Ulceby, Church Lane, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13

A very spacious Victorian property extended in the 60s or 70s, is tucked away with a large, mature garden of over an acre in a delightful rural spot in the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds. Retaining some original features, rooms are of fine proportions with 6 bedrooms, a family bathroom, a second separate WC and an extensive balcony upstairs and no less than 5 extremely generous reception rooms downstairs; there is also a kitchen with walk-in storage, a separate pantry, laundry room with shower, and downstairs WC.

Adjoining the house is a huge barn which could be developed further (subject to planning). Superb state schools are nearby and the seaside is only about 15 minutes away making this an idyllic family home in glorious countryside.


• A spacious, extended Victorian family home built in 1883
• Original tessellated tiled hallway and stunning oak parquet flooring
• High ceilings, picture rails and panelled internal doors
• Timber-effect uPvc double-glazed windows
• Recently installed kitchen with quartz worktops and double Belfast sink
• Range-style cooker with LPG gas hob and electric ovens
• Integrated dishwasher
• Adjoining breakfast room/snug with old quarry tiled floor
• Dual aspect drawing room with French doors to patio
• Multi-fuel burning stoves in breakfast room and drawing room
• Formal dining room with open fire in original fire surround
• Dual aspect reception room also with original fire surround and mirror
• Huge games room with angled, glazed wall, French doors onto patio
• Snooker table included in the sale of the property
• 6 bedrooms upstairs, 4 extremely generous doubles
• Dual aspect principal bedroom, French doors onto expansive balcony
• French doors from adjoining bedroom also opening onto balcony
• 5 bedrooms with built-in storage, further storage on landing
• 6th bedroom currently used as a study/home office
• Large family bathroom with free-standing bath and separate shower
• Separate second WC upstairs
• Grounds of circa 1.15 acres with mature trees, shrubs and lawns
• Marble crazy-paved, south and west facing patio
• Further patio area outside kitchen and barn
• 46 ft. x 27ft. 6” barn, sliding doors at one end, French doors at other
• Tall, retaining wall alongside decking and site of large, drained pond
• 2 brick storage sheds, timber garden shed and 2 wood and coal stores
• Vegetable beds and small orchard
• 5-bar gate at entrance to property
• Gravelled drive at front with parking for several cars

Location

The property sits in the Lincolnshire Wolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in the little village of Ulceby which has a tiny church open for worship at certain times including Christmas, Easter and over Harvest Festival. It is only 3 miles southwest of the historic market town of Alford which has a range of amenities including a doctors’ surgery, a dentists’, primary and secondary schools, independent and high street shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes, and various takeaways. Other pretty towns nearby are Spilsby 6 miles south (less than 10 minutes), Horncastle 12 miles west (15 mins) and Louth 10 miles north (15 mins). Lincoln is about 30 miles west (around a 50 minute drive), and a 15 minute drive east provides endless stretches of sandy beaches along the Lincolnshire coast.

Schools

Ulceby is close to a number of market towns all offering excellent state schools. The nearest, Alford, just a few minutes’ drive, has a good primary school and the co-educational Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School founded in 1566, now a Selective Academy, which has a superb reputation and is rated Good by Ofsted. In Spilsby, 6 miles away, there is Spilsby Grammar, founded in 1550, now called King Edward VI Academy, a co-educational, bi-lateral school rated Good by Ofsted, and in Horncastle (12 miles), the Banovallum School is rated Good and another co-educational Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School is rated Outstanding.

Seller Insights

“The house was built in 1883 on the site of a much older house, and lived in by a retired tea plantation owner, Sir Walter Lancelot Travers, who is well known in Alford having been a pupil at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School until 1889. He set up the Old Elizabethans’ Association in 1932 and left his entire wealth to the school when he died in 1937. There are three school houses and funnily enough, our children were both in Travers House.”

“It’s been an amazing family home in such a tranquil setting with so much space. It is fabulous for a party whether at Christmas or in the summer, gathering friends and family together – no one is ever on top of one another.”

“We came here when our daughter was already at secondary school, Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar in Alford, and just as our son was about to go there. Buses used to pick them up and drop them off in the village, but I can’t promise they still do as it was a while ago! They loved the school and the primary there was very good too.”

“The garden is wonderful for children to explore and there’s plenty of room for chickens which I used to have at the top of the garden. My husband created a large pond full of fish at the bottom of the garden but unfortunately an otter came along and feasted on them! The decked area along the wall is such a sun trap and was a lovely place to sit. I have vegetable beds along the top of the wall and there are fruit trees in a little orchard providing lots of plums, apples and pears.”

“The big patio receives sun from about ten in the morning right through the day and from where you see lovely views of the countryside and some beautiful sunsets. The paving is all marble and was laid by previous owners from offcuts found at a stonemason’s yard.”

“There is no gas in the village so we’re on oil with bottled gas for the range. The oil tank was replaced within the last two years; it’s hidden away round the back. We have also completely refurbished the kitchen recently as well as the bathroom and downstairs cloakroom.”

“The big barn originally housed an indoor swimming pool – it was very large and went to a depth of 13 feet! It has since been filled in. There are sliding doors onto the patio outside the kitchen and French doors onto the garden at the other end. It also connects directly into the house through a door into the games room. Someone could make it into a superb granny annex if they wanted to [subject to planning].”

Services: Mains electricity and water; oil-fired central heating (LPG for gas hob); private septic tank
Local Authority: East Lindsey District Council
Council Tax Band: F
Tenure: Freehold
EPC Rating : E