Bruton- large period house, shop, garden & parking

18-20 High Street is a wonderful house with a large shop, right at the centre of things on popular Bruton High Street, just a few doors down from At The Chapel.
Dating back to 1580 its history is tangible, revealing its immense character at every turn. Exceptional size rooms over four floors offer copious living space. Looking out of the windows at the front of the house you feel part of the hustle and bustle of the high street, and at the back there are stunning views over the rooftops to St Mary’s Church, the dovecot and the hills beyond. The current owners’ flair and imagination is evident throughout the house.
The shop at the front of the house on the High Street has a particularly attractive triple bay shopfront with double glass doors in the centre. The wide, open space has wooden floorboards throughout and two anti-rooms behind, one with a loo and sink.

The traditional front door next to the shop opens into a long hallway with its classic black and white chequered floor leading you along to the end where the original main staircase leads upstairs and down. At the end of the hallway is an extremely spacious double bedroom with beautiful large sash windows framing a view over the rooftops to the dovecot on the hill, and an en-suite shower room is a surprise behind a round wall.
The main stairs down to the lower ground floor are of timeworn blue lias stone and take you to a lower hall with its original flagstone floor. At the foot of the stairs to the front of the property are the rooms below the shop. Very spacious, and with a hidden, secret feel, there is a study and a sumptuous bathroom with a roll top bath, and a long ‘tunnel cupboard’. A rear lobby here has its original brick floor and the back stairs which lead up to the master bathroom. From the rear lobby there is a door opening out to a barton with access to the high street, providing a separate entrance into the property. At the foot of the stairs to the rear is a cosy sitting room with stripped floorboards and internal windows looking through to the kitchen passageway and lower hall. This room was probably the original kitchen with triple stone fireplaces all along one wall which might have housed a range and bread ovens. Now there is a cosy wood burning stove and bespoke cupboards either side. Glass doors open through to the kitchen, a modern addition making a very spacious, light filled room with a roof lantern and bi-fold doors to the garden. Bespoke cabinetry in pretty sugared almond colours complements a duck egg colour Falcon range cooker and there is lots of space in the middle for a large table for entertaining.  Along the side is a kitchen passageway, with natural light from roof lanterns, providing further space for cupboards and kitchen equipment, leading to a generous utility room and loo at the end.  Internal windows of all shapes and sizes are everywhere giving enticing glimpses of the rooms around you.  
Starting back at the main staircase, the stairs going up have been left exposed to show off the beautiful aged patina of the wood.  From the first floor landing, to the rear of the house is an exceptional size bedroom, flooded with light, with original floorboards, a cast iron fireplace and a stunning deep bay window showcasing a breathtaking view across ancient Bruton to St Mary’s Church, the dovecot and surrounding countryside.  Just along the landing is a shower room.  At the other end of the landing, a couple of steps down take you to the master bedroom.  A vast room, with windows overlooking the high street at the front and a door at the rear onto a secluded rooftop balcony with views of the hills.  There is copious wardrobe space and still plenty of room for relaxing on a chaise longue or two, and double doors open into a huge walk-in linen cupboard with a little window in there.  Through a doorway is the master bathroom. A spectacular room, open to the rafters with a crooked window right at the top, wonderful beams and a beautiful sash window looking out to the high street as well as another window by the back stairs which go down from here.  There is a jacuzzi bath and a spacious walk-in shower.  From the landing, another wooden staircase leads up to the attic, divided into three stunning spaces with wonderful floorboards and beams and an enchanting crooked doorway, large skylight windows and a pretty casement window at the end overlooking the rooftops to the countryside.  The boiler and water tanks are up here and there is plumbing in place.  With the appropriate consents, this space has masses of potential for further bedrooms/bathrooms, and even to make a self-contained apartment as there is potential to increase the attic space over the master bathroom and join up with the back stairs down to the exit out to the barton.

Outside
The front of the property is on the high street.  The back of the property is accessed from Lower Backway, where there is a large parking bay with space for several cars.  A gate opens into a delightful hidden garden, with a slope and then stone steps taking you up to the back of the property.  Two levels of lawn are enclosed by lovely old stone walls and borders brimming with dahlias, roses and lavender.  The aspect takes in all the sunshine, and a stone terrace outside the kitchen is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the lovely garden and the view over the rooftops to the dovecot. 

Please note that this property is Grade II *

Situation
Bruton is a popular town in the heart of the Somerset countryside. The town has several well-known restaurants, pubs and bars including “At the Chapel” and “The Roth Bar” at the world-renowned Hauser & Wirth Gallery, plus "Osip" which is run by a Michelin starred chef and the next door "Old Pharmacy" fabulous tapas bar.  The town also has a doctors surgery, pharmacy, vet, post office, several mini supermarkets, fuel station and numerous independent shops. Bruton is only 10 minute-drive from the very pretty town of Castle Cary which has a mainline railway station and the renowned hotel and restaurant The Newt ( small market town lies in the heart of the Somerset countryside. It has many independent businesses including shops, boutiques and galleries and at the weekly Tuesday market local producers gather to sell their wares including organic vegetables, artisan bread, cheese, meats and fish. New restaurants have recently opened as well as a wonderful delicatessen and independent wine shop. Other amenities include nursery, primary and secondary schools, health centre, dental practice, library, bank, post office, grocery stores, butcher, newsagent, chemist, pubs, restaurants and and tea shops. Large supermarkets are located in Wincanton and Shepton Mallet which are both a short drive away. Gillingham (approx 20 mins away) has a Waitrose as does Sherborne (30 mins away).

For further shopping and recreational activities, Bath, Bristol, Wells and Yeovil are all within about an hour’s drive. The A303 (6 miles) provides a direct route to London via the M3 and there is a mainline rail service from Bruton/Castle Cary to London Paddington (approx. 2 hours) and also the new train to Waterloo (Bruton) . Airports in Bristol and Exeter offer connections within the UK, Europe and beyond.

Schools
There are excellent local independent schools, within walking distance, to include King’s School Bruton and the state owned boarding school - Sexey's, which has received the highest performing 6th form award in Somerset. Bruton has its own primary school and in close proximity are Millfield, Hazelgrove and All Hallows prep schools.

Directions  
(BA10 0AA)
18-20 is in the middle of Bruton High Street, just down from At The Chapel, on the right hand side as you follow the one-way system. 

Services
Mains gas, electricity, water and drainage
Council Tax Band D
Local Authority : Somerset Council
Tenure : Freehold
Shop - rateable value £7200 from 1 April 2023. Currently let until 2024
Viewing by appointment only

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