A beautiful cottage with two / three bedrooms, on the historic Ashton Estate, near Oundle, associated with the Rothschild family, and designed and created by renowned architect, William Huckvale.

A beautifully and sympathetically modernised, stone & thatch cottage offering two bedrooms plus a third in the shepherd’s hut, set in a delightful walled garden of about 0.23 acre, over-looking the Green, in the heart of this Conservation village, part of the Ashton Estate.

The Ashton Estate is a fascinating work of both man and nature. Created at the turn of the 19th century by a mercantile family, The Estate has an interesting socio-economic history comprising a “model settlement” superimposed on a more ancient village.

The Estate was purchased as a sporting estate by Lionel Rothschild, in 1860 and later developed, for his son, the merchant banker, Charles Rothschild.
In 1900 Lord Rothschild commissioned William Huckvale to design not only a house, but a model farm, an entire complement of estate buildings which included the Steward's house, stables, gardeners' accommodation, a building to house a fire engine, a petrol store, kennels (now derelict) and a dog hospital. Most of the cottages at nearby Ashton were rebuilt to create a model village. High quality design and workmanship were consistent themes throughout the estate, employing traditional vernacular building traditions, with simple working buildings afforded the same care as were the dwellings, farmsteads and garden structures.

The Ashton Estate is one of the few remaining “Model Farms” that exists in a form that might be recognisable to its Victorian / Edwardian creators: much of the fabric is intact. The model settlement is of interest to the economic historian as well as to admirers of period buildings and of traditional English countryside.

Honeybee Cottage has, in recent years, been subject to a significant refurbishment and re-modelling, resulting in a spacious, high quality, two bedroomed home, set, arguably, on one of the best plots in the village.

Constructed in the early 1900s, and Listed Grade II, the cottage is built of pitch-faced stone, beneath a recently re-ridged and restored, thatched roof. The original character has been successfully combined with contemporary styling, resulting in a beautiful and practical cottage. In addition, there is a newly built, high quality shepherd’s hut in the garden, providing superb guest accommodation, with bed-sitting room and en suite shower /WC.

The owners have been diligent in their upkeep, and Honeybee Cottage is now ready for new custodians to enjoy a high-quality home, with versatile living space, within a large and beautiful, walled garden of approximately 0.23 acres.

The house is entered via an open fronted porch, with quarry tiled floor. The timber door opens to the hall, which leads through to the living room. The four mullioned windows, with leaded panes, over-look the front garden, and a smaller window, from the dining area, over-looks the rear garden. The open fireplace makes an attractive focal point and has original cupboards to one side. The polished, parquet floor, adds warmth. The study area is open to the living room but is tucked away sufficiently to be a good workstation. The guest cloakroom is beyond.

The kitchen / breakfast room, which is fitted with an extensive range of solid wood units with hardwood worksurfaces and drainer, with inset Belfast sink. The Rangemaster stove is set into the chimney breast. Appliances are built-in including freezer, washer/ dryer and dish washer. The original quarry tiled floor has been retained. The new, glazed, hardwood back door opens to the garden.

The stairs lead from the hall to the landing, which has a delightful window giving a glimpse of the garden. There is access to the lined and boarded loft space. Period, four panel doors lead to each of the double bedrooms and the bathroom. The main bedroom has a triple light, stone mullion window with leaded lights, to the front aspect. The second bedroom has windows to the front and rear, each with a lovely view. A wardrobe is built in. The luxurious bathroom is beautifully fitted with a free-standing bath, a basin set on a washstand, a glazed shower cubicle and a WC.

A timber latch gate opens through the stone, boundary wall. The garden path splits, with access to the front and rear doors. The front garden is lawned and has a decked area to one corner. A copper beech hedge gives privacy from the neighbouring property. Just across from the kitchen door is the former washhouse or Igloo, as they were known, which has been re-ridged and capped, and is now lined and decorated, and serving as a useful home office or studio. Beyond this is the shepherd’s hut. This is a useful addition to the accommodation, as it offers a bedroom cum kitchenette, and an en suite shower / WC. The hut is insulated and suitable for year-round use. A central path leads between the two lengthy lawns and on to the picket fence-enclosed vegetable garden and orchard.

Tenure - Freehold
EPC- D
Council Tax Band D
North Northamptonshire Council