Charming period cottage with a 21 ft extended kitchen and 18 ft living room with fireplace, set in a generous West facing plot just a minute's walk from open countryside and a charming village pub. Swift access to Bicester, Oxford and London by nearby road and rail links.

Chesterton is a popular village offering the best of all worlds. Dating back to Roman times (Akeman Street runs through it) the village is quiet and off the beaten track, steeped in history with a predominance of stone cottages, while providing easy access to many amenities including local pubs and restaurants, Bicester village, M40 and A34, plus a mainline London station (to Marylebone in c. 42 mins) just 2 miles distant.

Amber Cottage nestles behind its own lawn and gravelled parking, way back from the lane and screened from view by trees. If you don't know it's there, you will probably miss it - as we did - so secluded is the position. But from the first impression to the last it's a house designed to pamper and relax you. Its lovely character and history is still intact; but the modern extension has completely transformed the usability for modern tastes. A living room with luscious beams and a fireplace is expected, an 18 ft kitchen and two en-suites upstairs is not!

Walking up the path from the gravelled parking area, the pretty facade welcomes you to the open porch, on the right of which is the front door. This opens into the surprisingly large living room. Beams overhead and the whitewashed rough-hewn stone walls envelope you in their character. It's a room that encourages you to relax, whether that's sat on the window seat looking out across the front lawn, or hunkering down on a winter's evening in front of the fire.

If the living room was a considered a good size, the kitchen delivers to an even greater degree. High quality units wrapped round three sides, topped with thick timber work surfaces. And amongst other units they contain a Double Butler sink, wine chiller and, crucially, a full-width range cooker which also provides gas burners. It's a space for chefs for sure, but it's also a space for entertaining. The dining area is vast, with glazed doors to the rear that fold back to almost the full width, integrating the terrace behind with the kitchen. And to the side, the utility room provides even more storage as well as a further sink, and next to the the wc is tucked away off to the rear.

Upstairs, the theme of thought and clever execution continues. The main bedroom offers a peaceful view down the garden. It's a large room, easily accommodating a King Size bed in addition to chests and wardrobes without feeling cramped. While the room is currently carpeted, note that underneath the carpet are some rather lovely patinated original floor boards. And the en-suite to it is tiled in a pleasantly Art-Deco Edwardian style complete with a large shower.

Next door, bedroom two offers similar luxuries. Also an excellent double room, here there are wardrobes built in, to take advantage of the alcoves either side of the chimney breast. The en-suite this time is much larger, so much so it includes a bath, and the overall decor is presented to a more contemporary style which includes a surface-mounted circular sink. Bedroom three is very much an occasional or study as it is a more compact space, but we suspect the current use by our vendors as a dressing area and walk-in wardrobe is how we would use it.

Outside needs explanation. As briefly described already, the house sits a good way back from the lane because it and the attached neighbour own a gravelled parking area ample for two cars each, behind which a screen of trees partially hides a lawn intersected by a central path that runs to the front porch. At the rear of the house, our vendors have created a no-maintenance space that has seen the lawn removed. Instead, to the rear the terrace behind the house is intimate and beautifully landscaped and beyond it the mix of gravelled and decked areas encourages dining and relaxing in different areas depending on the sun. To the rear is a large summer house/ outside office with power, plus a large and useful shed. Side access runs up the right of the house, leading past a brick shed and beyond it the barbecue area is perfect for outside entertaining!

Mains electric, water, Calor c.h.
Cherwell District Council
Council tax band D
£2,230-90 p.a. 2023/24
Freehold