Beacon Hill, Wickham Bishops, Witham, CM8

***CONTRACTS HAVE NOW EXCHANGED*** Beacon Hill House is an important country residence with origins dating back to the 1500's. The property has been extended and improved dramatically over recent years and now provides 6 double bedrooms, 5 generous reception rooms and a substantial detached pool house with adjoining billiards room. There is extensive garaging for numerous vehicles, a 2 Bay cart lodge, workshop, one bedroom barn style cottage and 2 double bedroom apartment above the primary garaging. There is a beautifully fitted open plan office space which is detached from the main residence with boardroom and its own kitchen. Gymnasium. Fantastic equestrian facilities, which include 3 bay stable block with tack room, garden equipment storage and detached hay store within the post and rail paddock. Served by a hard standing yard and International menage with floodlighting. Stunning mix of manicured formal lawns and parkland gardens including generous outdoor pool. Secondary entrance from the rear boundary giving vehicular access to the front of the property and all the facilities previously mentioned. Beacon Hill House is in excellent condition both internally and externally with a modern flow of family living space over two floors, all the principal rooms enjoying stunning views of the gardens and or equestrian facilities/paddocks. The main reception hall has parquet flooring and sweeping stairwell to the 1st floor bedrooms, opening to the impressive drawing room to the southern wing of the property, with a triple aspect onto the paddocks, rear garden and side gardens. A beautiful bay window provides an abundance of light with further double doors opening on to the south facing garden. It also enjoys a lovely open fireplace with marble surround and fitted shelving. The adjoining music room also benefits from a parquet floor with marble fireplace and doorway opening onto the formal rear gardens to the west. The dining room also provides a beautiful bay window onto the rear gardens and is thought to be part of the original section of the property which dates to the 1500's. This charming reception has parquet flooring and an exposed brick fireplace. Beyond the dining room the reception hall opens into a second inner lobby, also accessed from the front driveway, into a stunning kitchen/breakfast room. Designed by JC kitchens, with exposed timbers and lovely views to the front of the property. There are solid marble worksurfaces, Miele appliances, a hidden pantry and a climate controlled, floor to ceiling, glazed wine cellar. It is important to note that there is planning permission in place for a substantial orangery, which would provide an additional 5 meters of living space to the front of the existing kitchen, if required. The kitchen is served by a good size utility room, which opens onto the previously mentioned courtyard and provides a second stairwell to the 1st floor bedrooms. The substantial sitting room is located directly behind the kitchen, again providing stunning views via lovely bay window onto the rear gardens and parkland to the west. A further office to the north wing of the property benefits from open studwork and opaque glass into the sitting room and also benefits from double doors which open onto the York stone terrace to the rear of the house. This fantastic 5th reception room is dual aspect with further views onto the side courtyard. To the first floor there are 6 double bedrooms, accessed via two staircases. Of note, the master bedroom to the southern wing, above the drawing room. The bay window looks out to the swimming pool with further views to the rear gardens and equestrian facilities to the front. It also enjoys vaulted ceilings and engineered oak flooring. There are fitted wardrobes and steps down to the master dressing room which opens into a substantial en-suite bathroom with tiled flooring, stunning views of the rear gardens an exposed brick stack and separate double length shower. There is a roll top Victorian style bath and "his" and "hers" sink tops. Bedroom two is part vaulted, again with built-in wardrobes and lovely views of the rear garden. Bedroom three also enjoys lovely views, part vaulted ceiling and exposed studwork with turning staircase to the Belvedere above. The Belvedere enjoys a panoramic aspect with views across all the facilities and countryside towards the Maldon estuary beyond. The three remaining bedrooms are all good size doubles and share the family shower room and family bathroom with bedrooms 2 & 3 and all enjoy lovely views. OUTSIDE Gates open onto an extensive tree lined driveway, running alongside the post and rail paddocks to a lawned turning circle with 3 established pines, leading past the main residence to the primary double garage with adjoining 2 bay cart lodge. The driveway continues past the 2-bedroom apartment and indeed Primrose Cottage. There are two further single garages with electric doors, the 2nd of the two opening into a substantial workshop, which could house 3/4 more vehicles if necessary. This section of garaging adjoins a substantial and meticulously finished office block which is predominantly open plan, with a separate boardroom, kitchenette, cloakroom and external storage. To the eastern boundary the immaculate equestrian facilities include a 3 Bay stable block with separate tack room, substantial garden machinery shed and further detached hay store/shelter within the post and rail paddocks. These fantastic facilities are served by an impressive International menage with floodlighting. The lower section of grounds to the west of the main residence house a spectacular detached pool house with "his" and "hers" changing facilities, each with their own shower. There is a further separate external cloakroom and indeed an internal cloakroom, located at the rear of the vaulted, kitchen/living room (24'6 x 18'7) with fully fitted kitchen. There is solid wood flooring and bifold doors opening on to an extensive patio/seating area, which continues around the perimeter of the pool itself. There are further sliding oak doors from the living room opening into another impressive reception. This is currently utilised as a full-size snooker room, with bar and 2 sets of double doors again opening onto the extensive terrace in front of the pool. This room is also vaulted and benefits from solid wood flooring. The 12m x 6m pool has a paved surround with steps leading up to the part walled formal gardens. This section of the rear garden provides a beautiful pond and detached, vaulted Summerhouse with a thatched roof. A York stone terrace runs the entirety of the rear of the house. The formal grounds have been extremely well considered in their landscaping and now mirror the integrity of the original gardens which were featured in The Country Life publication during the 1920's. Well stocked beds are protected by box hedging and paved pathways which lead beyond the formal gardens to established, specimen parkland gardens to the western boundary. It is important to note that one of the remaining trees was used to hold the Beacon, (hence the name of the residence), which provided reassurance to the ship's passing through the Maldon estuary. There is a secondary entrance from the western boundary which offers vehicular access through the formal gardens to double gates located between Primrose Cottage and the secondary garage block, onto the main driveway and equestrian facilities. The extensive paved courtyard has been dog proofed and is located to the side of the house, accessed via the utility room. This section of garden gives access into the side storage and gymnasium to the rear of the main garage block. Beyond the courtyard is a generous fruit cage served by a detached greenhouse. FIRST FLOOR APARTMENT The apartment above the main garage block is accessed via a stairwell from the rear courtyard, an impressive 2 double bedroom first floor apartment of 745 sq ft. A central kitchen area with open plan living space benefits from Amtico flooring and gives access into a substantial adjoining family/living room. The main bedroom benefits from fitted wardrobes and a lovely ensuite. Bedroom 2 which is also a double bedroom benefits from extensive wardrobe space and a previous cloakroom which could be reinstated as a small ensuite, if required. PRIMROSE COTTAGE/GROUND FLOOR BARN STYLE APARTMENT Primrose Cottage offers further ancillary accommodation, located on the ground floor behind the main garage and gym complex. offering a substantial open plan kitchen/living area. Inner hallway giving access into a substantial double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and adjoining fully fitted bathroom. Secondary Garaging and Office complex This fantastic complex is located on the northern boundary and comprises of 2 single garages with electric doors, the 2nd of the two opening into a substantial workshop (26'10 x 19'5) which could easily facilitate a further 3 vehicles, if required. The garaging is linked to a fantastic office complex which is predominantly open plan. There is however a boardroom, a separate kitchen, ground floor cloakroom and external storage. This space could also be reinstated as further garaging if required, as there are two further electric garage doors to the front.