Higher Lane, Dalton, Lancashire, WN8

Looking for family life with a little more luxury? This 6-bed Victorian country manor house was built circa 1860 and remains one of the most impressive residences in the North West - recognised by West Lancashire Borough Council as a building of local importance. Ground floor Arriving at the entrance to the property via an impressive driveway, you're met with a carved oak door positioned under a stained-glass fanlight, which guides natural light deeper into the home. The doorway leads into a porch lit by lanterns, with stained-glass windows and a vaulted ceiling. Beyond the porch lies a majestic galleried entrance hall, illuminated by a chandelier set into the coffered ceiling, reflective of this home's classic 19th century architecture. The entrance hall also features a French stone open fireplace and fender, with wall-mounted lighting to either side. From this space, a sitting room and lounge area, plus the dining room and inner hall are accessed through panelled doors. An oak-panelled staircase leads to the first floor. The sitting room and lounge area is separated only by a panelled archway, allowing the space to flow uninterrupted. The lounge, set at the front of the property, overlooks the manicured lawns and driveway through a picture window. It also features French windows, and both retain the original shutters. A carved oak Adam-style fireplace with an original Clearview log-burning stove warms up the room, which is also lit by a chandelier. Through the archway you'll find a large Drawing room, with dual aspect windows. A bay window overlooks the gardens, and a French window leads out onto the sun terrace. This space also hosts an original oak fireplace with an open fire, and eye-catching coving perimeters the ceiling - a timeless design present within properties built during the Victorian period. Each of the lounge spaces exude warmth with their impressive fireplaces and soft chandelier lighting, making them the perfect space to spend time with loved ones in the evening. The dining room at Dalton Grange really exemplifies the grandeur of this residence. With original hand-painted vine coving, a large marble fireplace and a strategically-positioned chandelier point above the space made for a dining table, your guests will always dine in style. The kitchen/breakfast room is found just along the hallway. This space showcases fantastic carpentry work from Matthew Marsden, including cabinets, drawers and a central island/breakfast bar. Marble work surfaces and splash back coordinate with the varying shades of white and grey across the units, with the addition of a Shaws Classic twin-bowl sink. Keen cooks will love the beautiful five-oven electric Aga, along with integrated Miele appliances including a dishwasher, larder fridge, freezer and wine chiller. The kitchen also has a walk-in pantry area, and is kept well-lit by downlights and a trio of pendant lights over the island. A TV can also be mounted in here, with a cabinet-concealed television point available over the basin. The utility room offers even more space for catering, which we're sure will come in handy - especially over the festive period or for special celebrations. A five-burner Smeg range cooker sits in here along with a Franke stainless steel sink. And with a property of this size, lugging washing up and down the huge staircase wouldn't always be practical - so you'll be relieved to find a convenient laundry chute in here from the first floor. Further along the hallway lies a library, plus two additional rooms which would be perfectly suited as office or gym spaces. The library features hand-painted display shelving and cases for books, plus space for a TV and wiring for a sound system. If you're not much of a reader, this room still lends itself perfectly to a snug area, kept cosy by a Charnwood log burner set within an Inglenook fireplace. The library opens into an office space featuring a built-in oak workplace, and next to this you'll find a fully air-conditioned room which is currently used as a home gym. Off the hallway, you'll find a ground floor bathroom fitted with a Lefroy Brooks La Chapelle French console basin unit and low-level WC, with under stairs storage. Another cloakroom can be found next to the exit door to the back, which features a Villeroy & Boch sink set into a marble-topped vanity unit, plus WC. Lower ground floor A staircase from the hall descends into a further eight rooms. Down here, you'll find four storage rooms, an energy control room, a stone-floor wine cellar, plus two playrooms - one for the children and one for the grown-ups. The adult's games room has plenty of space for a snooker table, and doubles-up as an entertainment space with its internal wiring for a music system. The lower ground floor also features an undeveloped section of the cellar, ready for you to create the perfect space for your family's needs. First floor You can enter the galleried landing two ways. You can ascend the oak-panelled staircase from the entrance hall, but we think the more inquisitive, younger members of the family would prefer to use the ''secret staircase,' which is concealed behind a bookcase on the ground floor inner hallway. The luxurious master suite is made up of the master bedroom, a lounge area with an open cast-iron fireplace, en-suite, and walk-in wardrobe and large ladies dressing room. The suite offers an abundance of clothing storage to free up space in the principal bedroom, and the lounge provides the perfect space to relax in peace after a long day. The en-suite bathroom includes a double shower with slate walls, a marble-top dresser with twin Villeroy & Boch wash basins, and WC. It also features a pewter fireplace, plus a chrome heated towel rail. Four further bedrooms can be found on the first floor. If not required for family sleeping arrangements, each room could be transformed into a new space to suit your needs - extra dressing rooms, playrooms, office spaces or lounge areas - the possibilities are endless. The family bathroom includes a marble-top unit with twin wash basins, a roll-top claw-foot bath, and wet room with classic Travertine tiles. An additional WC is based next door. Second floor You can reach the second floor of this home via the aforementioned ''secret staircase.' Up here, you'll find two more bedrooms, both of which are served by a second family bathroom. The first bedroom features a ''living flame' pewter fireplace, and the second has dual-aspect windows overlooking the grounds. The bathroom is incredibly spacious, with a high vaulted ceiling, exposed beams, and automated Velux windows. In here, you can relax in the roll-top slipper bathtub with your favourite music thanks to the addition of speakers for the property's sound system or get ready for the day quickly in the large slate-tiled shower cubicle. GROUNDS & GARDENS Dalton Grange is tucked away behind electric cast-iron gates, in a secluded area hidden amongst the trees. There is more than enough space for multiple vehicles to park on the driveway, but a timber and slate three-point carport is available with an attached double garage for extra security. To the side of the property is a south-facing sun terrace, which showcases an Edwardian three-tier fountain overlooking the woodland gardens ahead. This terrace overlooks a centenarian pavilion, where you can take in the views of the Japanese-style gardens and Koi carp pond. To the back of the property, another York-stone sun terrace leads towards stone steps down to a croquet lawn, plus another lower lawned area with raised vegetable patches and a Victorian'Hartley' greenhouse. The grounds include a security system and is kept well-lit with dawn-til-dusk lamps around its perimeter. LOCATION Dalton Grange dates back to the 19th century, built by John Prescott, one of the area's principal landowning gentry. In 2015, it was recognised by the local authority as a building of local importance. The nearby village of Parbold offers two Ofsted Outstanding-rated primary schools, Parbold Douglas Church of England Academy and Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School. Dalton St Michael's Primary School and St James' Primary School is also just a few minutes down the road by car. Three secondary schools are within a 10-minute drive to the property: Lathom High School, West Lancashire Community High School, and Burscough Priory. In under 10 minutes by car, you can reach Asda, Aldi and Booths supermarkets. There are multiple smaller shops for convenience in Parbold. Farm shops, tea rooms, country pubs and plenty of green spaces are all within a short drive of this home, which itself is set amongst some of the most beautiful countryside the North West has to offer. Tenure: Freehold Services: Mains water, mains gas. Council Banding: H EPC: D Local Authority: West Lancashire Borough Council