5 bed detached house for sale

Isington Road, Isington, Alton GU34

Set on the northernmost edge of the South Downs National Park, a stone’s throw from the sought-after village of Bentley, Isington Close is a fine Grade ii-listed substantial cottage in an idyllic semi-rural setting. The house dates back to the 15th century and has been altered in later years, with 18th-century, Victorian and modern additions that blend well with the earlier parts of the home. The property benefits from significant character, with highlights including a grand pillared entrance (currently adorned in a well-established wisteria), Victorian sash windows and a half-octagon glazed window bay to the rear. Decorative barge boards add a touch of whimsy, further enhanced by the mature and colourful planting around the house, while internally the decorative cornicing and fireplace surrounds continues the theme. At more than 3,400 sq ft the property is wonderfully spacious, with well-proportioned reception rooms downstairs and generously sized bedrooms on the first floor.

The layout, though changed and added-to over the years, is arranged in a traditional pattern well suited to family life, with the ground floor rooms accessed via a welcoming central reception hall. For entertaining there is an expansive sitting room and a formal dining room, both an excellent size, while for more relaxed family time there is a charming snug and a warm and inviting kitchen with space for a dining table and lovely views over the gardens. Behind the kitchen there are a number of useful ancillary rooms including a utility room, boiler room and a store with an integrated workshop. Upstairs, the principal bedroom is accessed through its own dressing room/additional bedroom and has an en suite bathroom and an adjoining office. There are a further three double bedrooms, a jack and jill-style bathroom ideal for children and a further family bathroom.

The grounds are picturesque and deceptively spacious, extending to approximately 10 acres and providing fantastic scope for smallholding, leisure or equestrian use. On the east side of the house there is a very large paddock which has separate vehicular access from the road and a substantial open-fronted barn. Currently used for grazing sheep, it is ring fenced and bordered by mature woodland, with a number of independent native trees providing natural shade and shelter.

The gardens that surround the property are exquisitely landscaped, using native species to add colour and interest – the quintessential English country cottage garden. A grand pillared entrance sweeps up to the house via a gravel driveway, with ample parking to the side of the property in front of a detached double garage. Further outbuildings include a selection of barns for storage and a greenhouse, which sits alongside a charming kitchen garden with raised beds. Expansive lawns to the front and rear are bordered by flowerbeds and manicured hedging, with the front of the house facing south and enjoying stunning views over the garden from a wide, stone terrace.

Isington is a pretty hamlet with an organic farm shop, with neighbouring Bentley a mile to the east with its mainline station even closer (0.7 of a mile), village store, primary school and public house. A wider range of shops and services can be found in the Georgian market town of Farnham (5.2 miles) or Alton (5.7 miles).
There is sailing and fishing at the National Trust Frensham Ponds and many well-regarded golf courses close by. Nearby Alice Holt Forest provides ample opportunity for walking, riding, cycling and outward-bound activities. The South Downs National Park and surrounding countryside offers some wonderful opportunities for walking, riding and cycling.
There are a number of well-regarded schools in the area including Bentley and Binstead village primary schools, Alton School, Frensham Heights, Lord Wandsworth College and Edgeborough School.
Local transport links include the A31 which provides fast access to the A3 and M3 (J5) as well as Heathrow, Gatwick and Southampton airports.
Postcode region: GU34