St. Catherines Hill Lane, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23

An enchanting private paradise, in an idyllic mature park-like setting, spanning approximately two acres in Christchurch. With direct access to St Catherine's Hill Nature Reserve and on the market for the first time in over thirty years, Fine & Country are pleased to welcome you to Willowmarsh.

Full of character and charm after years of enhancements, alterations and garden projects, Willowmarsh embodies the very definition of a family home. Situated on a private plot on St Catherines Hill, with easy access to Christchurch town centre, the A338 with the associated transport links to Bournemouth and Southampton, and onto the M27 and M3 for commutes to London. Christchurch railway station is just over a mile away for additional commuting benefits and Bournemouth Airport is just under three miles away, offering an array of Domestic, European, and International flights.

Accessed via a private road, Willowmarsh is entered via a five-bar gate. A long sweeping drive provides access to the driveway with plenty of space for a multitude of vehicles. Picturesquely nestled in the centre of the two-acre plot, with no neighbours in sight, this family home offers a fantastic blend of privacy, yet ease of access to local amenities, all whilst maintaining a beautiful blend of coastal and country lifestyle, with direct access to St Catherines Hill Nature Reserve, a thirty-five-hectare area of heathland and coniferous forest. Avon Beach is approximately four miles distant and with the New Forest National Park nearby, there is always something to do, with all the family.

Entry is via the front door into the entrance hall, which, in turn opens into a stunning reception hall with vaulted ceiling and detailed coving and moulding, offering picturesque views across the lake. The current owners have held concerts in this room for thirty people and the grandchildren have adored the central 15ft Christmas Tree at the festive time of year. A sliding door provides access to the raised decking with access to the lake. A modern kitchen, similarly with vaulted ceiling, offers plenty of storage, a range of integrated appliances and central island. Intelligently and architecturally designed, glazing toward the apex of the sloped ceiling allows an abundance of natural light to flood in from the mezzanine library upstairs.

A dining room offers a formal space to entertain and a cosy sitting room, with open fire, offers a space to unwind. If one should prefer, subject to the appropriate consultations and permissions, the kitchen, dining and sitting room could be opened into one large open-plan area.

From the hall, a door leads into the utility room and then into the cinema room with projector, recessed lighting and a well, of which the current owners have made a particularly lovely feature, with glazing over and lighting. Adjoining the cinema room, there is a modern ensuite shower and WC allowing this area to provide additional overnight accommodation, also a wine room which can house over 350 bottles, giving access to the large double garage with electric up-and-over doors and workshop. Accessed from either the hallway, or by a door in the utility, there is a ground floor bedroom and ensuite. With the cinema room benefitting from an external door to the front and with an easy conversion from the utility room to a second kitchen, this entire section of the property would work brilliantly as a self-contained annex, if required.

A further ground floor bedroom with ensuite and WC from hall and a separate guest toilet completes the ground floor accommodation.

Upstairs is a beautiful mezzanine library area, with glazing to the front and side. An essential reading nook, to escape the day-to-day, with bookcases, lighting in the form of constellations and plenty of under-eave’s walk in storage.

The master suite is situated on the Southerly side, with an ensuite shower room, plenty of fitted wardrobes and a sliding door leading out to the South-Westerly facing balcony overlooking the pool.

The second bedroom upstairs features views across the lake and a well-appointed ensuite.

Externally, the plot spans approximately two acres. The South-Westerly half is completely enclosed, with fencing and gates and the ‘lake-side’ opens onto St Catherines Hill.

The South-Westerly side comprises a beautiful swimming pool area, with patio and bar, containing WC, changing room and shower and separate plant room. The swimming pool and shower are heated via a gas combi-boiler. A croquet lawn, water features, chapel, vegetable garden and two outbuildings – to name just a number of features, are all situated on this side of the property. A pedestrian gate provides access to Marsh Lane.

The other side of the garden features beautiful patio and decking area overlooking the lake and the lake-house to the rear. A man-made stream, with working millwheel, pumps water from the lake circularly alongside the oak framed mill house, framed with Willowmarsh oak trees. This back area of the grounds offers an escape for adults and children/grandchildren alike, offering wooded and open areas to explore and enjoy. There is a further large wooden storage shed in this area. The rear section of land opens directly onto St Catherine’s Hill nature reserve.

From deer, to dragonflies, the unique setting of Willowmarsh creates a unique haven for wildlife. Whether it be sitting on the decking from the lake-house, swimming in the pool or having a drink at the bar, the serene setting of Willowmarsh ensures a magnificent setting for all the family to enjoy.

With over 80 different species of trees, an aviary, chicken coup and Wendy house, there is plenty more, not previously mentioned, to explore. Give us a call for your private showing.

Tenure: Freehold
Council Tax Band: E
EPC Rating: C
Services: Mains gas, mains electric, mains water, private sewerage in the form of a septic tank.

Vendors comments: ‘Willowmarsh found us 33 years ago and has given us happiness and sunshine every minute. A wonderful family home, the memories abound from the children, and now grandchildren, learning to swim in the pool and having ‘pool parties,’ 18th and 21st celebrations and two weddings with marquees on the lawns. We shall remember the grown ups’ parties as well with so much fun in the pool and bar, lunches and croquet on the lawns and evening drinks in the lake house and, of course, breakfast in the sunshine on the lake decking. We shall remember our dinner parties and Christmases around the 15-foot tree and the yearly tradition collecting it from the farm. We shall remember with love all the parties and concerts in the hall and film evenings in the cinema.

The gardens have given us seasonal joy with the shrubs and blossoming trees, and the flowers and vegetables too with regular ‘Firsts’ at Ellingham Show. The deer, foxes and their cubs, kingfishers, butterflies and dragonflies have delighted us through the years, but all good things come to an end, and it is time to pass our piece of ancient land on for the next caretaker to enjoy.’