A superb country house, in the heart of the village, with beautiful gardens and grounds.

Description

Of brick construction under a tiled roof, Knapp House is not listed and occupies a fantastic position in the village; accessed from a quiet lane, it is private and set back from the road, yet offers an easy walk in the village for local amenities. The word “knapp” comes from Old English meaning a hilltop or summit, and the views are fantastic, particularly those to the east over a local nature reserve. The house stands in just under 1.8 acres of grounds which wrap around the house and provide a surprising level of privacy considering its location. A tarmacadam driveway off the village lane leads up to a wide parking area with garage directly off.

A Wisteria-clad oak pergola frames the front door and leads into the spacious entrance hall which lies at the heart of this wonderful family house, and provides access to all principal rooms. There is also a guest loo and the staircase to the upper floors. The dual aspect dining room is panelled, with a stripped oak floor and simple yet elegant coffered ceiling. The ‘L-shaped’ drawing room is effectively a double room, with an extension off providing a comfortable sitting area with fitted book shelves and French doors out to the rear terrace. The main room itself also has French doors to the terrace, with a subtle coffered ceiling, two fireplaces and, accessed through half-glazed double doors to one side lies the study, ideal for home working.

The kitchen has a stone tiled floor and provides a great space for informal family cooking and larger-scale entertaining alike. Unusually,it has two cooking areas, one with an Aga and another with a Lacanche range cooker; ideal for a chef or keen amateur cook. The joinery is high quality, with a fitted dresser and ample base and wall-fitted units to cater for a large family. There is both a larder and a pantry. Extended in 2015, there is also a lovely triple aspect garden room off, oak-framed with a vaulted ceiling and full-width bi-folding doors on two sides, ideal for breakfast or informal dining. Beyond the kitchen is a boot room with door to the rear garden and outbuildings and a large utility room with plumbing for laundry facilities. The gardeners’ WC is accessed from the outside.

Upstairs, the generous landing area leads to the principal bedroom, with ensuite dressing room and bathroom, with free-standing rolltop bath and separate walk-in shower. The en suite dressing room could be re-instated as further bedroom should one wish. There are two further bedrooms on the first floor, one with en suite bathroom and the other with a separate shower room. A smaller room has been used as a single bedroom or study area in the past. The top floor provides a lavish bedroom suite, with ample built-in wardrobe space, a private west-facing balcony and en suite shower room.

GARDENS AND GROUNDS
The gardens and grounds provide ample secure space for a large family to enjoy, with wide swathes of lawn and secluded areas of wild garden, interspersed with some magnificent specimen trees, ideal for exploring and play. To the south and west of the house, a terrace provides space for alfresco dining and relaxing.

Built in 2013, the pool house, or entertaining barn, is a superb flexible space, with vaulted ceilings, stone tiled floor, shower with WC and bifold doors leading out to the heated swimming pool and surrounding terrace. This is a wonderful area, south-facing, and carefully designed and landscaped by the present owners to create a fantastic entertaining space.

Separately, a further outbuilding provides a home office (or gym), with a guest bedroom and en suite shower room. There is a 19’ garage with doors to the parking area beyond.

Location

Fontmell Magna is a charming village on the Blackmore Vale, with a strong community, an active village hall, public house and shop. The village itself lies between the two thriving market towns of Shaftesbury (4.5 miles) and Blandford Forum (9 miles), both of which offer a wide range of day-to-day amenities including medical, dental and veterinarian surgeries. Sherborne (20 miles), Salisbury (26 miles) and Bath (36 miles) all offer a much wider range of leisure, cultural and shopping amenities.

For transport links, there is a direct rail service from Gillingham (9.7 miles) to Waterloo (2 hours) and from Castle Cary (23 miles) to Paddington (90 minutes). Bournemouth Airport is about a 40-minute drive away and Bristol, Exeter and Southampton offer a wider range of domestic and
international flights, all within a reasonable drive.

The surrounding area is renowned for its educational choice from both the state and private sectors. The choice from the latter is extensive and includes Clayesmore, Bryanston, Milton Abbey, Canford, the Sherborne schools, Hanford, Knighton House, Leweston, Sandroyd, Hazlegrove
and Port Regis.

Square Footage: 4,327 sq ft


Acreage: 1.79 Acres

Directions

From Shaftesbury, take the A350 south towards Blandford Forum. After about 4 miles, as you come into the village, pass the left hand turn to Ashmore, and the right hand turn to Bedchester. Take the immediate next right hand turn, back on yourself, onto The Knapp. The entrance gates to Knapp House can be found immediately on the left hand side.

All times and distances approximate

Additional Info

Services : Mains water and electricity. Private drainage (sewage treatment plant). Oil-fired central heating and hot water. Calor gas bottles for range cooker. BT broadband.

Fixtures and Fittings : All items usually known as tenants’ fixtures and fittings whether mentioned or not in these particulars, are excluded from the sale but some may be available by separate negotiation. Such items include all carpets and curtains, light fittings, domestic electrical items and garden statuary.

Viewings : Strictly by appointment with sole agents Savills.