A PICTURESQUE AND BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED COUNTRY COTTAGE WITH A LARGE GARDEN AND ORCHARD IN A SOUGHT-AFTER VILLAGE.

Iwerne Cottage is a picturesque and beautifully maintained detached, brick and flint thatched cottage. The original cottage has been cleverly extended and remodelled and is now a much larger property than you might imagine at first glance. Coming in through the front door you enter the original cottage and two original reception rooms, currently a sitting room and dining room, both with open fireplaces. From there, a small lobby leads through to the extended area where there is a recently refitted country style kitchen/breakfast room, a study and a large garden room which overlooks the well stocked garden. The garden room provides access to the attached garage. A narrow passage leads to the ground floor (3rd) bedroom and shower room. These rooms give great flexibility as a door leads out to a small courtyard making a self contained annexe; ideal for guests. Upstairs (in the old part of the cottage) there are two double bedrooms and a generous family bathroom. Extending to about 2,000 sq/ft the accommodation is immaculately presented with oil fired central heating and unusually for a property of this age, full double glazing. The cottage also benefits from a large outbuilding and an orchard with stunning views of Hod Hill.

Fronting the lane behind a low wall, the best part of the garden is almost entirely behind the property and faces west. From the lane to the side of the cottage a five-bar gate opens into the back garden which is divided in two by a gravel drive in front of a substantial outbuilding, currently a garage and workshop. To the left there is a large informal garden with a small orchard which backs onto open fields. The orchard has Bramley and Pink Lady apple trees and plum, pear, cherry, mulberry and walnut trees. To the right, the formal garden is enclosed by a high wall and panel fencing. It has a level lawn surrounded by well stocked traditional borders and a central path up to the garden room and back door. Taking full advantage of the afternoon sun there is a lovely view down the garden and across the river Stour towards Norton Wood in the distance.

Iwerne Cottage is situated on the edge of the older part of Stourpaine, a picturesque and thriving village surrounded by lovely Dorset countryside straddling two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB’s). The village has a pub, The White Horse, a pretty C14th church, village hall and playing fields with recently re-furbished tennis courts and a pavilion which hosts well supported clubs and associations. The Dorset Trailway runs through the heart of the village and for water sports and walking, the south coast is not much more than half an hour away at Poole Harbour, Sandbanks, Studland and along Dorset’s renowned Jurassic Coastline. All the other amenities you need are nearby in Blandford Forum which also boasts an M&S food hall, Lidl and Tesco superstores.

Communication links around the village are very good. The business centres along the coast from Poole and Bournemouth through to Southampton are all within reasonable driving distance, and the nearby A31 provides an easy link to the M27 and via the M3 on up to London. The most convenient station is Poole which has a fast regular service to London Waterloo, and Southampton and Bournemouth airports are close by. This part of Dorset has also become popular because of the wide selection of schools at all levels. There is a successful primary school nearby in Durweston, a secondary school in Blandford and independent schools in the area include Bryanston (on the doorstep), Sherborne, Milton Abbey, Canford and Clayesmore, as well as Sandroyd and Hanford prep schools.

Mains water, drainage and electricity. Oil fired heating. Good broadband service (Wessex Internet – a superfast service is available).