Malt Hill, Warfield, RG42

Contact Tim or Julia from Stowhill Estates Berkshire for more information about this property – 0118-207-3030

A stunning conversion

Grade II listed Hayley Green Farm was converted from its former life as a 17th Century barn to a stunning bespoke home in 2002. Situated on the outskirts of Warfield, it commands an enviable position. From the road, you’d be forgiven for not even realising it was there, such is the discrete nature of the driveway approach to the main gates. Further-more, the position of the house, set back on its ~1.2 acre plot, creates even more space between it and the world outside. Welcome to a semi-rural slice of paradise.

Enviably handsome, both outside and in

As the electric gates swing open, you are presented with your first real glimpse of the property. Situated at the far end of the driveway, an attractive and traditional dark timber-clad barn with tiled roof greets you, offset by the verdant trees and hedges. As you make your way up the drive, to your left and right are the large front lawns, bisected by the drive which also continues past the left of the barn, leading to the triple garage and separate annexe accommodation. 

A grand entertaining space

As with all barn conversions the main door is symmetrically located in the centre of the building and is a large double door surrounded by glass, allowing plenty of natural light inside. Stepping inside, into the porch, you immediately get a feel for how special a space this building provides, thanks to the views through the set of glazed internal double doors of what’s to come. Some of which you might anticipate, some of which you may not.

For example, the property has underfloor heating throughout, divided into four individually controllable zones all managed by Nest thermostats allowing remote control from anywhere in the world. There are wall and ceiling mounted speakers connected to Sonos amplifiers throughout the house and even in the hot tub. The house is networked for Cat 5 with WiFi points throughout, as are the Annexe and     Garden Building. There are VoIP phones situated around the property and in the Annexe, allowing video calling between areas as well as access control of the video intercom on the main electric gates. Internal and external security cameras, lighting and audio can all be controlled via the wall-mounted iPads, or remotely app controlled. There is also a security alarm connected directly to police monitoring. So, it’s fair to say, Hayley Green Farm is as much 21st Century as it is 17th Century.

As you walk through the porch, in front of you is the Dining Hall. A simply stunning space with vaulted ceilings, beautiful timbers and ornate internal brickwork decoratively adorning the walls. On the opposite side of the room are the rear set of original barn doors; fully glazed and looking out into the landscaped rear garden. This is a real ‘wow factor’ space and inspires thoughts of dinner parties, summer celebrations and Christmas festivities (complete with a lovely big tree and beams decked with boughs of holly!)

However, this isn’t the only room likely to garner a ‘wow’ reaction. To the left as you exit the porch is the Drawing Room. A huge space, naturally zoned by various features. For example, the double height ceiling temporarily falls away creating a cosy, snug area on the left, while on the opposite side of the room, a timber spiral staircase climbs its way enticingly upwards.

As you move further into the room, the ceiling once again reverts to the vaulted nature of the Dining Hall, but this time revealing a pleasingly symmetrical, double-height beamed wall with a central brick-bult fireplace containing a log burner, an architecturally intriguing ‘twisted’ chimney flanked on either side by a window and rounded off by a grand chandelier. This is a spectacular room perhaps best viewed from halfway up that spiral staircase, but we will come to that later.

Walking back to the Dining Hall, in front of you is the hallway to the kitchen and staircase to the other first floor rooms. Prior to that, on the left-hand side is the entrance to the generously proportioned Study (which could equally make a great games room, playroom or snug if you so desired).

On the opposite side of the staircase is the Family Room which makes for a perfect space to snuggle up for a movie night.  The fact that this room has a second door connecting it directly to the Kitchen makes it all the easier to top up on essentials, such as drinks and snacks, without missing a minute of the action.

