The Ivy, Bath Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15

It is rare to find an example of the high English baroque, making this a very special property. The house has undergone an extensive and highly sensitive programme of restoration works by the current owners in recent years.

The Ivy's central, primary entrance opens into the grand reception hall, with large diagonally-paved stone flagged floor tiles, fine panelling with intricate foliated mouldings lining the walls, a modillion cornice and two ornate 18th century fireplaces at either end.

The drawing room and study/library are on the left of the hall, which are interconnected to create a single expansive space. These rooms have full-height bolection-moulded panels. The larger room has pairs of fluted Corinthian pilasters flanking a circular panel over an elaborate fireplace with Corinthian columns and the mask of Apollo in the centre. There are wooden shutters to the windows and serpentine window seats where you can enjoy the views to the garden.

To the rear of the house is the kitchen, with an 18th century fireplace and a racing green AGA as its focal points. Bespoke cabinetry has been seamlessly incorporated and veined Rojo Bilbao Marble worksurfaces add texture and depth. There is also a cloakroom and the rear hall with original limestone flooring which leads to the garden.

The beautiful staircase has a concertina hound-gate and parquetry pattern on the quarter landing which leads you up to a spacious landing. On the first floor there are two double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, and a further double bedroom which is currently used as a living room, which accompanied by the adjacent kitchenette, creates a self-contained apartment. These three rooms have marble chimney pieces, and the bathrooms are panelled, featuring traditional brassware and roll-top baths; all rooms have stunning views of the surrounding gardens. On the second floor there is a large landing/sitting room, two bedrooms with large dormer windows and a bathroom.

The property is approached through imposing double wooden gates with stone pillars which shield the house from view. When these open they reveal mature planting, which frames the breathtaking façade. A series of 'outdoor rooms' enclosed by topiary and plantings of laurel and spruce, along with mature horse chestnut trees, create a sense of drama on approach. The gravel driveway sweeps to the left, and leads to the parking area.

Despite being located in the heart of a market town, the grounds of the house are a haven. Designed by award-winning garden designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman, they create a rural atmosphere and tremendous privacy.

The gardens around the house have been brilliantly designed to create a series of serene spaces. A man-made berm with dense tree planting envelops the grounds and ensures the house is brilliantly private. Mature wisteria and jasmine climb the house. Raised beds with planted with tulips, alliums, a variety of roses and extensive, manicured topiary, coupled with elements of naturalistic planting lead to hidden alfresco dining terraces. An orchard is concealed by box hedging and leads to a heated swimming pool. There are large level sections of lawn, a lake and areas of woodland.

The site of The Ivy originally belonged to the nearby Manor of Rowden, which Henry II granted to the Hussey family. The name of the house is thought to derive from the monastery of Ederose, also known as The Ivy Church. This was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and the name may have been a corruption of 'Ave'.

It is believed that it was in around 1725 when the property was initially re-modelled into the house as it is today. It was then the subject of extensive restoration in the 1980's, when it was sympathetically divided in to separate dwellings.

In all approximately 4.17 acres.

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Set in the Chippenham Conservation Area in Wiltshire, the property is easily accessible from London and is a short distance from Bath. Chippenham is an historic market town with a good selection of day to day amenities, including an excellent green grocers and Waitrose which is a short walk from the house.

Chippenham is a convenient location with the M4 corridor equidistant from the commercial centres of Bristol and Swindon. The property is walking distance of Chippenham station (approximately 5 minutes) making it ideal for the commuter as there are non-stop services to London Paddington and also regular services to Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads.

River walks are easily accessed, along with a complex of footpaths across open countryside beginning at the bottom of the garden, leading to the National Trust hamlet of Lacock. The picturesque village of Castle Combe is a short drive, and the popular Cotswold towns and villages of Tetbury and Malmesbury are less than a 30 minute drive away.

Chippenham Station and the town centre are within walking distance, M4 (J17) 5.5 miles, Bath 10 miles, Bristol 22 miles (All distances are approximate).