Detached house for sale in Highclere, Newbury, Hampshire RG20

Three Legged Cross is a fantastic former coaching inn with origins dating back to the 17th Century. The house is an ideal family home with comfortable accommodation, generous gardens and two fantastic barns. Customary for a period building of this age, the house is full of character and period features. To complement the more historic parts of the house, in more recent years a stylish Oakwrights green oak frame kitchen extension was added, incorporating a light filled family kitchen/dining room, facing south towards the heated swimming pool and its terracing. This room has an exciting mix of period charm, including the ancient, mellow brick 16th Century bread oven, combined with the sleek modern Bulthaup kitchen cabinetry. There are four beautiful reception room all with fireplaces and log burning stoves. There is also a good-sized cellar incorporating a studio room with plenty of natural light, and a separate wine store. Smart solid oak flooring has been laid throughout most of the ground floor, with attractive quarry tiles in the utility room/rear kitchen. On the first floor the principal bedroom suite benefits from a fabulous en suite bathroom, and separate dressing room which is also ideal as an extra bedroom. There are three further double bedrooms, and two shower rooms, two of the bedrooms having views of Highclere Castle.<br /><br />The property is approached down a gravel drive leading to a parking area beside one of the two wonderful detached barns. The barn nearest to the house is an old period barn which has been sympathetically converted into a fantastic and spacious insulated party barn, with heating and a log burning stove. Subject to any necessary planning permission, this barn could potentially be converted into substantial secondary accommodation if desired. The second barn is a modern Oakwrights building which can either be used as a triple garage, or as a games room and gym. The focus of the garden is the south facing swimming pool and its surrounding terrace which is integrated brilliantly with the house and main garden. There are mature hedgegrows defining the boundaries, and the garden has been designed for year round interest, including box hedges, summer flowering plants, a beautiful mature Wisteria and carpets of snowdrops and daffodils.<br /><br />Three Legged Cross is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the edge of Highclere, a popular village on the Hampshire/ Berkshire borders, surrounded by fabulous rolling countryside, yet easily accessible to London. There are wonderful walking, riding and cycling opportunities direct from the house and along the Wayfarer's Walk. The village has an active local community, and benefits from a pub, a beautiful church, and excellent schools in Highclere itself, and the surrounding villages. Nearby Newbury and Andover offer a wide range of facilities catering for most day to day needs. Communications in the area are excellent, with easy access to the A34/M4, and A303, linking with London and the West Country, and direct train services into London from Newbury, Whitchurch and Andover. There is a wide choice of schools in the area, including St Thomas’ Woolton Hill, St Martin’s East Woodhay, Thorngrove, Horris Hill, Cheam, Farleigh, Marlborough College, St Gabriel's, Downe House, St Swithun's and Winchester College.