4 bed detached house for sale

Orchard House, Swaton, Linconshire NG34

This award-winning four-bedroom house lies in Swaton, a tranquil Lincolnshire village surrounded by open countryside. Designed by the current owner’s son, architect Will Campion, the design takes an exacting approach to light, space and detail, with a focus on high-specification fittings and energy efficiency. Outside, a wraparound garden is beautifully laid out and planted with colourful flora and fauna. There is also an outbuilding, which accommodates a double garage, office, gym and store. Travel into London is made easy by Grantham station, a 25-minute drive from the house, where direct services run to King's Cross in just over an hour.

Environmental Performance



Winner of the East Midlands labc Best Individual House 2021, Orchard House was conceived to maximise energy efficiency; as a result, it has been awarded an impressive 'A' EPC rating. It was constructed using a bespoke, heavily-insulated sip panel timber framing system, and has an air source heat pump, mvhr system and roof-mounted photovoltaic panels.

Enhancing the natural biodiversity of the environment, the exemplary eco-credentials extend into the garden, where there is an integral rainwater-harvesting system.

The Tour

The house sits within a broad-leafed and fruit tree-filled garden. It is concealed from Parsons Drove behind a driveway, which contains off-street parking for several cars and a large double garage/ outbuilding. The approaching elevations allude to the carefully considered material palette and immaculately realised detailing evident throughout. Planes of invisibly fixed, vertical larch cladding and slate roofs meld with textured reclaimed brick panels and swathes of glazing.

A protective canopy, formed by the cantilevering first floor, projects over the main entrance. This leads into a large hallway, with plenty of storage for coats and boots, along with a wall of bespoke built-in shelving.

To the right is the beautifully bright, east-west facing main living space, where an arresting oak staircase ascends to the soaring first-floor galleried landing. Throughout, the detailing is simple and pristine, diverting attention through a jigsaw of glazed screens towards the verdant garden.

The dining hall lies centrally within the double-height and vaulted space. There are places to gather and retire at both the east and west projections of the cross-plan; both are edged with walls of sliding glazed doors to terraces, drawing an exceptional quality of natural light in. The westerly sitting area is focused around a warming wood-burning stove, making it particularly atmospheric on cooler winter evenings.

The kitchen is arranged in a sociable open plan, with a generous run of storage cupboards and a large central island crafted by Naked Kitchens, washed in an olive-green. The units and island are topped with veined white marble and oak block respectively. Tucked behind the kitchen is a utility room/boot room, with runs of birch-faced ply storage units and a glazed side door providing handy access to the garden. A WC sits alongside.

Upstairs are four large double bedrooms, all designed to have a distinct character. The well-proportioned principal suite is bathed in natural light from a fully glazed wall and a carefully positioned pair of slot windows. It has an excellent provision of built-in storage and leads to a large en suite shower room.

The three remaining bedrooms are all wonderfully private. The largest has generous storage and a smart en suite. The remaining rooms share a pristine bathroom with a bathtub and a walk-in shower.

Outdoor Space

The house is surrounded by a private garden, which has been organised as a series of interlocking rooms. It is an immersive celebration of evergreen biodiversity and teeming with colourful flora and fauna. Bees are drawn to the abundant planting and mature pear and apple trees, while birds rest on the many species of broad-leafed trees, including purple beech, ash and sycamores. Perennial planting and spring bulbs spill from the beds woven throughout.

There are several terraces and contemplative resting spots to dine or relax. At the edge of the plot is a large kitchen garden, where raised beds teem with home-grown produce and bushes of fragrant herbs. There is also a greenhouse that lies alongside.

Sitting on the forecourt is a large outbuilding housing an oak-framed, open-fronted double garage, handy workshop/garden store space, office and on its first floor, a gym and storage area.

The Area

Swaton is surrounded by the wild green expanses of Lincolnshire. The village has a wonderful community, and the annual Swaton Vintage Day is a highlight of the social calendar, particularly since it now also plays host to the wonderfully eccentric World Egg Throwing Championships.

Just a six-minute drive south of the house, Billingborough village has a post office, a doctor's surgery and a Co-op. There are a number of larger supermarkets within easy driving distance, including a Marks and Spencer Foodhall in Bourne and Grantham.

Slightly further afield, National Trust-owned Belton Estate is a 25-minute drive away in Grantham, and has an ancient deer park, formal gardens of Dutch and Italian design, and relaxing lakeside walks. Woolsthorpe Manor, where Sir Isaac Newton developed his theory of gravity, is also close by.

The ancient city of Lincoln is about 30 miles north and is home to several art galleries, restaurants, and a vibrant events venue, The Drill. Lincoln Cathedral is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world, and has a regular programme of events and shows. The Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts are also within easy driving distance.

The area abounds with excellent schools. Kings in Grantham can claim Sir Isaac Newton as an alumnus. Sleaford has the highly regarded Kesteven and Sleaford High School and Carres Grammar School as well as the top class St George’s Academy, while Grantham Prep is an award-winning international school. Closer to home, there are primary schools in nearby Helpringham, Horbling and Heckington.

Grantham is 25 minutes by car and provides frequent, direct trains to London King's Cross and Leeds in just over an hour. A smaller station at Sleaford connects to Nottingham as well as Grantham, Lincoln and Spalding.

Council Tax Band: E