Readers Cottage, Goathill, Sherborne, DT9

Set on a hillside in the lee of mature woodland. Readers Cottage is a gorgeous example of an 18th century Dorset farm worker's cottage. From its elevated position off a little used country lane, the cottage looks out across an idyllic rural landscape that extends to the steep, partly wooded flank of Coach Hill on the Sherborne Castle Estate. Local folklore has it that the cottage got its name as the home of the only person in the community who could read. Originally it had just two rooms downstairs and two upstairs and by 1980 was in a parlous state close to dereliction. It then underwent a complete transformation into a charming and much larger residence and has been the much loved home of its present owner ever since. It is not listed and is built of local, pale honey-coloured stone under a thatched roof, with all its more recent elements perfectly matching the original cottage. The cottage faces south-west and has good ceiling heights although it still has some of low doorways in the older part. The cottage has five reception rooms including a sitting room with an inglenook fireplace, a study with a corner window that provides a fabulous and very distracting view of the surrounding countryside and a good-sized dining room with a vaulted ceiling. The combined kitchen and dining room has room for both seating and dining areas plus bi-fold doors that open to the terrace and garden, whilst the kitchen is fitted with bespoke, painted timber units under granite work surfaces. Upstairs there are three double bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms. The principal bedroom has an adjacent dressing room and ensuite shower room and is accessible via its own staircase and galleried landing. The other two bedrooms and family bath and shower room are in a separate part of the cottage and there are built-in cupboards in abundance.

The higher entrance to Readers Cottage leads to a parking area in front of the cottage. The lower one opens onto an additional parking area fronting an impressive timber-clad garage block, which incorporates a double garage, a side verandah overlooking the lower lawn and a self-contained, first floor guest apartment containing a living room/bedroom, kitchen and ensuite shower room. The garden is an absolute delight and compliments the cottage perfectly. It is a testament to vision and a love of beauty and consists of a series of terraced lawns fringed by low, mature hedging and borders. These are planted with a sumptuous variety of roses and herbaceous perennials that provide a palette of colour throughout the growing season. Blended within the garden are a handful of paved areas looking out onto the view, the most special of which fronts onto the summerhouse at the top of the garden. Also within the garden are a workshop with lean-to log store, two garden stores, two greenhouses and a bin store. Also at the top of the garden is a compact vegetable garden. The lower lawn can accommodate a modest marquee.

Milborne Port 1.2 miles, Sherborne town centre & station 3.7 miles (Waterloo 2.25 hours), Wincanton/A303 9 miles, Yeovil 10 miles, Castle Cary station 15 miles (Paddington 90 minutes), Dorchester 20 miles, Taunton (J25) M5 33 miles Bristol Airport 42 miles. (Distances and time approximate).