The Kitchen itself is a lovely space and has a real ‘chefs’ feel. The character aspects of the property still pervade with beams and exposed brick infusing the space, complemented by the tasteful shaker-style units, butler sinks, granite worktops and Lacanche Range cooker. Let’s also not forget the large integrated wine fridge, sizeable kitchen island, sociable breakfast area or the number of integrated appliances. At the far end of the kitchen is the door to the first of two utility areas. This one has an external door to access the back garden as well as a sink and storage and you may even think of it more as a boot room, ever handy after country walks or times spent honing the green thumbs in the garden. Next door is the second utility room, larger than the boot room with space for storage but again with its own sink making it a practical, useable useful space.

Heading out of the Kitchen through the hallway, you pass two handy storage cupboards as well as the downstairs WC.

A bedtime story

Bedroom 1 is located on the ground floor, with its entrance tucked away under the spiral staircase where the Drawing Room meets the Dining Hall. Like all of the bedrooms, this room is ensuite and being on the ground floor, it has pretty views out to the rear garden. There is plenty of built-in storage and the four-piece ensuite includes a large bath.

Bedroom 2 is accessed via the attractive timber spiral staircase and is a large double room, made to feel all-the-more spacious thanks to the sloped, vaulted ceiling. The three-piece ensuite includes a generous walk-in shower.

Bedrooms 3 and 4 are found at the top of the staircase outside the Family Room in the hall. The second part of this right-angled winder staircase is, in itself, a lovely feature as it expands to be double width in order to allow an individual set of stairs to sit either side of a central beam. Both bedrooms are again good-sized double rooms with four-piece ensuites. All three of the upstairs bedrooms have pretty Velux windows in either the bedroom or bathroom areas, or in some cases both.

Extended Living

There are several additional buildings around the property, perhaps the most useful of which being the Annexe above the Garage.

This first floor area has its own private entrance on the side of the garage which leads you into the spacious stairwell. This ground floor space at the bottom of the stairs could easily be utilised for additional storage or larger appliances, given the generous footprint. Heading upstairs to the Annexe itself you find a large, bright modern space with plumbing, heating, a kitchen area, separate bathroom and integrated storage space.

Thanks to its completeness in terms of kitchen and bathroom facilities, independent heating and power and its own network connectivity for connecting to the internet, the Annexe could be utilised as additional stand-alone accommodation, either for guests, live-in staff / au pairs etc or for older children looking for increased independence. Equally, it works wonderfully as an ‘out of the house’ office as the current owners have utilised it, but there are so many options for it to be a terrific games room, playroom, music room or hobby space.

A garden oasis

The 1.17 acre plot is made good use of. The primary lawned areas are at the front of the house – one either side of the driveway. The perimeter is surrounded by mature trees and hedges, making it entirely private once the main gates have been closed to the outside world. There’s ample space for garden games or for children to play and this aspect is south-east facing giving you the best of the sunshine.

To the rear of the property is a landscaped garden oasis including pergolas, raised beds, water features, a secluded swimming pool and a hot tub in its own timber-framed gazebo. There is also a decked BBQ area and even an outdoor chessboard set into the landscaping. It’s a cleverly segmented space with each element finding its own privacy whilst still being interconnected when required. It’s also incredibly pretty and wonderfully calm with carefully selected planting like Poplar, Olive, Wisteria and Maple enhancing and augmenting the space, perfectly evoking the feel of a Mediterranean garden aesthetic as you stroll amongst it.

From the main drive, the front of the Garage has three remotely controllable electric doors, one of which can also be conveniently controlled via Wifi. Internally the space is effectively two and a half generous garages with a small section being utilised to provide the main entrance and porch / staircase for the Annexe. There are two EV charging points at the property, one inside and one outside the garage. There is plenty of parking here in general. Aside from the two spaces in the garage, there is room for another six outside the garage. Further parking is available outside the front of the barn with additional space on the right-hand side which is also where the second EV charging point is discretely located. Collectively, parking at least 10 cars is no problem at all.

