East Hanney, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12

An enchanting church conversion set in wonderful gardens with a double garage.

St James The Less House, the small brother of St James the Great Church in West Hanney, is a very charming church conversion that has retained much of its classical architecture both inside and out. Originally built in 1856 there is a great deal to enjoy from the stone arched gothic style windows and original pulpit to the most impressive vaulted ceilings and exposed beams.

Most importantly however it has served as a wonderful family house for the past five decades since being converted in 1976 with previous custodians including Whispering Bob Harris from the BBC radio country show.

The property enjoys a very useable layout. The original vestry provides an excellent family room beyond which is a kitchen/breakfast room and a sizeable dining room. From the dining room a terrace is accessible via French doors. There is a sitting room with a wonderful open fire, and a study off. At the far end of the house is the entrance hall although day to day passage into the house is via the vestry. Upstairs can be accessed via staircases at either end of the house.

There are five spacious bedrooms all with vaulted ceilings, and plenty of built-in storage. The main bedroom is the largest with an en suite bathroom and built-in wardrobes. There is a family bathroom at the far end and a shower room off the hall. The galleried landing at the far end is beautifully illuminated with natural light from the impressive leaded windows on the western flank.

The house sits in the middle of the plot and is surrounded by mature and well stocked gardens. There are lawns at both the front and rear with a gravel driveway for several cars and a double garage with storage in the eaves. There is also a separate path from the street leading to the front door. There are a number of fruit trees on the front lawn.

Vale of White Horse District Council. Tax Band G

East Hanney is a popular South Oxfordshire village with two public houses, primary school, community shop, tennis club and football club and enjoys excellent communications with links via the A34 and the M40 to the north and the M4 to the south. Didcot railway station, approximately nine miles away, offers a fast service to London Paddington in approximately forty minutes. Oxford is approximately thirteen miles away and Wantage and Abingdon are in easy reach, providing a range of supermarkets, shopping, cafes, public houses and restaurants. Many are drawn to the area for schooling and while the village itself has a primary school there are also a number of highly regarded public schools in proximity.