3 bedroom detached house for sale

Converted school in a class of its own

Its name is a giveaway, but The Old School is also immediately recognisable by its Victorian belfry tower above the front door – and it’s ready and waiting to start a new term with you.

This pretty red-brick house in the prime South Oxfordshire village of Steventon was purpose-built circa 1840 as the village girls’ school. Over the years since its conversion to residential it has been thoughtfully extended and updated, resulting in an irresistibly characterful, beautifully presented home with extensive ground floor living space and two beautiful upstairs bedrooms plus a possible third in the current downstairs study.

This former schoolhouse retains its period character such as the lofty ceilings and sash windows in tandem with the 21st-century essentials, all enhanced by an abundance of natural light and a warm and welcoming feel. Everyday life will revolve round the dazzling 23x21ft kitchen/dining/family room with top-of-the-range hand-built Neptune fitted kitchen units. There’s also generously sized living and dining rooms.

The Old School is nestled within a third of an acre of beautiful gardens with plentiful parking space and a huge four-car garage which could be converted into an office, gym, or residential annexe if desired (subject to any necessary planning permission), and with great commuter road access via the M40 and M4 and mainline trains to London in 40 minutes from nearby Didcot, it’s an ideal home for those who desire the charm of a period property in a semi-rural location.

Steventon is a convivial village with cricket on the green in the summer and lots going on in the village hall, church and choice of three pubs all-year-round. It’s a very well served village with a shop, bakery, post office and primary school. Some of the country’s best independent schools are right on the doorstep too.

We’re sure you want to hear more about this fantastic home, so here are all the details . . .

Splendidly spacious

The gated driveway branches off to gravelled courtyard parking in front of the house – there’s space to park half a dozen cars in total. The Old School presents a dainty double-fronted facade with a couple of steps leading up to the arched Glade green front door – it opens into the entrance porch and from there into the living room, which is an absolute showstopper!

You’ll be impressed by the high ceilings, pared back decor and grey carpeting which create an oasis of calm, while double-aspect sash windows flood the room with light. It’s a really beautiful space that’s centred round the fine open fireplace, providing a warming focus in the colder months. A staircase rises to the first floor with bespoke hand-built cupboards and display shelving tucked beneath it.

To the left, a door opens into the 16x13ft dining room, again double-aspect, light-filled and a serene place for everyday suppers or entertaining – there’s plenty of space for candlelit dinner parties round a big dining table.

Another door from the living room accesses the 12x10ft study which, again, is light and bright thanks to windows on two walls. Offering flexibility of use, it could easily be repurposed as a third bedroom if required.

Impeccably stylish, light and airy, the kitchen/dining/family room is the truly dazzling heart of The Old School, all revolving round the beautiful hand-built Neptune kitchen featuring a huge central island, complete with sink, and four-person breakfast bar. The solid wood cabinetry is painted in Farrow and Ball paint with black granite worktops and is arranged in a 23ft sweep along one wall with a five-ring Rangemaster stove in the centre.

A large roof lantern adds to the light quotient, boosted by three further windows and a French door to the garden terrace. There’s ample space for a kitchen table and chairs, perfect for breakfasts or informal suppers in front of the open doors when things warm up, and ideal for summertime entertaining with guests able to drift between indoors and the garden with ease.

There are an integral fridge/freezer and dishwasher while the adjoining utility room, recently refitted to match the kitchen, has a sink and plumbing for washing machine and tumble dryer. There’s also a door to the garden, and an adjoining cloakroom with WC.

Bedtime story

The two super-spacious (15x13ft) bedrooms upstairs are practically identical in size and ultra-luxurious with a refined boutique hotel vibe.

These relaxing havens enjoy views of the surrounding countryside and are light and bright with windows tucked into vaulted bays on either side of each room. There’s space for the largest of beds and the addition of a comfy chair would turn a window bay into the perfect reading nook. Fitted wardrobes offer plenty of clothes storage space.

Echoing the luxe theme, the recently refitted bathroom is a peaceful oasis for a relaxing soak in the chic white rolltop bath, and there’s also a walk-in shower.  

Into the garden

Fenced and screened by shrubbery, the rear garden of The Old School presents an extensive sweep of well-kept lawn dotted with mature trees and surrounded by planted borders. There’s a potting shed to store mowers and garden equipment plus two log stores.

The big curved patio is perfect for those who like to make the most of the warmer months. It has plenty of space for a lovely L-shaped garden sofa, patio dining set, barbecue, sun-loungers and so on. It’s a wonderful spot for post-work drinks or al fresco dining. The French doors from the kitchen can be flung open for an easy indoors/outdoors flow.

Round and about

Steventon combines the best of both worlds – it’s in a rural location but perfect for commuters being within minutes of the A34 and the wider road network – the M40 to London and the M4 to Newbury and the south.

It’s a thriving village with a Co-Op store for all the grocery essentials and a busy village hall with a super community café plus all sorts of clubs and classes ranging from history society, arts & crafts group and WI to Zumba and pilates.

Steventon is equidistant (four miles) between the market towns of Abingdon-on-Thames and Wantage which between them offer a wide choice of high street brands and independent shops alongside supermarkets – both have Waitrose stores and Abingdon has a big Tesco Extra.

Didcot (four miles) is another thriving town and the location of the nearest railway station with mainline services to Oxford (12 miles), London and the south.

The Old School is blessed with delightful countryside walks and bridleways literally on the doorstep. Cross the road in front of the house to loop through the village lanes and fields, ending up at the 16th-century North Star pub with CAMRA-rated ales and a rare historic pub interior – there’s no bar counter, drinks are served via a stable door!

There are two further pubs in the village – The Cherry Tree with live music nights and cracking Sunday roasts and the family-friendly Fox Inn with sandpit, trampoline and summertime bouncy castle plus wood-fired pizzas at weekends.  

The village school, St Michael’s CE Primary School, also has a pre-school for infants and is Ofsted-rated ‘good’. There’s a choice of secondary schools in the nearby towns including the ‘outstanding’ rated Didcot Girls School. This is one of best served areas of the country for excellent independent schools – Abingdon School, St Helen & St Katharine, Manor Prep and Our Lady’s are among those very nearby.

Steventon is a friendly, bustling community with events to dip in and out of as pleased. The monthly parish newsletter keeps everyone in the loop.

FINER DETAILS:

Tenure:  Freehold

EPC:     D

Square Footage: (inc. Garage) 2382 sq ft / 221.4 sq mtr

Distances:
Didcot Parkway  4.4 miles (Trains to London Paddington from 38 minutes)
Oxford 12.6 miles
Wantage 7.1 miles
London 70.4 miles
Heathrow 55.4 miles