Alderley Wood Farm Alderley Edge, Cheshire

At the end of a private cobbled lane, a rare opportunity exists for secluded self-sufficiency in the most enchanting of landscapes. Alderley Wood Farm rests at the centre of over 40 acres in the unspoilt countryside of Alderley Edge, just south of coveted Wilmslow. Its main 18th-century farmhouse has been recently renovated in a sensitively muted palette extending, and, combined with its adjacent cottage, provides approximately 4,100 of internal accommodation. A further 11,000 sq ft of outhouses, barns and stables offer exceptional potential for conversion, subject to relevant permissions. One of these, a 4,490 sq ft brick barn, has already been converted to a stunning design by the architects Annabelle and Co. as an office for their practice.

The Tour

The house, its ancillary buildings and surrounding paddocks and ponds can be accessed from the long cobbled no-through lane or via paths through fields from Artists Lane to the north, where an alternative, more private driveway could be forged.

The cobbled lane culminates in the farm and goes no further, becoming private land and rugged footpaths up to a disused quarry and National Trust woodland.

The main house is approached along a private driveway to the west of the farmyard. It was originally constructed in 1748 by Lord Stanley as a part of his estate, which included most of Alderley Edge. At this time, it provided accommodation for cart horses and carts to support the aforementioned sandstone quarry.

Its ground level comprises a series of beautifully lit interconnecting rooms with several stunning vantage points to the surrounding formal gardens. Any prolonged gaze through one of the many windows captures passing horses, and the pigs and chickens that roam free around the farm yard. Adjoining the main house is a three-bedroom, two storey cottage which was added in the 1980s and takes the total sq ft of both buildings to around 4,100 sq ft.

Across the yard, a handsome red-brick former cart barn stands as an exemplar of the potential for the site and its buildings. A tack room and a series of workshops form the ground level and a large foyer provides a route to the upper level which has been renovated as the office for the practice. A beautifully limited palette has been harmoniously employed throughout the ethereal open-plan space. Dijon limestone tiles and strips of chestnut as screening and cladding merge effortlessly with exposed brick walls and oak beams and trusses. A large skylight pours natural light into the exquisite kitchen area and large Crittall doors open onto a dining terrace.

Garaging, brick-built stables and a hay barn form the remainder of the yard, each with significant potential for development.

The farm land also has the charmed fortune of a natural spring from an aquifer in its top field. Before the installation of mains supply to the area the aquifer fed 72 houses in the local area but now exists as the farms personal supply, giving unlimited, clean and natural water to the farm, houses and fields.

Outside Space

Formal gardens and lawns form the immediate surroundings of the main house and its cottage. The 40 acres of private land spill to the north, south and east of the farm yard and are a combination of grazing paddocks, woodland, and currently, fields for the cultivation of flowers. Beyond the commercial aspect of the flowers, the farm operates as a small holding, raising free-range pigs, cattle, chickens and turkeys. Stabling allows for the housing of horses, and the area is renowned for its superb hacks. In one of the south-western paddocks is a large manège for training. The farm is also home to its very own aquifer, located in the top field, providing unlimited water source for the house, farm, and gardens.

The Area 

The house is exceptionally well located for easy access to the picturesque village of Nether Alderley. Set inside the "Cheshire Golden Triangle" Alderley Edge is a six-minute drive to the north of the house and hosts a range of shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, including a Waitrose supermarket and a post office; a local farmers' market is held on the second Sunday of each month. There are plenty of excellent eateries nearby including Alderley Edge Hotel and Restaurant, The Bubble Room, The Merlin and The De Traford Arms.

The market town of Wilmslow is an 11-minute drive away. The town has a collection of excellent shopping facilities and a reputation as a regional hotspot for it's iconic cinema The Rex. Favourite restaurants include Piccolino, Smoke, and Browns and the award winning Cheshire Smoke House. Champneys Spa at Mottram Hall Hotel also comes highly recommended. The nearby village of Prestbury is a 14-minute drive away, and the historic town of Macclesfield, famous for its once thriving silk industry, is also 20-minutes away by car with further extensive shopping amenities, cafés and restaurants.

The Peak District National Park, which can be reached in under 25-minutes by car, also provides an idyllic landscape for outdoor pursuits, with its exceptional vistas and elegant spa towns.

The house is within easy reach of Manchester City Centre, which can be accessed by car in under 45-minutes by car; Liverpool City Centre is also an hour's drive away.  Services for Northern Rail run from Alderley Edge station which connects to Crewe, Stockport and Manchester Airport. Avanti West Coast services run from Wilmslow (0.4 miles) to London Euston in under two hours.

Council Tax Band: G