Location

Stibbington is a small village between Stamford, Oundle and Peterborough that lies to the east of the A1 on the River Nene, along which there are lovely walks. The river offers paddleboarding and kayaking leisure opportunities, whilst the Nene Valley Railway, to the south of the village, is a preserved vintage steam railway visitor attraction.

Stibbington is 7 miles south of Stamford and 9 miles north east of Oundle, both beautiful Georgian market towns renowned for their independent shops, charm and schools.

Close at hand, Wansford is 1.4 miles to the east, with its renown hotel restaurant, The Haycock, further public houses, village shop, primary school and doctor's surgery.

The Cathedral City of Peterborough (9 miles) offers a comprehensive range of services, The Peterborough Independent School and Kings (Cathedral) schools and commuter rail services to London Kings Cross and Cambridge (from 51 mins).

Description

The house is positioned within mature and well-orientated gardens of circa 0.28 of an acre, laid out principally to the south-east of the house, with an extensive terrace which is ideal for al fresco dining and entertaining, wrapping around the rear of the house.

Designed as two dwellings, according to the grade II listing text, for the headmaster and caretaker, the limestone constructed School House (which is officially called 1 Church Lane) was converted in the first half of the C20 into a single dwelling for the headmaster, and is now occupied as a private dwelling.

Accommodation – A gravelled pathway leads from the gravelled turning sweep to the front door, which opens into a wide Minton tiled stairwell hallway, flanked in the classic way by the high ceilinged, dual-aspect drawing and dining rooms. Each of these symmetrical reception rooms is elegantly proportioned with attractive cast iron Victorian-era fireplaces and lovely views of the gardens.

The Minton tiling continues from the hallway into the living room, a spacious and versatile 20' third reception room, which connects to the kitchen and garden room, with attractive open fireplace. The octagonal slate roofed garden room, adjoining, has French doors that open to the stone flagged terrace to the rear of the house, and is furnished as a fabulous, informal snug.

The tile floored kitchen/breakfast room offers access to the garden, via a deep stone porch; to a cloakroom/WC and to a secondary staircase to first floor. The modern fitted suite incorporates wall and base units kitchen beneath quartz worktops, with double Belfast sink and integrated gas hob, double oven and dishwasher appliances, whilst a breakfast bar island, with wooden worktop, has an integrated wine fridge.

The main staircase rises from the hallway to a landing corridor that accesses the four bedrooms and family bathroom, with the secondary staircase descending to the kitchen. The elegant principal bedroom has a Victorian fireplace, built-in cupboards and a modern en suite shower room. Bedrooms two and three are symmetrical and particularly generous doubles, whilst they and double bedroom four are well placed for the family bathroom, with its modern three piece suite and contemporary roll-topped bath.      

Outside – The property is approached through a six-bar gate to a gravelled driveway that leads to extensive parking in front of the detached stone double garage block. The formal gardens lie to the south east of the house, to which the porch and kitchen door are well placed. Largely lawned, and partially walled, the gardens have mature deciduous trees, interspersed by deep shrub and flowering borders, ensuring colour and texture and a sense of privacy and offer plenty of space for keen gardeners and for children's games alike. The gardens also wrap around the house to its rear, where a wide stone flagged terrace is flanked by the house and its former washrooms, now a useful range of outbuilding stores, and is an ideal area for seating, dining and entertaining, with access to the house through the garden room.

There are a plethora of countryside walks from the property and direct access to the river Nene, with more wonderful walks, directly from the village.