East End, Pavenham, Bedfordshire, MK43

IMMACULATE, EXTENDED FAMILY COTTAGE WITH BESPOKE KITCHEN, PADDOCK AND FABULOUS VIEWS

A much-loved, beautifully finished, 4-bedroom family home, with south-facing gardens and countryside front and back, and with 5-bar wooden gates leading to gravelled parking and paddock to the side. Oh, and a brand new, handmade kitchen, with island and pantry. In a wonderful spot of the North Bedfordshire, riverside village of Pavenham, close to every facility, it’s little surprise that this is the first opportunity since the millennium for another fortunate family to own No. 1 East End Cottage.

On a tree-lined, no through lane, at the end of a row with only two other pretty cottages, it’s difficult to imagine a more pleasant, peaceful place to raise a family. A stone’s throw from Pavenham Golf Club, opened by Justin Rose and Ian Poulter in 1994, and the tennis club, playing fields and play park, the sporty are well catered for. Take a leisurely stroll further into the village to the Grade I-listed Church of St Peter and perhaps stop off for a pint of real ale at the traditional country pub on the way home.

Collect eggs and meat for the Sunday roast from the farm shop in the village, with stores and post office a short cycle ride away in the adjoining village of Oakley. Supermarkets are just 3 miles away.

Children can go to school in the nearby villages of Felmersham and Sharnbrook, or at the outstanding Free School or world-renowned Harpur Trust private schools in the county town of Bedford barely 5 miles away. Fast trains reach London from Bedford in around 40 minutes.

Where else can you be so close to everything a family could need, while a glance out of either your front or back windows reminds you that you live in the heart of beautiful countryside? Take one of many fabulous walks, not least along the River Great Ouse, following in the footsteps of John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrims Progress, and it won’t take you long to appreciate the sheer joy of living in such a glorious part of the world.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Built as the 20th century opened and extended as it closed, an agricultural worker’s cottage with outside space for subsistence, seamlessly became a super family home, with lovely gardens alive with birdsong from beautiful trees - eucalyptus to magnolia, silver birch to acers and flowering cherry – and the hum of bees enjoying David Austen roses and other pretty flowers aplenty. The kitchen garden provides space for raised veg beds, old apple trees and sturdy new sheds. And an additional paddock is large enough for a young orchard, for the young to play to their hearts’ content, for a marquee for those special occasions, and for a future outdoor office or summerhouse if the idea ever appeals. And your perfectly private outside space is surrounded by wonderful, wildlife-filled native hedging.

You might be surprised inside at the ceiling height in every room and the light pouring in through beautiful, double-glazed windows. Such is the character of the cottage throughout, you’ll be unsure which part is Victorian and which was added nearly 100 years later. The use of reclaimed materials inside and out blurs the distinction.

What you will be certain of is the quality of the fixtures and finish. Farrow and Ball decoration in every room. Beautiful, blue bathroom tiles, and Fired Earth designs adding interest to the cloakroom and to the original dining room fireplace. Superb oak flooring and timber doors, internal and external. And, of course, hand-built, kitchen furniture second to none, painted in F&B and topped by leathered quartz.

So much versatile space for all the family. Gorgeous, vaulted ceilinged bedrooms - waking up to country views to die for. A sitting room with separate snug in which to slump in front of the television, and a cosy multifuel stove to come home to from that long winter walk down by the river – all opening through French doors to the lovely, reclaimed brick terrace come summertime. And, of course, the superb hub of the home, where you can cook, breakfast, dine, entertain, and curl up on the sofa with a good book and great coffee. So much for you to look forward to in your new cottage home.