Why buy this home?

Extended to just over 2,300 sq.ft in the late 2000’s, this former labourer’s cottage has been reinvigorated into a spectacular family home offering views seldom seen in Milton Keynes.

As you approach the original front door of the cottage, you are treated to a glimpse of the sympathetic restoration of this home in the form of the parquet brick path. Stepping through the original front door brings you through a gabled porch and into the country-style kitchen. Wooden kitchen cabinets and worktops are offset against warm terracotta tiles on the floor, and tie in nicely with the exposed beams on the ceiling. A rear single extension with a vaulted ceiling allows views of the fields behind through the skylight windows. A working gas-fired Aga sits proud of place within the original brick fireplace.

Off the kitchen is a snug which is currently used as a TV room. Being off the kitchen, this reception room could also be used as a formal dining room, or alternatively this space could easily be opened up to the rest of the kitchen to create a more modern feeling kitchen/dining room.

Venturing into the extended section of the home brings you to a utility and boot room which has a stable door leading onto the rear patio. This entrance would be ideal after a long dog walk in Ouzel Valley Park or The Green. A long corridor entices you from the utility room towards the living room at the other end of the home, but before you reach it you enter into what feels like a rear entrance hall. With the impressive dining room to one side and double doors to the garden the other, you can imagine this space being full of life when hosting friends and family as their paths cross.

Referring to this reception room a dining room feels inadequate, such is its stature. Solid wood flooring from Fired Earth and walls painted in 'Railings' by Farrow & Ball create a mood that is both grand and cosy. If the snug were to be used as a dining room, this space would make an impressive second reception that could be used as a cinema room or extravagant home office. Either way it’s sure to be one of your favourite rooms within this home.

Not to be outdone, a spectacular feature inglenook fireplace and wood-burning stove command the living room. Due to the width of this room though it doesn’t encroach, and the approximate 450 sq.ft of space is lit up by picture windows either side as well as a window to the front and double doors to the garden. You can’t help but envisage hosting Christmas morning in this room with the whole family.

The master suite is directly above the living room and has the same dimensions making it extremely luxurious. There is a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite with a walk-in shower. The views from the master suite are some of the best in the house, and an accent window offers an ideal reading corner to admire Ouzel Valley Park. However, the best views are offered on the balcony which is accessed from the landing. The ideal spot to enjoy a morning cup of coffee or evening glass of wine, this feature really does make this home stand out as a one-of-a-kind opportunity.

The second largest bedroom is at the opposite end of the house creating privacy. Exposed beams add character to this room which also has its own ensuite with a toilet. A beautiful guest bathroom sits adjacent to this bedroom. Clad in tongue and groove panelling and painted a calming 'Hardwick White' by Farrow & Ball, the space has a roll-top bath, vanity and WC, and picture windows that are perfect for peering out of while relaxing in the bath. Two further double bedrooms ensure this is a comfortable home for all the family.

Outside, defined garden areas cleverly feel like further reception rooms. The patio which runs the length of the home from the utility room to the living room is an ideal place to bbq. There is then a seating area for a large table and chairs which directly overlooks the grazing fields behind. Two lawn areas then offer separate spaces for children to play or as further seating areas. Hidden at the front of the home is a further lawn which is hidden from view of the road by a clipped hedge. As there is a seating area with power here, it creates a lovely space to sit and watch children play into the evening.

There is a gated driveway for two cars which could be widened further if necessary. The double-height garage is large enough to host a car, and has storage above which is accessed from outside.

More about the location...

Woughton on the Green is a traditional Buckinghamshire village that is now part of Milton Keynes. It gave its name to the parish of Woughton, of which it was a part until March 2012.

By the time of the coronation of Queen Victoria, Woughton on the Green was a large village, due largely to the nearby Grand Union Canal and later to the nearby Wolverton Works that served the West Coast Main Line. Its population peaked at 350 in 1850, declining to 150 by 1960.

Today the village is a suburb of Milton Keynes, though the residents like to maintain their autonomy. The parochial church council still meets at the ecumenical parish church of St. Mary.

According to legend, Woughton on the Green was one of the bases of Dick Turpin. His ghost, and that of his mare Black Bess, have occasionally been reported in the area.

The parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin dates from the 13th century. The tower was added in the 15th century, and the church was extended in the 19th century, adding the north porch and organ loft.

The Old Swan Inn dates back to 1700.

Woughton House was built in 1813, and was the home of Major W J Levi JP of the Royal Bucks Hussars. It is now a hotel.

The Methodist Chapel dates from 1867.

The Ouzel Valley Park meanders from Caldecotte Lake in south Milton Keynes to Willen Lake in the north. The park has a spacious, open atmosphere with long views. Much of the land is farmed by The Parks Trust rearing our cattle and sheep, between the livestock you can still see the remnants of an old field system with the ridge and furrow still visible. Incorporating the historic villages of Woolstone and Woughton, the park is bordered on its western side by the Grand Union Canal.

The Ouzel Valley Park is dotted with the remains of medieval villages and their associated fish ponds. Some of these villages may have been wiped out by the great plague in 1686 but most were simply abandoned as people moved further from the river to avoid flooding and as increased trade reduced their reliance on fish for food. There are interpretation boards throughout the park to help you make sense of what you are seeing. Towards the southern end of the park you can also see an undulation in the surface of the grassland. This is "ridge and furrow" and was caused by medieval ploughing. It demonstrates both that the riverside fields were used for medieval agriculture and also that they have not been ploughed since. If you are interested in historical agriculture it is also well worth visiting Milton Keynes Museum at Wolverton.

Ouzel Valley Park is home to the Community Orchard which is located in Woughton on the Green just south of the Olde Swan between the Newport Road and the Canal. The apple trees are all of old English varieties and the apples are free for anyone to take. Please help yourself but do not climb or damage the trees.
Council tax band: F