6 bedroom detached house for sale

Of discreet appearance from the road, you are likely to have driven past numerous times without realising how special is the property that sits beyond this rendered façade. Built in the late eighteenth century in a Georgian style and once home to Robert Southey, Bristol-born Poet Laureate, who is also credited with being author of the The Three Bears. The property now bearing his name.

A magnificent family home of considerable character set in grounds of just over half an acre. The rear elevation of the property evokes the age of its creation, with sandstone bow bays to the ground floor and large sash windows above. West-facing, overlooking its own magnificent garden and enjoying fantastic sunsets, there is a degree of grandeur associated with a house of stature.

This substantial property has been in the same family ownership since 1910. The house was divided in two in the 1950's with the garden remaining as one. We feel it now represents a unique opportunity to bring it back to one grand single residence in this most desirable of settings.

The main part of the property known as Southey House is a beautifully appointed home. The grandest of the reception rooms with wood panelling, ornate plasterwork and ornate fireplace opens out on to the gardens, whilst the farmhouse-style kitchen is bathed in light from its full-height bay window. Additional ground floor rooms include a formal dining room, boot room and cloakroom. Upstairs are three bedrooms, dressing room, shower room and a family bathroom. The cellars are extensive and provide ample wine store capability. The barrel-roll adds weight to it once being a coaching inn before becoming the Southey residence at the end of the eighteenth century.

The second part of the property, Martin Lodge, has its own entrance to the right-hand side of the building with enclosed courtyard garden, again with attractively presented wood-panelled principal reception room. It also offers a dining room, a galley-style kitchen and three bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. This part of the property would lend itself to a degree of updating, regardless of its reintegration into the main house.

The coach house sits on the original stable site with part of the original floor remaining as well as an inspection pit. The 'garage' is vast and can easily accommodate six vehicles accessed via twin garage doors to the front. Beyond the capability of housing an impressive classic car collection, it also lends itself to a number of other uses. Built over the garage in the 1970s is, as you might imagine, a very spacious two-bedroom apartment with its own independent access. Rented for a number of years it is ideally suited to this ongoing use or perhaps as a home office or running a business from, subject to any necessary consents.

The gardens are quite simply magnificent. Envisage marquee weddings and garden parties on the lawn and you get some idea. Sweeping areas of lawn, established flower and shrub borders, extensive vegetable and fruit gardens, greenhouses, potting shed, mature trees and espaliered fruit trees set against stone boundary walls, the overall effect is joyous. Elevated views towards Henbury golf club and the wooded Blaise escarpment continue the vista from this truly remarkable property.

Please note that whilst we seek one purchaser, we are selling essentially three separate properties held collectively under five titles for two related vendors. There will be appropriate stamp duty liabilities beyond a single home purchase which you will need to ascertain via your solicitor or tax advisor.