Milton Abbas, Blandford Forum, DT11

AN OUTSTANDING COUNTRY HOME AND ANNEXE OFFERING UNRIVALLED PEACE AND PRIVACY. In an unrivalled location that could properly be described as off the beaten track, Crincombe Cottage is a substantial post war house and contemporary one bed annexe that would work equally well as a quiet country retreat or a full time family home. It is only a mile from the village. The property has been in the current ownership for nearly 40 years and for most of that time it has been a weekend home set up to cater for the maximum number of guests. The accommodation, which has just been redecorated throughout, extends to about 4,000sq/ft and currently comprises two reception rooms, a large open plan kitchen/dining room and a conservatory on the ground floor, and upstairs there are six bedrooms and two large bathrooms spread over two floors. Close to the house, across the terrace there is a substantial contemporary annexe with a self contained one bed flat and a large fully glazed party room which has in the past housed a full size snooker table, been a busy office and could easily be converted to more accommodation. The property already has private drainage and a safe and productive private water supply (bore hole), and an imaginative use of alternative/renewable energy sources could see this property taken completely off grid. Opportunities like this are rarely available and Crincombe really is a perfect chance to enjoy peaceful and secluded country living at its best. Turning off the lane opposite Milton Abbey it is almost a mile along the private road before you reach Crincombe Cottage. The property is well hidden and out of view, so it is incredibly private with no footpaths or public access nearby. The garden extend to about 1.25 acres and for ease of maintenance it is largely laid to lawn interspersed with mature shrubs, fruit trees and feature hedges for screening. The house is set more or less in the middle of the garden which means it benefits from the sun in some part or another throughout the day and beyond the annexe to the east, there is a large level lawn in a small amphitheatre, a perfect setting for a croquet lawn or swimming pool. From the farm road, a gravel drive takes you up between the fields and past the house to a parking and turning area in front of the annexe where there is plenty of space to build a garage or more outbuildings (subject to consent). Set in the trees in the corner of the garden is substantial timber summerhouse. Crincombe Cottage has a remarkable setting in the countryside below Delcombe Wood, just over the hill from Bulbarrow, a stone's throw from Milton Abbey and surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This is some of the most picturesque countryside in the south of England. The walking, cycling and riding in the area is exceptionally good and if you go slightly further afield, in half an hour you could be sailing or enjoying water sports in Poole harbour, walking on the beach at Studland or strolling through the Wareham Forest or along Dorset's renowned Jurassic coastline. This is a very rural property, but it is by no means isolated and just a mile away in Milton Abbas there is a pub (The Hambro Arms), the award winning Steeptonbill farm shop and a doctor's surgery, and over the hill in the other direction there's another pub (The Fox), farm shop and post office in Ansty. More extensive amenities are nearby in Blandford Forum, well known for its fine Georgian church and market square, where there is an M&S Food Hall, Tesco and Lidl superstores. Beyond that it is only about half an hour's drive to the county town of Dorchester or to the out-of-town retail parks around Poole. The nearest station is about 10 miles away in the village of Moreton (London Waterloo about 2 hours) and the easiest drive to London is via Salisbury and the A303/M3. Alternatively, it is an easy drive down onto the A31 takes you to the business centers of Poole, Bournemouth and Ferndown and across to Southampton and Portsmouth via the M27 and on up to London on the M3. This part of Dorset has also become popular because of a number of independent schools; Milton Abbey and Bryanston are on the doorstep. Canford, Clayesmore, Sherborne are also nearby. Mains electricity is available at the property. Private water supply (bore hole) and private drainage (septic tank). Oil fired radiator central heating and hot water. Excellent broadband (Wessex Internet).