely pubs within easy reach and it’s always a pleasure to stop in and enjoy food and refreshments after a long walk and that’s just one of the joys of living here. We can head out of the cottage straight on to the Common where there are acres of countryside to explore on foot or bike, and it’s only a couple of miles into Guildford which has a wide range of facilities, including easy access to London by train.”

“The house is set in the centre of the grounds and is surrounded by garden which is divided into different sections, including parking for up to 3 vehicles at the front and our garden office, as well as a vegetable plot, greenhouse, and summerhouse set on a beautifully flat lawned area with mature bushes. The property also lends itself well to equestrian purposes with a paddock, stables, and storage facilities. We’re not overlooked so it’s ideal for family BBQs on the large patio as well as endless games of football, table tennis, and mini croquet. It’s a peaceful space where there are woodpeckers, goldfinch, and bluetits, as well as deer wandering through the paddock and owls hooting at night.”

“The property comes into its own when we’re entertaining and if pressed, I would say that the dining room is my favourite room. It’s in the oldest part of the house where we’ve enjoyed many meals around the large table with the fire blazing in the beautiful inglenook that so attracted me in the first place. Guests tend to end up around the table in the kitchen which is the heart of the home where cooking is always a pleasure and the sitting room is where we like to relax in front of the log fire with a glass of wine whilst reading or listening to our family play the piano.”*

* 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.

STEP OUTSIDE

The Garden Office was newly built a few years ago and is situated diagonally opposite the front door. It is a light spacious haven that could be used for a variety of purposes.

Around the back of the house is a greenhouse surrounded by some planter beds. There is an octagonal shaped summer room situated within the lawn area. This leads down to a paved terraced area where there is an inbuilt brick bbq and a raised fishpond. This area also has a wonderful pergola over a seating area which has a grapevine canopy giving it a real Mediterranean feel.

Out through the double gated entrance and diagonally across are the equestrian facilities including a stable block, tack room and paddock. There is also a large double garage here with remote controlled entrance. There is a paddocked area with direct access onto the common at the rear and around the back of the garage is an area that was once used as ménage.

Location

Wood Street Village is surrounded by some of the most idyllic English countryside and is famous for for having the only surviving maypole in Surrey on the village green. There are endless bridleways, footpaths and hacking opportunities here and yet it enjoys close proximity to Guildford town centre with its extensive recreational and shopping facilities on its famous 16th Century cobbled high street.

The property’s convenient location also ensures easy commuting, with Gatwick, Heathrow and Farnborough airports all accessible via the A3, A331 and M25. Woking and Guildford stations are a short drive away and offer a fast train service, with a travel time to London of approximately 27 minutes.

The surrounding area boasts a fine selection of educational institutions, including Tormead, Royal Grammar School, Cranleigh, Charterhouse and Guildford High School to name but a few.

Services

Mains Electricity, Water, Gas. Broadband

Tenure

Freehold

Local Authority

Guildford Borough Council. Tax Band G

Viewing Arrangements

Strictly via the vendors sole agents Fine & Country – Mark McVeigh 07470 433434.

Website

For more information visit www.fineandcountry.co.uk/guildford-and-woking-estateagents

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday 8.00am – 8.00pm

Saturday 8.00am – 8.00pm

Sunday 8.00am – 8.00pm

Registered in England & Wales. LMSY2 Limited. Company No: 13409087.

Registered Office Address: Amelia House, Crescent Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1RL

copyright © 2023 Fine & Country Ltd.

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 30.08.2023

FINE & COUNTRY

Fine & Country is a global network of estate agencies specialising in the marketing, sale and rental of luxury residential property. With offices in over 300 locations, spanning Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia, we combine widespread exposure of the international marketplace with the local expertise and knowledge of carefully selected independent property professionals.

Fine & Country appreciates the most exclusive properties require a more compelling, sophisticated and intelligent presentation –leading to a common, yet uniquely exercised and successful strategy emphasising the lifestyle qualities of the property.

This unique approach to luxury homes marketing delivers high quality, intelligent and creative concepts for property promotion combined with the latest technology and marketing techniques.

We understand moving home is one of the most important decisions you make; your home is both a financial and emotional investment. With Fine & Country you benefit from the local knowledge, experience, expertise and contacts of a well trained, educated and courteous team of professionals, working to make the sale or purchase of your property as stress free as possible.

MARK MCVEIGH DIRECTOR

Fine & Country Guildford and Woking 07470 433434 / 01483 979379

mark.mcveigh@fineandcountry.com

I have been working in property, both locally and internationally for over 20 years, which has given me an in-depth and holistic knowledge of how the property market works. I understand the persistence and intricacies that are often required to enable a transaction to complete, especially at the luxury end of the market.

I ensure that I lead my clients openly and conscientiously through this process, striving to exceed their expectations.

The production of these particulars has generated a £10 donation to the Fine & Country Foundation, charity no. 1160989, striving to relieve homelessness.