Location

Bourton-on-the-Hill by name is a hillside village lying on the eastern slopes of the Cotswold escarpment overlooking the Moreton Vale. It sits between Moreton-in-Marsh and Broadway which are two miles and five miles, respectively. The village is located between two of the North Cotswolds’ great estates, namely Sezincote and Batsford Park, and has a pleasing architectural mix of sixteenth and seventeenth century cottages, farmhouses, a fine early nineteenth century former rectory and the Norman Church of St Lawrence which dominates the village. Bourton House is situated at the lower end of the village with commanding views over the surrounding estates.

Nearby Longborough has a village shop and traditional pub and Bourton-on-the-Hill itself boasts The Horse & Groom – an award winning gastro pub. The nearby towns of Chipping Campden and Moreton-in-Marsh provide a wide range of day to day facilities. Moreton-in-Marsh has a mainline rail station serving London/Paddington. The important surrounding centres of Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham are both within reasonable distance and provide further cultural and recreational facilities, together with excellent independent and state schools.

For those interested in country pursuits, the general area provides excellent riding and walking within countryside designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are excellent sporting opportunities in the region, including golf at nearby Broadway with further courses at Naunton Downs, Stratford-upon-Avon and Lyneham. There is also hunting with the Heythrop and North Cotswold Hunts, National Hunt Racing at Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick, and polo at Cirencester. Other nearby sporting venues include Premiership Rugby at Worcester and Gloucester and County Cricket at Worcester. There are several historic houses in the immediate locality including the renowned Hidcote Manor Garden, in the ownership of the National Trust, and the highly regarded Kiftsgate Court Gardens. For the arts enthusiast, Longborough Festival Opera stages performances annually during June and July, and nearby Stratford-upon-Avon is home to The Royal Shakespeare Company. There are many annual cultural events in Cheltenham, notably the Music and Literature Festivals.

Description

‘Hill Top House’ originates from the 1860s, visible on old maps as ‘Rectory Farm’, being part of the ‘living’ of the Reverend Samuel Wilson Warnefore LLD, complete with ’Sheepwashing Pool’. The pool, and views to his church at Bourton-on-the-Hill, remain today. The house has since been extended with elements of Art Deco style added in the 1930s, and a later conversion of some farm outbuildings to stables, gave rise to the name ’Three Ashes Stud’. The same ash trees survive today, approached via a tree-lined drive, set off with imposing stone pillars labelled ‘Hill Top House’ - a name entirely in keeping with the spectacular Cotswold views.

Hill Top House commands an elevated position half a mile south of the Cotswold village of Bourton-on-theHill. The house stands at the centre of 35 acres Cotswold (sheep) fields. Panoramic views roll from the principal façade of the main house, extending eastwards over Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire as far as Brailes Hill.

The quality of construction of the main house matches the quality of views, being of Cotswold stone with fine mullioned windows and leaded lights under a Cotswold slate roof, with some deference to an Art Deco style. The south wing dates back further, with accommodation on two floors and connections to the main house on both the ground and first floors enables it to serve as additional principal accommodation or separate staff/granny flat. The house is enclosed by gardens while the two stable yards and adjoining paddocks are a convenient distance from the house; all paddocks have permanent animal shelters. Excellent staff accommodation is available in the bungalow or The Guest House.

On entering the house, one is drawn to the magnificent reception hall which accesses natural light and views from all four compass points, yet retaining a powerful social focus with a large scale open fireplace with stone carved mantel and chimney breast, complete with fleur de lys.

The warmth of the hearth transitions smoothly to a sunny, south-west facing formal dining room supporting large scale entertaining, and a splendid drawing room also focussed on sunlight, cleverly enhanced with modern LED mood lighting, connecting effortlessly to the surrounding nature. The kitchen is fitted with an excellent range of traditional units and a four-oven electric Aga. A goodsized walk-in larder provides valuable storage space. One may later ascend a substantial fine oak staircase, with Art Deco newel posts rising to a wide landing with doors to the well-proportioned bedrooms. The principal bedroom boasts a magnificent oriel window, framed by double doors, leading the eye to the far reaching easterly views. As well as a ‘principal guest bedroom’ suite on the first floor, there is a door to library/bedroom three - with an oak floor, exposed ceiling timbers, and wooden mantelpiece with marble surround, and hearth flanked by a shelved cupboard to one side.

The functional rooms are approached along a passageway and include a small flower cupboard with Belfast sink and a well-appointed utility/boot room with ample space for appliances and a breakfast area. A lobby and doors lead to the outside. Next to the utility/boot room is a study/home office. This wing could be reconfigured to create a spacious family kitchen with doors to the garden.

The staircase rises to the second floor where there are four further bedrooms, all of which are light with good ceiling heights and exposed historic oak roof trusses. Three of the bedrooms on this floor have an en suite bathroom or shower room.

Stairs from the rear hall lead to a flat on the first floor comprising a sitting room, kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom, WC and box room.

Mature gardens lie principally to the south and east of the house. French doors from the drawing room lead open to a large stone terrace from which one descends to formal lawns surrounded by well-stocked borders. The eastern end of the gardens is punctuated by fine mature trees forming a steep wooded glade around the ‘Sheep washing’ pond. The kitchen garden with large greenhouse lies to the west. Now largely laid to wild flowers, it will still supply a crop of asparagus.

The Guest House stands at a convenient distance to the north of the house. Formally traditional Cotswold stables, the building was converted into an extremely comfortable three bedroom cottage comprising a sitting room with exposed ceiling timbers and open fireplace with Cotswold stone surround, and a dining room. Double doors in the sitting room lead out to a small lawned south-facing courtyard garden. The kitchen is fitted with a range of wall and floor units and there is space for a table and chairs. On the first floor are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The first floor can be
accessed by an exterior stone stair. Adjoining The Guest House is a large Cotswold stone garage.

The bungalow stands a little to the north of The Guest House with single storey accommodation comprising a sitting room with open fireplace, well-appointed kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Directions

From London take the M40 to Junction 8 at Oxford and then the A40 Oxford Ring Road to the A44. Proceed through Chipping Norton to Moreton-in-Marsh. Proceed on the A44 towards Broadway. On reaching the village of Bourton on the Hill turn left to Sezincote and Longborough. Hill Top House will be found on the left after about 600 metres.

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