Property description
8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
6 reception rooms
Tennis court, swimming pool
Landscaped gardens, paddocks
2 three bedroom cottages
Freehold
situation:
The Old Rectory is situated within a private oasis of parkland and gardens on the edge of Burghfield village. There are several public houses, a village shop and a church. To the north is Reading which offers a comprehensive range of, shopping, education and leisure facilities. The area has excellent communications via the M4 to London and the West Country. There are mainline rail services to London Paddington (27 minutes from Reading or Theale), and London Waterloo (30 minutes from Basingstoke). Heathrow airport is 40 minutes away.There is excellent access to the local schools in the area as well as private schools including: - - Cheam - Elstree - Horris Hill - Downe House - St Gabriel's - Thorngrove - Eton - Bradfield - Marlborough - Radley
description:
The house is approached from the village green through entrance gates and down the drive through parkland flanked by apple trees. The drive forks through a further entrance gate to a gravel parking area in front of the house. Continuation of the main drive leads to the garaging and outbuildings at the back of the house. The house is Grade II* Listed and is believed to date from the 16th Century with further 18th Century alterations and a 20th Century addition on the northwest side of the house. The property has been in the same family ownership for the past 58 years and is in need of modernisation and substantial updating. The house is built of brick elevations under a tiled roof with a pediment over the three central windows and a bull's eye window in the tympanum.
Accommodation:
Ground FLOORThe front door leads into a glorious flagstone reception hall off which are the three main reception rooms. The drawing and dining room both have original Adam fireplaces, and benefit from wonderful high ceilings and sash windows. The library has 2 built-in bookcases, a most attractive fireplace surround and doors which lead onto the terrace which overlooks the garden. The downstairs playroom benefits from a gallery which is accessed from a door within the room. There are further French windows leading to the garden. The domestic offices are clearly in need of updating and modernising and subject to Listing consent would benefit from re-organisation to suit modern day living. First FLOORThe main staircase leads to an excellent galleried landing, with a further short flight of stairs leading up to the master bedroom suite. Off the landing there are 3 further bedrooms 2 with en suite facilities and a further separate bathroom.The internal staff flat can be accessed either by a separate staircase from the domestic offices or through a door from the landing. If required, this staff accommodation can easily be incorporated as further family accommodation to the house. Second FLOORThe staff staircase continues from the first floor to the nursery accommodation. There are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, a nursery kitchen and a split level playroom giving access to 2 further bedrooms. OUTBUILDINGSBehind the house there are a range of outbuildings and garaging together with a collection of former farm buildings, in poor repair. There are also 3 greenhouses and a separate potting shed. Gardens and GROUNDSThe gardens and grounds are a major feature of the property having been designed and planted by the current family over the last 58 years. From the entrance gate, a drive runs through parkland with magnificent mature specimen trees including red oak, limes, manna ash and horse chestnuts. In the Spring, daffodils create a wonderful blanket effect. At first sight the layout of the gardens look somewhat formal with lawns, yew hedges, borders and an enclosed swimming pool. The gardens provide for a wonderful sight from the terrace with a broad lawn running down to a double border, yew hedged on either side and receding into the distance. To the left glorious herbaceous borders are backed by a high brick wall. To the right a border of evergreen shrubs leads beyond the cedar tree and eventually to an antique ornamental folly. Beyond the double herbaceous border is a marble statue of Antinous standing in the middle of an informal pond. This handsome gentleman was originally at Wilton House. Beyond the pool garden, the formality drops away and wild gardening begins. This spring garden provides for many kinds of bulbs which succeed each other including cyclamens of all sorts, snowdrops, and winter aconite. There are many orchids too.The remarkable thing about The Old Rectory garden is that you will not find a day when no flowers can be seen. Every week begins new flowers and fragrance too. Immediately to the north of the house is a prolific vegetable garden with 3 greenhouses. A gate through a beech hedge then leads to an orchard with wild flowers. There is a paddock beyond.In all about 16 acres (6.48 hectares)
directions:
From London take the M4 and head west past Heathrow to Junction 11 - about 40 miles from London. Turn left (South) off the M4 exit roundabout. After 100 yards turn right (last exit at next roundabout). After ½ mile swing left over a small bridge and turn first right. After ½ a mile turn left immediately after going under a railway bridge. After 1 mile take the 2nd right turning to Burghfield (sign not visible). After 1 mile turn right at the t-Junction down hill. Turn left at Call box on corner, before reaching the Hatch Gate Pub on the left/Six Bells pub on right. The drive to The Old Rectory is halfway down the hedge on your right about 100 yards down.