A wonderful village house built by renowned local craft builders, L C Homes, hidden away in a delightful plot overlooking the River Dorn. Bright and sumptuous open-plan living spaces, vaulted main bedroom suite, superior spec and materials throughout, and superb energy efficiency (B-rated). NO CHAIN.

Middle Barton is one of three linked Barton villages, situated in glorious open countryside less than five miles from Soho Farmhouse and a mere seven miles from Woodstock, centring around the River Dorn, cutting a slender path through the shallow valley. A range of facilities is found here, including a fine Lebanese restaurant, traditional pub, a shop/cafe, garage and a post office. The well regarded primary school is within easy walking distance, with other good schools both state and private in easy reach. While rural and very much tucked away, the village is well placed for commuters. Lower Heyford station is a short distance away with connections to Oxford, London (Paddington), Banbury and Birmingham (New Street), and Bicester North runs frequent service to Marylebone in as little as 40 minutes. And working from home is catered for with superfast broadband available.

Lime Tree House is the latest property among a succession of beautifully built, energy efficient and stylish houses constructed by our clients, L C Homes. Their ethos is very simple; build to the highest standard possible, and make it something you can be proud of. In this, the remit has been exceeded. You'll struggle to find the house initially, as it is one of just two hidden away in a wonderful plot backing onto the River Dorn. Mature trees and gently sloping lawns surround the house, with a fabulous raised terrace outside the living room, elevated to maximise the peaceful view behind. Everywhere you look the quality is obvious, and striking. And the design is very clever, working on the premise that a large day-to-day space is the ideal for a contemporary family. Very few houses of this type exist anywhere, and we are sure the next owner will feel very pleased they secured it!

From the moment you first see the design work and materials applied to this build, the quality is obvious. Through a small timber gate and down half a dozen limestone steps, the smart entrance door is flanked by slender windows cleverly designed to bring light into the hallway. However, once inside you can see they're really not needed! Light bounces round this house from all directions, making it feel instantly positive and welcoming. In the entrance hall, the delicious stone tiled floor is warm with underfloor heating, and this continues through the whole ground floor. Look left and elegant oak stairs head away from you, gently turning then leading up to a galleried landing. Take a right and the study is purposely placed as far from the living accommodation as possible, making it an effective workspace. It also looks out towards the entrance gate, handy for meeting the postman!

At the opposite side of the hall, the living room opens away from you to an extraordinary degree. The glazing is generous, with all the windows in the living space running floor to ceiling, hence while the light is fantastic, so also is the view. As elsewhere, the design is intelligent. There is a natural dining area to one side, ample for the largest family, with the wood burner in a clever double-sided central fireplace a cozy feature. To the rear, the largest part is a huge living room that also hosts wide bifold doors opening onto a stunning, elevated terrace from which you can gaze out across the valley. And while the kitchen is open plan, it is intelligently placed to the right, with a peninsula (including breakfast bar) that gives a degree of separation from the living areas. Polished stone work surfaces run round four sides, and the Belfast sink is perfectly placed in front of a window offering a pretty view of the garden. There really is every mod-con here, ranging from a professional five ring Neff hob to a top of the range Neff double oven with warmer. And behind it, the utility room is the ideal mix of wet dog space and laundry room, with a rear door that leads out to the garden. Completing the downstairs there is also a cloakroom.

Heading up to the first floor, the character subtly changes. The architect has incorporated the roof design to advantage, making it part of the intrinsic character and producing high ceilings that make it feel very light and airy. The landing is broad, providing a good spot for an easy chair and a quiet book, deftly lit by a large roof light window above it. The structural timbers of the roof are partly exposed, a feature usually found in older buildings and universally charming. Look right and a pair of ample double bedrooms open up high into the ceiling void, giving what are already good sized rooms an even greater feeling of space. The unconventional design includes triangular windows in the gable ends as well as both wall and ceiling timbers. Both are charming and one is already fitted with wardrobe and other storage spaces. To the other end of the hall a similar double bedroom exhibits the same character and same fittings, this time with a further wardrobe.

But the star of the show is the main bedroom. As you open the door, the visual impact is stunning. Occupying the whole rear gable of the house, this room is wonderful. A Juliet balcony is prefaced by a pair of French windows with further side panels, and above them are two more triangular windows right up into the ceiling. It's a fine view from here. The room is large by any standard, but it's practical too with wardrobe storage built-in to one side. It is served by a very high quality ensuite, mostly tiled, with a fine suite that includes a generous walk-in shower. There's another bathroom, serving the other bedrooms that is fitted to a similar style, and the arrangement of the bath recessed to the side is a neat trick to maximise space.

Heading outside, it is clear as much thought has been applied to the exterior as the interior. The plot is well planned to provide relaxed and pretty spaces that are also secluded. A stone retaining wall round two sides of the house flanks a path that runs to the main door and eventually joins the large, elevated terrace behind the living room. Mature trees have been retained to the left side, forming a lovely wooded area that eventually gives way to a generous lawn running across the whole rear of the property. Parking is also well provided for, with a timber double car barn to the front alongside a block-paved driveway. It's an idyllic spot by pretty much any standard.

Mains water, electric, gas CH