Box, Stroud

AN EXCEPTIONAL AND BEAUTIFULLY LAID OUT COTSWOLD HOME IN A FABULOUS LOCATION BORDERING MINCHINHAMPTON COMMON AND THE VILLAGE OF BOX, OFFERING SPECTACULAR VIEWS AND WONDERFUL PERIOD FEATURES

Reception Hall/Boot Room, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Sitting/Dining Room, Home Office (would work equally well as a Dining Room), Ground Floor Cloakroom with Shower, 4 Double Bedrooms, Family Bathroom, Shower Room, Boiler Room, Laundry Room, WC, Victorian Water Store, Summerhouse, Decking Area, Good-sized Garden, Garage, Gated Driveway Parking for Several Cars

Description - Built in 1860, East Lealands is a superbly proportioned country home, beautifully laid out, with handsome rooms and an abundance of natural light. The property displays numerous architectural features typical to the Victorian era, including high ceilings, parquet flooring and large sash windows that optimise the spectacular views. A spacious reception hall sets the tone to this fabulous home, which is both welcoming, whilst also sympathetically adapted to contemporary living. The reception hall provides ample room for muddy boots and country paraphernalia after a long walk on the neighbouring common.

The sitting room, together with a raised level feature bay window and seating area, is a wonderful room in which to relax and soak up the spectacular views, whilst working equally well for entertaining. The original Victorian fireplace provides a warming focal point to the room, perfect for cosy evenings in the colder months and there is room for a large dining table, ideal for hosting family and friends.

The kitchen is clearly the heart of the home, with plenty of worktop and storage space and a stylish blue Aga. The open-plan layout of the sitting room lends itself to everyday dining and entertaining and a good-sized central island provides ample space for food preparation, or room for friends to gather whilst cooking up a feast. A cloakroom with shower, leads off the kitchen and is ideally configured to be incorporated into the main kitchen.

The home office is perfect for working from home and would work equally well as a dining room or snug. Stairs lead to the lower level where it is believed the carriages were stored in the Victorian era and is today used as a spacious laundry and boiler room, with access to the garden.

Four large double bedrooms are located across the first and second floors, all beautifully appointed, with high ceilings, built-in storage and wonderful views over the common and the valley. The principal bedroom benefits from a wonderful raised bay window seating area that mirrors the sitting room below, providing spectacular views to Avening and Box Woods and all the way to the Marlborough Downs. A family bathroom is located on the first floor plus a shower room on the second floor.

The garden is set to the rear of the house and comprises a raised decking area leading off the sitting room, ideal for alfresco entertaining, together with lower level lawned areas. Well-stocked borders, handsome Corsican pine trees, fruit trees and a pond, combine to create a pretty and thoughtfully landscaped garden. A summerhouse on the lower lawn, provides the perfect spot to catch the evening sun. A large garden store offers useful storage, together with a single garage and parking for several cars, accessed via handsome wrought iron gates.

Location - The location of East Lealands is one of its key attributes. Overlooking Minchinhampton Common and on the periphery of the sought after village of Box, the home offers the best of country living. Just minutes from the popular market towns of Minchinhampton and Nailsworth, the home maintains a delightful rural feel and a wonderful sense of space, with far-reaching panoramic views.

Box is a quintessential Cotswold village and one of the most sought after locations in the Minchinhampton area. The village has a wonderful sense of community spirit, hosting regular events including 'Box Bar' run fortnightly from the village hall, numerous active clubs including a gardening club and enormously popular Open Garden events. Located just minutes from Minchinhampton Common, offering unrestricted access to over 650 acres of National Trust land, the common is well-known for the free-range cattle that freely graze in the summer months amid the golfers that play on its golf course. The popular Old Lodge pub is within 5 minutes walk across the common and a great spot for an evening drink.

One of the key draws to the area is the excellent choice of schools in both the private and public sector. Beaudesert Park is just a few minutes walk from East Lealands and Westonbirt school in nearby Tetbury is circa 20 minutes drive. There are several sought after grammar schools in Stroud, as well as an excellent choice of schools in Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Box is less than two hours from London by car or circa 90 minutes from nearby Stroud Station, while Bristol is within commuting distance and the M5 motorway is easily accessible (Junction 13). Minchinhampton is within walking distance from Box and offers excellent amenities, including a popular gastro-pub. Stroud and Cirencester are also conveniently close, both with major Waitrose supermarkets and Stroud also has an award winning Saturday Farmers market. There are lovely walks in the vicinity, including Box woods, owned by the local community.

Agent's Note - The neighbouring property has right of access over the driveway.

Directions - From our Minchinhampton office head along West End towards Minchinhampton Common leading into Windmill Road and out to the common. Turn left at the T junction, in the direction of Nailsworth. After circa 200 yards, take the left turn into Box village and almost immediately take the first track on the right hand side along the edge of the common and you will see the entrance to East Lealands, with large large wrought iron gates, in front of you.