Home working and home playing

Tucked away at the rear of the back garden is the Garden Office. This is again, a very versatile building, with power and network connectivity for the internet and comes equipped with a separate WC. Whilst it does make a great office, its proximity to the hot tub and the decked BBQ area also means you might consider it for an alternative purpose, be that a games room, workshop or simply an extra living space.

The final outbuilding is the Pool Room which includes a shower as well as storage for outdoor furniture or pool toys when they aren’t in use.

The pool itself is a 30’ x 15’ oval, 4 ft deep end to end and is heated via a HeatPump. The hot tub seats 6 people, one of whom can enjoy the lounger seat, and includes integrated speakers connected to the Sonos system, lights and water jets.

Round and about

Hayley Green Farm is surrounded by green spaces, making it the perfect base from which to enjoy outdoor pursuits and leisurely, country strolls right from your doorstep. In just 5 minutes, you can walk to the 24 hectares of Frost Folly park which is not only due for further expansion shortly but also already links you to the even closer Windmill Meadows. Alternatively, just a short drive away is Cabbage Hill, the perfect place to enjoy some incredible sunsets and you’re not far at all from Windsor Great Park.

There are many hidden gems in the surrounding area, such as Moss End Garden Centre with its array of independent shops, boutiques, eateries and a falconry centre for good measure! Oaktree garden centre and nursery is a matter of minutes away and is highly regarded for both trees, plants, its butcher and the cafe. Slightly further afield but still walkable via pretty bridleways and quiet lanes is the ever-popular Fernygrove Farm with a delightful coffee shop and award-winning butchers.         

On the subject of eating and drinking, there are some great local pubs and restaurants in the area, including The Cricketers which is only a short walk away. A little further afield is Stirrups Hotel and Restaurant and in Winkfield is the fantastic and recently refurbished The Winning Post – a characterful gastro pub of local renown. Speaking of all things gastronomic, the iconic foodie destination village of Bray is only 15 minutes away, as are treats for the tastebuds such as Woven at Coworth Park. Or if you fancy expanding your gastro-pub research, the Shurlock Inn and the Beehive are only a short drive away.

For those seeking retail therapy, the newly built shopping centre ‘The Lexicon’ is a mere 5-minute drive and is teeming with vibrant restaurants, a cinema and plenty of great shopping including a large Waitrose and M&S. Alternatively you can head into Windsor or Reading withing 15 minutes for an even wider selection. Closer to home and conveniently just a few minutes up the road is a large Tesco, which provides a pharmacy, bureau de change, dry cleaners and petrol station.

For sports fans, there are a large number of thriving tennis, cricket, rugby and football facilities and more golf clubs than you can shake a stick (or perhaps golf club) at, just a short distance away; many of which rank among some of the finest and most renowned in the UK – Wentworth, Sunningdale and The Berkshire to name but a few. As for equine pursuits, Ascot and Windsor racecourses are only minutes away, as are the Royal Berkshire Polo Club and Guards Polo Club.

When it comes to schooling, you’re spoilt for choice, with Lambrook, Ranelagh, Kings Academy and Whitegrove all under 3km away, not to mention many other highly regarded primary and secondary schools. Outstanding options such as Wellington College, Eton College, St George’s, St Mary’s, Ludgrove, Eagle House and Heathfield are all viably close and attended by local residents.

Travel wise, Bracknell station is easily accessible in just around 5 minutes, allowing for an easy direct commute to Waterloo. Twyford and Maidenhead provide very well-connected train stations taking you to London Paddington in less than 25 minutes and also provide access to the Elizabeth Line. Both of these are just 20 minutes away. Those needing to travel by road are blessed with a short journey to the M4, M40, M3 and M25, linking you quickly to London and many international and local airports. Heathrow for example is just 30 minutes away.

From educational opportunities to first-class restaurants and retail options, Warfield provides the perfect balance of semi-rural village life whilst offering great access to all the amenities you’ll ever need, meaning there is something here for everyone.