Overview
An elegant and impressive country home in a superb riverside setting.
Price: £1,750,000
Location: Dauntsey
Living spaces: 9
Bedrooms: 9
Bathrooms: 6
Vendors' thoughts: "We have thoroughly enjoyed bringing The Old Rectory back to life with a total makeover to the fabric of the building. It was a labour of love, but we think the end result was very much worth the effort. The icing on the cake last year was connection to high speed fibre broadband as well as 4G so we definitely felt we had finally joined the 21stcentury! We have been able to host some great parties here and with four grown up children, their partners and now grandchildren, we have had many wonderful family gatherings, messing about in the river has been a highlight! Our eldest son was married in the Church opposite and we hosted their beautiful wedding reception in the garden where the house made a stunning backdrop. We’ve made many friends since we moved to what was a new area for us nine years ago, so we hope to move not too far away, and continue to enjoy the warmth and helpfulness of people in this part of the world."
In a nutshell: A breathtaking country home in a magical setting.
Property Description
The Old Rectory is a sensational Grade II Listed country home steeped in history and remarkably renovated by the current owners over the last decade. Originally built in 1829 by Thomas Strong, this country dwelling is an imposing property sitting at the end of a beautiful sweeping gravel driveway, bordered on one side by the River Avon and with open countryside to the rear.
The Old Rectory has undergone a comprehensive program of modernisation, renovation and refurbishment under the stewardship of the current owners who have been mindful to retain many of the original features with Tudor arched doorways, carved spandrels and wood-paneling believed to date from the 16th and 17th Centuries and encaustic tiles from Bradenstoke Priory. The north, east and west elevations are constructed of Ashlar Stone and the rear facade is red brick.
The riverside setting, coupled with the surrounding gardens and extensive accommodation, make this a truly special family home, perfect for entertaining family and friends. All of the rooms in the main house are generously proportioned with high ceilings and an abundance of natural light. Despite the age of the house it is an extremely well laid out for modern family living. The reception rooms flow seamlessly and are both superb for formal and informal gatherings.
The kitchen is a beautiful and functional space with a superb breakfast bar, ideal for informal breakfasts and morning coffees. The adjoining garden room overlooks the rear terrace, garden and countryside beyond and is a stunning place to entertain, relax and unwind.
The main house consists of seven spacious bedrooms and five bathrooms (three being en suite). Each bedroom has been thoughtfully presented.
The annex consists of two further bedrooms and a bathroom, a kitchen/ breakfast room and a spacious sitting room. Superbly presented, this space provides exceptional independent accommodation.
Outside the gardens are predominantly laid to lawn, partially walled and interspersed with a variety of herbaceous borders with aproductive vegetable garden and cordon fruit trees. Outbuildings include a handy wood store and work shop, a coach house which doubles as a high spec garage, a greenhouse, and an impressive 2000 sqft timber barn. Single bank fishing rights lie with the property. Land circa 2 acres.
Council Tax Band G.
Tenure:Freehold. Grade II Listed.
Services: Mains water and electricity. Private drainage. Oil-fired central heating.
Location
The Old Rectory is located between the quaint village of Dauntsey and Great Somerford on the River Avon. Great Somerford is a stunning village nestled in the heart of Wiltshire. It’s thriving village community is home to a beautiful church, a pub, a primary school and an excellent village shop/post office. The village also offers a wide range of clubs and societies and the nearest supermarket Waitrose is a mere 5 miles away in Malmesbury.
The historic town of Malmesbury offers a superb selection of wonderful boutiques and cafes and offers every day shopping facilities and schooling. More extensive shopping and recreational facilities can be found in the larger towns of Bath, Cirencester and Swindon which, with Chippenham, offers a regular train service to London Paddington.
Communications in the area are excellent with easy access to major hubs and international airports in the South West, the Midlands and London, via the M4 and M5 motorways. The Old Rectory is superbly equipped with Cat5 cabling throughout and has access tohigh speed fibre-optic internet.
The area offers an excellent choice of schooling, including St Mary’s and St Margaret’s at Calne, Beaudesert Park in Minchinhampton, Marlborough College and Westonbirt, as well as outstanding state and grammar schools.
Malmesbury 5 miles - Chippenham 8 miles (London Paddington 80 mins) - Tetbury 11 miles - Cirencester 17 miles - M4 (Junction 17) 5 miles
