First mentioned in the 1300s and in its current incarnation dating from circa 1700 with later additions, Hillstreet Farmhouse is a handsome stone-built family home, offering almost 5,500 sq. ft. of light-filled accommodation arranged over three floors. The house has been sensitively modernised by the current owners, whilst still retaining attractive character features, with underfloor heating in a number of rooms and fibre broadband networked throughout the property.

The generous ground floor accommodation comprises a dual-aspect drawing room with feature open fireplace, tall sash windows and an outer door leading to a vast Yorkstone terrace and the garden beyond. Adjoining the drawing room is a sitting room with feature inglenook open fireplace and tall sash windows on both aspects. There is a vaulted wine cellar below the drawing room, accessed by way of a hidden bookcase door. A well-proportioned study, laundry room and cloakroom are located just off the kitchen. The large kitchen/breakfast room with an adjoining utility room and walk-in pantry forms the heart of the home and truly is the hub for all family life. The kitchen has a range of wall units including a large free-standing central island with breakfast bar and a large 4-oven oil AGA alongside a 2-oven electric AGA module and modern integrated appliances. With under-floor heating and built-in speakers, the adjoining garden/dining room has bi-fold doors extending the full length of the room to a courtyard terrace set within a banked amphitheatre, home to out-door speakers hidden among an abundance of herbs and wildflowers, carefully designed to integrate outside living with al fresco entertaining.

A door from an inner hall opens through to a dual-aspect orangery-style boot room with vaulted glazed ceiling and French doors at either end, leading to an inner courtyard and steps up to the rose garden beyond on one side and an expansive terrace on the other. The boot room offers plenty of useful storage space and provides access to a large games room with a vaulted ceiling and exposed A frame beams together with a set of stairs up to an 18 ft. first floor room, which could be used for a den or further storage space. Hidden below the games room is a second larger vaulted cellar, currently accessed by way of a hatch in the floor, but it retains a set of stone steps, which would otherwise lead up into the boot room. Beyond the games room is an entrance hall with more storage space, which offers access to the back garden on one side and the swimming pool on the other. Internally, the hall leads to a useful second utility room on one side, home to a walk-in shower room and W.C and on the other side of the hall, is a door to a stunning artist’s studio, with a vaulted ceiling and exposed beams framing an enormous arched window with glorious views to the countryside beyond.

On the first floor the property provides a large vaulted principal bedroom with its own private balcony, and is flanked by two his and hers dressing rooms and a large en-suite bathroom, home to an enormous double-ended roll top bath and a separate shower with rain head. There are two further generous double bedrooms on the first floor, each with their own bathroom, one of which benefits from its own private staircase, leading from the inner hall, and enjoys private access to the rose garden by way of French windows with a fanned window above. The property’s three remaining double bedrooms, can be found on the second floor together with a shared family bathroom.

The property is approached via a sweeping driveway with a large gravelled parking area and space for numerous vehicles. An attractive 5-bar curved horn set of gates give access from the gravelled parking area to a drive leading to
a detached outbuilding, built into the hillside, consisting of three garages and a store room on the ground floor, with a first floor studio/workshop above, which has access to the garden behind the main house.

An extensive courtyard of traditional outbuildings is arranged in a horseshoe shape, with the whole suitable for a variety of uses including conversion to additional accommodation if required. Planning permission has been granted for two houses and a coach house (14/10840/ FUL). The property also benefits from a 59 ft. barn, which could also offer a number of uses.

Mature shrubs and trees surround the property and, much like the house with every room having a sense of purpose, the well-maintained garden is cleverly split in to a series of rooms. The parking area has been developed by the current owners to reflect earlier maps from the 1800s showing a turning circle above the house. From there, a break in the yew hedge provides a platform from which to savour the first full view of the Georgian home and a set of steps descending to a stone pathway, flanked by walls of lavender, leading to the front door; all set within a heavily scented walled garden, with an array of roses and peonies, among an abundance of other plants. A mix of jasmine and wisteria climb the surrounding walls, within which is a beautiful arched gated entrance, framed by a beautiful climbing rose, which leads to the kitchen courtyard.

The house sits in the heart of the grounds, with a cottage garden to the rear, for every day family life, and an established formal rose garden to the west. Adjacent to the rose garden is a 15 metre swimming pool with electric cover and paved surround, overlooked by a revolving summerhouse. A paddock is located on the far side of the rose garden, beyond a yew hedge, with a mix of fruit and other established trees and is home to a treehouse, that enjoys sweeping views back over the property, down the valley towards what is said to be the largest thatched tithe barn in Britain, now home to Messum’s Wiltshire, with the Fovant Badges away in the distance. Below the house is a
small orchard overlooked by an expanse of wild flowers, which are separated by a gate to the field beyond and miles of country walks. The garden has numerous seating areas, a terrace and a paved dining area, all with wonderful views and ideal for entertaining and al fresco dining.

Situated in the sought-after Nadder Valley in the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the property lies on the fringes of the picturesque and popular village of Tisbury, offering superb local amenities including a deli and coffee shop, excellent wine merchant, butcher, Ted Martin’s florist, an array of gift shops and of course Messum’s and the popular Studio Zest. Other services include a Co-op, Post Office, Boots the Chemist, GP surgery, dentist and several churches, together with schools and excellent sports facilities at the Nadder Centre. The property is less than half a mile from the popular Boot Inn and just under a mile from the acclaimed public house, The Beckford Arms, not to mention the beautiful Fonthill Lakes, overlooked by Fonthill Park Cricket Club. It is only a short drive to other popular destinations including Old Wardour Castle, Pythouse Kitchen Garden and Tennis Club, The Compasses Inn and both the Grosvenor Arms and The Lamb in the picturesque village of Hindon.

Tisbury sits in the heart of the countryside yet has excellent communications with its own train station only 3 minutes drive from the property, offering a mainline railway service to London Waterloo in less than 2 hours. The A30 and A350 provide access to the A303 and the west country or east to the M3 and M25 and London. They also link Tisbury to the local market towns of Shaftesbury and Warminster, the cathedral city of Salisbury and the grand city of Bath with their extensive range of independent and High Street stores and a number of shopping centres. The area offers a wide range of primary and secondary schooling, including boys’ and girls’ grammar schools in Salisbury
and independent schools such as Chaffyn Grove, Port Regis, Sandroyd, Hazelgrove, Handford, Clayesmore, Sherborne, Bryanston, Canford and Downside to name but a few.