Aulden, Herefordshire

An Idyllic and Characterful Country Family Home, with 4 double bedrooms and attached fully self-contained 2 double bedroom annexe currently providing Airbnb income, all set in glorious gardens and basking in stunning views across open countryside.

Oak House: Rain Porch – Dining Room – Sitting Room – Conservatory – Kitchen/Breakfast Room – Walk-in Pantry – Sun Room – Downstairs WC – Boot Room – Laundry – Principal Suite with Ensuite Shower & Walk-in Wardrobe – Second Double Bedroom with Ensuite Shower – 2 Further Double Bedrooms – Family Bathroom

Oak Croft Annexe: 2 Double Bedrooms – Bathroom – First Floor Open Plan Living with Full Kitchen

Double Gated In/Out Driveway – Ample Parking for Numerous Vehicles – Double Car Port – Twin Log Stores – Dining/Entertaining Stone Patio – Extensive Gardens with Cascading Pools – Wildlife Pond – Mini Orchard – Vegetable & Fruit Gardens

Oak House has traditional character with exposed brick, stone and beams throughout. The property enjoys a modern and flexible open flow feeling to its living spaces. The house has been updated with care over the last decade with many valuable additions. The triple glazing with picture windows framing the glorious panoramas provide lots of light throughout the property. There is engineered oak flooring throughout much of the main house. Other improvements include the installation of solar panels; a new stainless steel hot water cylinder system and in late 2021 a highly efficient oil-fired boiler.

The conversion of the annex in 2016 has provided valuable extra space. This is suitable for multi-generational living or continuing its current use as a successful holiday let. It has generated between £10,000 and £15,000 per annum over the last three years, and even incorporates an integral gable owl box, home to barn owl families.

Located in the quiet hamlet of Aulden with stunning views across open countryside reaching beyond the wooded rise of Westhope Common, the house is only 4 miles from the market town of Leominster. Canon Pyon village is just under 5 miles, offering a local shop with post office and pub, while the full city amenities of Hereford lie 11 miles to the south. The famed foodie town of Ludlow is 15 miles north.

The Property

Rain Porch – The open timber framed porch with post box shelters the splendid wide solid wood front door.

Dining Room – There is an exposed brick wall and timber beams, the formal dining room is dual aspect overlooking the front gardens and framing stunning views across the private rear gardens and out over the surrounding countryside. It offers ample room for the gathering of family and friends at a large dining table. It also provides a flexible space ideal for locating a home office/study, or for use as a more informal family room. The dining room is fitted in engineered oak flooring, which continues through to the sitting room.

Sitting Room – With wide entry, the inviting sitting room features a stunning exposed stone inglenook fireplace with an ancient timber lintel, home to a large wood burner. It is also dual aspect, the large picture window frames the stunning south facing views over open country.

Conservatory – French doors lead from the sitting room into the timber conservatory with brick half wall, tiled floor and opaque polycarbonate roof. Further french doors open out onto the wide stone paved patio spanning the rear of the house, while the full glazing allows views into the lovely front and rear gardens.

Sun Room – The smaller rear sun room with high pitched full roof and external door opens into the gardens, offering yet another delightful spot to sit and relax with morning coffee or evening wine, all while soaking in the enchanting views over gardens and beyond. With a tile floor, it also offers a practical space for storing various gardening paraphernalia.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room – The fully fitted kitchen features deep blue units contrasted with marble countertops. The array of storage includes twin sets of deep pan drawers, while the peninsula also has space for a dishwasher with open display shelving on the far side. Beneath the window is set the composite sink and a half with integral drainer, while opposite lies the integrated electric oven with induction hob and black hood above. The truly classic feature of this lovely country kitchen is the cream oil-fired Aga. The breakfast room provides ample space for a traditional dresser alongside an informal family dining table, highlighted by twin pendant above. The kitchen/breakfast room and pantry have Karndean flooring.

Walk-in Pantry – With automatic lightning, the walk-in pantry offers extensive storage with twin double full height fitted cupboards. There is also space for a freestanding fridge/freezer and under-counter space for additional white goods. The black granite countertop provides ample space for a microwave and food mixer, allowing kitchen counters to remain uncluttered.

