Location

South Rauceby is a well-appointed village best known for its award-winning public house, The Bustard Inn. The village also has a primary school, village hall and preschool. Situated 3.6 miles west of the market town of Sleaford, which has a fantastic array of amenities including pubs, restaurants, supermarket shopping and a range of schools. The surrounding area offers leisure and recreation opportunities including golf courses, walking and riding. There is a good choice of public, private and the well-respected grammar schools Kings School (Boys), Kesteven and Grantham Girls School in Grantham and further schools in Sleaford and Bourne.

The cathedral city of Lincoln is 19.1 miles distant, with a mainline station (London Kings Cross direct from 120 minutes) and the quaintly historic Cathedral Quarter, universities and the county hospital. The well-respected Minster and St Mary's private schools are also situated in Lincoln.

Disclaimer: All journey times and distances are approximate.

Photographs taken June 2024.

Description

Constructed in the mid-17th century, this striking stone-built home is one of the finest houses in the sought-after village of South Rauceby, set within mature, landscaped gardens and offering versatility and character in spades. The house enjoys a well secluded position, enclosed by high hedges providing excellent privacy, and offers substantial accommodation, with the added benefit of outbuildings offering additional potential. The elegant home is believed to have been formerly used as a convent and was later significantly extended by the architect Augustus Welby Pugin, who is renowned for his Gothic Revival style including the Palace of Westminster. The house has significant royal connections: HRH Prince Albert (later King George VI) lived here briefly in 1918, while the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) stayed at the house before taking the throne.

The substantial accommodation extends to more than 4500 sq ft, with the versatile layout arranged over four floors, beginning with useful cellars which can be used for storage. Though offering character and history, the house is unlisted and as such has been subject to a variety of extensions and renovations. The interiors are fantastically light and airy, with high ceilings and tall windows, and there is a great deal of flexibility to the rooms. The ground floor has two fabulous reception rooms on the south side, perfect for entertaining with access to the rear terrace and the grounds of approximately 1.13 acres. In addition there’s a study and a breakfast room, and separately a well-appointed kitchen, utility room, boot room and cloakroom. The first floor has a spacious principal suite, comprising a bedroom, dressing room and en suite shower room. There are three additional bedrooms, two bathrooms and on the second floor there are three bedrooms and a WC.

The house is situated close to the heart of this idyllic village, approached via a sweeping gravel driveway which leads to an extensive parking area and a detached double garage. The latter is an excellent size and, on the first floor, there is a coach house which offers excellent conversion potential to an annexe, or perhaps a gym or home office subject to necessary consents. In addition there is a useful garden store and a charming detached studio.

The well-established gardens are beautifully landscaped and laid out in different areas: a paved courtyard adjoining the house has abundant shrubs, bushes and small trees, with a separate walled area featuring raised beds, used as a kitchen garden. Adjoining the back of the house is a stunning terrace and a stone staircase leading down to expansive lawns which offer a most impressive view of the back of the house. An ornamental Capability Brown-style ha-ha leads to a lower tier, where there is an area of woodland and a hidden pond.