Church Green, Stanford In The Vale, SN7

The current owners fell in love with this quaint Grade II Listed three-bedroom country home and were particularly bowled over by the generous amount of space, extending to 1800 sq ft, good ceiling heights and beautiful garden. The cottage exudes antiquity with a plethora of ancient beams, flagstones, latched wood doors and a magnificent stone inglenook fireplace – all carefully preserved and presented in harmony with the accoutrements of a comfortable 21st-century lifestyle.

In the last couple of years the kitchen and dining room have been swapped over, allowing the owners to create a superb bespoke fitted kitchen with a central island and breakfast bar that’s really become the heart of the home. There’s also a cosy sitting room, utility room and cloakroom with WC.

Upstairs are three delightfully characterful bedrooms, all doubles. The principal bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with bathtub and shower cubicle, separate dressing room and a study. There’s also an additional shower room at the opposite end of the landing.

Moving outside, the oh-so-pretty garden enhances the allure of this lovely home even further – in particular, the little corner patio exudes a sunny Provencal vibe against the backdrop of the white-painted limestone cottage.

Vine Cottage would be perfect for a small family, downsizers, professionals or as a weekend retreat from the city. Stanford in the Vale is a friendly, community-minded village with a shop, Post office, café, pub, primary school, Vets, village hall and social club – there’s always something going on!

An idyllic cottage

Country Cottages don’t come more typically prettier or better presented than this one – its name comes from the mature vine garlanding the front façade.

Having parked in front on the village street, step through the Cotswold green front door into the entrance hall and enjoy your first glimpse of this heritage gem – at the far end French doors open onto the garden terrace.

To the right lies the dining room, a delightful rustic showcase of ancient gnarled ceiling beams, flagstone floors and a lovely shuttered window with deep wooden sill – it’s the perfect place for family lunches or candlelit dinner parties. The cottage has oil-fired heating to keep it warm and cosy throughout the winter.

A small utility room with sink and plumbing for washing machine and dryer sink lies to the rear and next to this is the cloakroom.

Star billing goes to the dazzling 16x14ft kitchen – the high spec dove grey cabinetry by Oxfordshire-based Trufitt Bespoke Kitchens successfully combines modern looks and function in harmony with the extraordinary period features – those being the mighty stone inglenook fireplace, now fitted with a woodburner, handsomely wide oak window seat and solid wood flooring. With a smart mirrored splashback, there’s a Stoves range cooker  and integral fridge, freezer and dishwasher.

There’s further storage in the attractive central island and room for four high stools round the breakfast bar, perfect for a browse of the papers with a cup of coffee or casual kitchen suppers.

Afterwards, relax in the sitting room next door and enjoy the warm, homely ambience.

And so to bed . . .

The rustic style and antiquity of Vine Cottage can also be enjoyed on the first floor where the trio of bedrooms are havens of tranquillity and restful sleep. Vaulted roof beams and slightly uneven walls add to the unique character.

On one side of the landing is the principal suite which encompasses the bedroom, overlooking the pretty rear garden, adjoining bathroom, a dressing room and study. As an alternative, either one these latter two would make a sweet little nursery for a young baby.

The two remaining bedrooms are both of a good size, enjoy views across the village green, and share a shower room.

Cottage garden

Measuring approx 65ft square, the garden of Vine Cottage is generous enough for children to play or kick a ball while being extremely lovely just as it is – an idyllic outdoor space with a raised lawn, enclosed by a low brick wall, flower border, vegetable patch and a couple of large railway sleeper shrubberies.

The paved and gravelled terrace runs the width of the cottage, offering every opportunity for relaxing in the sunshine, barbecues or entertaining guests to pre-dinner drinks.

Bordered by stone walls, fencing, a multitude of shrubs and a couple of mature trees, this garden is a well-maintained private oasis.

Round and about

Friendly Stanford in the Vale was the childhood home of the humorous poet and TV presenter Pam Ayres – she was the youngest of six children born and brought up there.

Everything is right on the doorstep in this lively large village. The local Co-Op sells all the everyday necessities while Stanford Coffee Shop, next door, serves everything from breakfast and lunch to coffee and cake, and is very popular. There are two hair salons too.

The village local is the 600-year-old Horse & Jockey and further drinks and entertainment are on offer at the social club and in the village hall which hosts a busy weekly programme of events and runs a regular film club.

Stanford in the Vale boasts great accessibility being just a few miles from the A420 with direct access to Oxford and Swindon, and to the West Country and Wales via the M4. Mainline rail services to London Paddington run from Swindon and Didcot Parkway stations.

It’s a short walk to Stanford in the Vale Primary School, Ofsted-rated good. Nearby private schools include Pinewood, St Hugh’s and Radley.

The nearest town is Faringdon where secondary schooling, rated good, is offered at Faringdon Community College. There’s also a choice of independent shops, pubs, leisure centre and supermarkets including Waitrose, Aldi and Tesco.

If you fancy a pint and a meal, the choice of pubs is superb. Highly rated eateries nearby include The Sparsholt at Sparsholt, The Greyhound at Letcombe Regis and The Double Red Duke at Clanfield.

Gorgeous countryside walks, cycling and riding are a pleasure amid the rural bliss of South Oxfordshire and, of course, the National Trust’s White Horse Hill at Uffington is a great place to visit. In fact, the National Trust owns a variety of attractions around here including beautiful Buscot Park. Golfers are spoilt for choice with two courses – Wrag Barn and Shrivenham Park – in the near vicinity.