Downstairs WC – Off the entry hall and staircase with its integrated storage and shallow end cupboard lies the Downstairs WC.

Boot Room & Laundry – An external half-glazed door leads directly from the driveway into the boot room, providing copious storage for the divestment of muddy boots and coats. Beyond, the laundry room with under-counter space for both washer and dryer is beside stainless steel sink with integral drainer. Ideal for airing clothes, the laundry is home to the new Korean condensing blue flame Navien boiler.

Bedroom 1 – The principal suite is a lovely double bedroom with exposed beam roof truss, oak flooring and triple aspect overlooking the whole garden. The newly created ensuite features a sliding barn door and has a shower cubicle with twin shower heads, WC, small basin with fitted storage cupboard below, LED lit mirror and heated towel rail. The walk-in wardrobe offers twin hanging rails and fitted slide out basket storage.

Bedroom 2 – The inviting double bedroom also has exposed roof truss beams, oak flooring and a window framing stunning views. The ensuite features a corner shower cubicle, WC, fitted basin with vanity double cupboard storage, LED lit mirror above and chrome heated towel rail. This bedroom has access to the loft space over the walk-in wardrobe in bedroom 1.

Bedroom 3 – The spacious double bedroom also has character with oak flooring and exposed timber beams to its high vaulted ceiling, featuring a run of 3 double fitted wardrobes. This room has access to the boarded loft space above bedroom 4.

Bedroom 4 – The final bedroom is a long double room with windows at each end and oak flooring. Currently used as a dedicated craft room, it provides a highly flexible space.

Family Bathroom – The bathroom features a freestanding roll top bath set on a raised plinth with standpipe mixer tap. In the corner is a large separate shower cubicle with both rainhead and regular shower heads. The suite is completed with WC, fitted vanity basin with 3 drawer storage, LED lit mirror above, chrome heated towel rail and large airing cupboard.

Annexe

Benefitting from its own front door from the driveway and with parking, the annexe has an entry hall with discreetly concealed under-stairs storage. The 2 double bedrooms with laminate wood flooring both have windows overlooking the front gardens.

The bathroom features full bath with wall-mounted shower and glass panel screen, WC, fitted vanity basin and chrome heated towel rail.

At the base of the stairs lies a shallow cupboard ideal for household necessities, housing independent consumer units and solar panel meter.

Upstairs is a stunning open plan living with Moduleo flooring. It has ample space for cosily sitting by the corner multi-fuel stove, which is on a slate plinth. There is also space for a dining table alongside the fully fitted kitchen. It has an integrated oven with ceramic hob and hood above, space for both under-counter fridge and dishwasher, and black composite sink and a half with drainer.

Outside

The twin double gated gravel in/out driveway allows for ease of access to both the house and annexe with ample parking, or to the double car port with its additional parking. The timber clad house has climbing roses to the front, while the rear of the house has a stone paved patio, re-laid last summer and offering a private south facing sun-trap ideal for al fresco dining whilst enjoying the stunning views. The glorious gardens are a wonderland of meandering pathways, linking private seating spots set amid beds of perennial plants and shrubs, interspersed with specimen trees. There is a small orchard featuring apple, quince, mulberry and damson, alongside a dedicated vegetable and fruit garden. Throughout the garden you can hear the tranquil burble of water from either the 3 cascading pools, wildlife pond or the naturalistic rill flowing under the bridge.

Practicalities

Herefordshire Council Tax Band ‘F’
Oil-Fired Central Heating
Triple Glazed Windows Throughout
Mains Electricity with Grid-Tied Solar Panels – Approx. over £700 pa
Private Water & Drainage
Fibre Broadband Available – Speeds up to 1Gb

Directions

From Hereford travel north, taking Three Elms Road onto the A4110 and proceed through Canon Pyon village. Continue along the A4110 through Knapton and turn right signed-posted to Birley. In 1.5 miles at the cross roads, turn left and follow the road, coming shortly to the end T-junction, where the property is to be found immediately on the left-hand side.

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