4 bedroom detached house

Positioned on the edge of the village in a prominent setting and backing onto pasture leading down to the River Asker, Yondover Farmhouse is a characterful detached period farmhouse that has been the much-loved home of its current owners for the past 14 years. During that time the property has undergone an extensive programme of refurbishment. This has included a sympathetic conversion of the long barn behind the house to create self-contained accommodation alongside an indoor heated swimming pool with attached south facing conservatory. The property has an 18th century south wing and a 17th century north wing, originally being two houses. It has since remained largely unchanged architecturally, save for the creation by the current owners of a music room, study and downstairs bathroom from an attached hay barn. The property is Grade II listed and is built of dressed local stone under a well maintained, mostly water reed thatched roof. The property has retained some lovely 17th and 18th century features including original joinery, fireplaces, flagstone floors, exposed roof timbers and beams and numerous window seats. More recent features added by the current owners include oak flooring complementing original flagstones on the ground floor and a beautiful main staircase fashioned from oak. The ground floor has a large southfacing drawing room with ham stone fireplace and woodburning stove, a music room, also with a wood-burner, extensive fitted bookshelves and vaulted ceiling and an adjacent study with French doors leading to the walled garden. At the centre of the house is a charming kitchen/breakfast room that has French doors to the walled garden, stone-tiled floor and is fitted with bespoke timber units including a central island and an electric AGA inset in the inglenook fireplace. Upstairs off the part-galleried landing are the principal bedroom with ensuite bathroom, the family shower room and three further double bedrooms, all with window seats.

Yondover Farmhouse is approached off a quiet village lane via a gravel driveway with a generous parking area offset to one side behind the house. Beside it and extending out immediately behind the house is the part-walled and sheltered rear garden with a central lawn fringed by a richly planted mixed border. Running the full width of the garden and parking area is a 136ft long, single storey barn with a Roman tiled roof that has been converted and now encompasses an indoor heated swimming pool with south-facing conservatory, large carport, store, work shop and adjacent self-contained accommodation. The latter has an excellent living/multifunctional space with a vaulted ceiling and wood-burning stove, small kitchenette and adjacent shower room plus a gallery double bedroom. Behind the barn is the paddock, which has vehicular access onto the lane and slopes gently down to the river, where the riverbank is lined with mature trees including silver birches and two mature weeping willows. At the top of the paddock is the kitchen garden which contains raised beds, a garden store and greenhouse. On the far riverbank and perfectly complementing the house's setting is 1.11 acres of attractive, protected meadowland (see below).

Agent's Note: The meadow (1.11 acres) on the far bank of the river is jointly owned under separate title by Yondover Farmhouse and four additional neighbouring properties. The land was purchased in 2021 to preserve its open unspoiled nature and covenants have been created to entrench this and prevent any future development.

Bridport 2.7 miles, Beaminster 6.4 miles, Jurassic Coast (West Bay) 4.1 miles, Lyme Regis 13.2 miles, Crewkerne 13 miles, Dorchester South station 14 miles (Waterloo 2 hours 36 minutes), Sherborne 21.7 miles, Exeter Airport 37.6 miles (London City Airport 1 hour). (Distances and time approximate).

Yondover Farmhouse has a lovely position on the edge of hamlet next to the small, pretty village of Loders and is in a Conservation Area and the Dorset AONB. Both have retained their rural character, are very quiet and have a strong community spirit with a parish church, village hall, pub and primary school (Ofsted rated 2 Good). The property is also less than 15 minutes' drive from the harbour and beaches at West Bay on the Jurassic coast. The town of Bridport is conveniently close and has a wide range of independent shops and a Waitrose, as well as a twice-weekly market, monthly farmers' market and thriving literary and arts community hosting the Bridport Literary Festival. Other nearby towns include Beaminster, Lyme Regis and Dorchester. Local transport links include train services from Dorchester South to Waterloo and Exeter and Bournemouth airports both provide UK and international connections including a 1-hour service from Exeter to London City Airport. The area also has a wide choice of schools from the state and independent sectors including Perrot Hill, Sunninghill, the Sherborne schools and Leweston.