Location

The village of Cottesmore lies in the north of Rutland, surrounded by rolling countryside and just three miles from the A1.

The village has a post office, a pub and a primary school, while the bustling towns of Stamford and Oakham are both within easy reach. The towns both offer a variety of facilities, as well as a number of excellent schools, including the independent Stamford Endowed Schools and Oakham School and outstanding-rated state schools at both primary and secondary level.

The area provides easy access to the A1, while mainline rail services to London can be found at both Oakham and Stamford (via Peterborough or Leicester).

Description

Set behind private gates and a long sweeping main driveway, coupled with a secondary driveway to the core of the village, Cottesmore Grange is a substantial grade II listed south-east facing home, positioned within beautifully landscaped gardens.

Despite its history, phase1 built in 1811, and latterly 1840's, as the Exton Estate’s Agent’s home, this period gem is a meticulously maintained, highly efficient and cutting edge home. Indeed, it is argued by the current owner that it pays you to live in. The property is heated by a ground source system, installed in 2023. The Annexe is heated by mains gas. There is also a ground-based solar farm, discretely positioned within the gardens, with 120 (30kw) panels, which feed into a 29 kWh battery system (automated), allowing daytime generation to be stored and used overnight. The solar income has the government-backed Feed-in Tariff, with around 15 years to run, tax-free and index-linked. This system pays for itself with a significant financial surplus. The windows are slimline double glazed (argon and krypton-filled), helping to ensure the house is efficient and comfortable.

With elegant and symmetrical principal accommodation, Cottesmore Grange retains the grace, proportions and sought after features of the Georgian era. The front door opens from the driveway’s turning sweep, into a wide and inviting stone flagged reception hallway, which accesses the three reception rooms and conservatory, that line the southerly face of the home, each with views over the gardens.

The drawing room and sitting rooms are both beautifully proportioned symmetrical rooms, with deep, almost full-height bay windows. They are separated by a central formal dining room. The drawing room has a limestone/marble open fireplace with wood burning stove. The sitting room also has a fireplace housing a wood burning stove, framed by doors that access a large and versatile conservatory/garden room at the western end of the house.

The reception hall also accesses the cellars (with the ground source, solar and battery infrastructure), a cloakroom/W.C and the kitchen/breakfast room, which offers plenty of room for informal dining, together with access to the secondary staircase to first floor.

The kitchen is fitted with a wooden suite under granite worktops, with integrated appliances and a four-oven Aga, supplemented by further storage and appliances within the utility, accessed off the adjoining rear hall, which also accesses the integral garages, with a back door to the secondary driveway.

With six generously proportioned bedrooms at first and second floor, the spacious, light filled first floor landing incorporates a large library area. It provides access to the elegant principal bedroom suite, with its dressing room en suite, and three further double bedrooms (one also en suite). The second floor would be perfect for teenage children or visiting guests, with double bedrooms five and six and a family bathroom.

Outside
The parkland gardens are arranged largely to the south-east of the house. Designed as a naturalistic park, the grounds incorporate formal gardens and lawns, along with a potager, but also use the natural contours to bring together ecology and the fundamental principles of design.

Combining formal and informal areas, with wild flower and orchid meadows, through which there are mown paths and natural pond scrapes, increases a wider array of species and fauna, whilst also reducing the maintenance and mowing.   

The Park was designed by the Senior Partner of the landscape design practice that designed the landscapes for the 2012 London Olympic Park.

Cottesmore Grange is approached by gated driveways to the front and rear of the house. The rear driveway also accesses a second garage block, above which there is a spacious annexe flat for guests, or office suite. Whilst fully owned, there are three freehold houses having a right of access over sections of the rear drive.

The grounds extend to about 4.35 acres in total.