East Knighton, Wareham, Dorset

This delightful detached, Grade II listed, thatched cottage, which we believe is late 18th century, exudes character and from the moment you step inside you can feel its charm welcoming you in. Full of original features including exposed beams, timber floors and original inglenook fireplace. The garden is an absolute joy, with a plot of just under a third of an acre, it bursts with interest wherever you turn and has wonderful views across the fields.

From the entrance VESTIBULE there is a W.C., to your right, before stepping into the cottage KITCHEN. A charming room with a vaulted beamed ceiling, a range of base, wall and drawer units, integrated oven/grill and induction hob, ceramic sink with waste disposal, water softener, drainer and mixer tap, dishwasher and fridge. The kitchen leads through into the SITTING/DINING ROOM, a pretty, light space with a lovely cosy 'cottage' feel to it. Your eye is immediately drawn to the large inglenook at the end of the room with its new, wood burner style electric fire and bread oven nook. This is a lovely social space, the real heart of the home, with plenty of space for sofas, chairs and a dining table. A door leads out to the front and a further door leads out to the first of two extensions. The GARDEN ROOM is a practical space for boots and shoes with doors out to the garden and it also flows through to the two downstairs bedrooms and bathroom. This area of the house is ideal for guests or working from home, as it is just tucked away from the main living space of the cottage. BEDROOM 2 at the front of the house is a double room with a built-in wardrobe. BEDROOM 3 is currently used as a home office, a lovely room overlooking the garden and ideal to either work from home or use an occasional guest bedroom. Next door the large and bright family BATHROOM has a corner bath, plus a separate shower, W.C., and hand basin.

Back through to the original part of the cottage stairs from the corner of the sitting room rise to the first floor where the PRINCIPAL BEDROOM and second BATHROOM are located. At the top of the house, this is your own tranquil, romantic space, away from the rest of the bedroom accommodation. A pretty landing area with a window leads to the bedroom, which is a good size double, bright and with two windows. Next door the bathroom is essentially an ensuite to the principal bedroom, and has a bath with shower over, W.C., handbasin and space for storage.

NB: the thatched roof was re-thatched in 2010 and the ridge was re-done in 2018.

Outside
The GARDENS at Hillside Cottage are truly special and have been our owner’s absolute passion. It is just packed with interesting plants, shrubs, flowers and trees which provide interest all year round. The gardens wrap round the cottage on all sides, and the planting is cleverly designed to take you on a meandering journey, allowing you to enjoy the sheer variety of the planting, the raised Purbeck flower beds, fruit and blossom trees and the raised vegetable beds to the rear. From here the views across the fields are beautiful and forever changing with the seasons. As well as beautiful, the gardens are practical with a large SUMMER HOUSE/STORAGE SHED, an insulated outbuilding housing a UTILITY ROOM and a gardener’s W.C., plumbing for washing machine and tumble drier plus spaces for fridge, freezer and storage cupboards. Side access through a 5-bar wooden gate allows for further parking. Currently there is an old outbuilding/garage in place and there is scope and space to erect a new garage here. There is also parking to the front for at least two vehicles.

Location
East Knighton is a delightful hamlet that lies almost equidistant between the towns of Dorchester and Wareham. There is a public house and a café within walking distance of the cottage. Set close to the Isle of Purbeck, its unique beauty is reflected in its status as a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The hamlet itself sits adjacent to the village of Winfrith Newburgh which enjoys amenities including a convenience store with Post Office, public house, church, pre-school and primary school, as well as an active village hall. It is also close to Lulworth Cove, a natural horseshoe shaped harbour forming part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Durdle Door and easy driving distance of Corfe Castle, Swanage Bay and Studland Beaches. Ringstead and Weymouth beaches to the West, are close by. Wool station with direct trains to London Waterloo is just 2.4 miles away.

Directions
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