Bridge Street, Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10

An historic Grade II* listed former manor house, partially renovated & refurbished, offering substantial and versatile accommodation, with good potential to provide an income.

Main house accommodation: Entrance porch, four reception rooms, kitchen (to be fitted), service rooms & cloakroom. Five first floor bedrooms with three potential en-suites and a family bathroom (to be fitted).

Bridge Street Farm Cottage: Open-plan living room, kitchen/breakfast room, hall, utility room & bathroom. First floor: main bedroom with en-suite & second bedroom

Annexe first floor ‘Gate Flat’: Open-plan kitchen living room, two bedrooms & two en-suites.

Annexe ground floor flat: To be completed: porch, open-plan kitchen living room, two bedrooms with en-suites.

Gated driveway, parking and rear drive, triple bay barn/cartlodge & outbuilding garage store. Two ponds & a dilapidated tennis court. Gardens & grounds.

In all about 3.57 acres (sts).

THE PROPERTY
Once described by the renowned painter Munning as the best farmhouse in Suffolk, Bridge Street Farm is justifiably Listed Grade II* as being of special architectural or historical interest. A magnificent example of an original Wealden Hall with Parlour, Great Hall (understood to have been ceilinged in about 1500), former Buttery and Pantry with a ‘solar chamber’ above and a dairy was added to the service end in the 17th Century. Significantly extended and remodelled over the centuries, today Bridge Street Farm offers substantial and versatile accommodation retaining a wealth of attractive architectural characteristics and features. Requiring finishing following an extensive renovation program in conjunction with the local authority conservation officers, using sympathetic materials, hemp insulation beneath a lath and traditional lime mortar finish, underfloor heating that is sympathetic to a property of this substance, plumbing for kitchens and bathrooms with final details, including the installation and positioning of the kitchen and bathrooms in the main house and ground floor annexe flat (that has also benefited from a single storey ground floor extension) have been left to the successful purchaser to decide and fit out to taste.

The Bridge Street Farm Cottage is completely habitable with oil fired radiator central heating, a separate private drainage system and an EPC (as it’s been rented out) rating of E. An open plan main living room with bi-fold doors, opening to the rear terrace, off which there is a small kitchen/breakfast room, ground floor bathroom and an entrance hall, which also gives access to the utility/boiler room. Stairs lead to the two first floor bedrooms above, with the main bedroom containing a corner shower enclosure and a separate en-suite wc.

The first-floor annexe flat (Gate Flat) is also mainly finished with stairs leading up from a ground floor entrance hall to the first floor landing hall, off which there is an open plan kitchen/living room that, with windows to both side elevations has a semi vaulted roof and is fitted with a range of kitchen units under rolltop worksurfaces with a peninsular breakfast bar, stainless steel sink unit, 4 ring gas (external store bottled) hob with electric over below and space and plumbing for a washing machine. Separate steps lead up to the two bedrooms, both of which have ensuite facilities that require some finishing. The property is connected to the BioDigester drainage system with the main house and potentially the ground floor flat.

OUTSIDE
Standing prominently back from the A134 on the periphery of the ancient Kentwell Hall Estate, between Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds, with good access to the nearby historic and popular villages of Long Melford, Lavenham and Clare, the mature grounds extend to approximately three and a half acres with an excellent selection of mature specimen trees, a charming brick lined pond, separate natural pond and a dilapidated former hard surface tennis court. The impressive vehicular and pedestrian pillared gated entrance gives access, via the turn in from the road, with a low wall to the front and also dividing the drive from the main front garden, the gravelled drive leads up past the open-ended courtyard, to the open fronted barn/garaging. This building is also believed to be an historic construction with open bays to the drive and a pedestrian door fronted workshop/shed. There is also an adjected more modern carport outbuilding. The drive affords good parking and turning area for multiple vehicles and continues through the property to the farm track rear access, over which there is a right of way for Bridge Street Farmhouse to Hungry Hall Lane which there is also ownership over, whilst it is in the ownership of the Kentwell Hall Estate. In all about 3.57 acres (sts).

LOCATION
Bridge Street Farmhouse stands prominently back from the A134 and is surrounded by farmland, being located on the rural outskirts of Long Melford, a walk (through the grounds of Kentwell Hall on public footpaths and down The Green) from the village. Long Melford is frequently voted amongst the top 20 most sought-after villages in England and Wales. There is an excellent range of shops, restaurants, pubs, a doctors’ surgery, a primary school, hotels and two Tudor mansions - Kentwell Hall and Melford Hall – both of which are open to the public. The market town of Sudbury provides a rail link to London’s Liverpool Street via Marks Tey (about 80 minutes). Alternatively, there is a mainline service from Colchester with fast and regular trains taking about 48 minutes.

The historic market town of Sudbury lies to the south and Bury St Edmunds lies 10 miles to the north and offers an excellent range of amenities with schooling in the private and public sectors, extensive shopping facilities and a good range of leisure facilities including health clubs, swimming pools and golf clubs.

There are numerous high-quality restaurants and cultural amenities including the impressive Georgian Theatre Royal and the Abbey Gardens.

DIRECTIONS
From Bury St Edmunds proceed in a southerly direction on the A134 towards Long Melford. Upon entering Bridge Street, proceed past the 2nd turning on your right and the brick pillared, wrought iron gated entrance to Bridge Street Farmhouse will be found on your right, just before the turning into Hungry Hall Lane and subsequently, the right hand turning to Long Melford.
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PROPERTY INFORMATION
Services Mains water & electricity.
Two private drainage systems: House & Gate Flat understood to be compliant – Cottage understood to be non-compliant.
The Ground Floor Annexe Flat has drainage plumbing installed and ready to be connected to the BioDigester drainage system when it is completed.
Oil fired central heating for Bridge Street Farm Cottage and Gate Flat. Boilers required for the main house and the Ground Floor Annexe Flat.
Local Authority Babergh District Council
Council Tax Bands
Bridge Street Farmhouse – G
Bridge Street Farm Cottage - C
Tenure Freehold
Broadband Ofcom states speeds available of up to 48Mbps
Mobile Signal/Coverage Yes varies depending on network provider. Please visit www.ofcom.org.uk to check availability
Viewing Only by appointment with Jackson-Stops. Tel. 01284 700535