A quintessential country home

Sublimely situated in the South Downs National Park, picturesque South Hay is a quintessential country home with period whitewashed walls, framed by rambling roses and nestled within 1.7 acres of glorious gardens.  This exceptional property of almost 3,500 square feet, offers great space and flexibility to families of any size and captures the essence of country living.

Dating from the 1800’s, South Hay was converted from a trio of original cottages and extended by the current owners, who added a new kitchen, entrance hall, utility room and the en suite to the master bedroom as well as carrying out extensive redecoration.

Additionally, the property offers a fabulous studio apartment above a triple garage.

A tranquil approach

Enter the property via the private gravel drive that sweeps up to the house where, from its elevated position, it enjoys lovely, far-reaching pastoral views and rural tranquility. There is ample space for several cars to park on the driveway outside the house as well covered parking for two cars in the garage.

Perfect family home

From the parking area, the side door opens into the entrance hall and leads into the bright, spacious kitchen with large windows on two sides.   Recently installed, the sleek, modern kitchen includes a large central island, twin electric ovens, an induction hob, an integrated dishwasher, a wine fridge and heated slate flooring underfoot.  The breakfast area has plenty of space for a large table and features double French doors leading out onto the terrace for easy outdoor dining in summer months.

Off the kitchen is an enviable, fully-shelved pantry, a fantastic laundry room complete with a convenient laundry chute from upstairs, a boot room and a downstairs cloakroom.

Next to the kitchen is the large dining hall with attractive original brickwork and wood panelling; an ideal space for both family meals or formal entertaining.  An oak staircase rises from here up to the galleried landing on the floor above.

Double doors lead into the elegant drawing room with windows on both sides and a fireplace fitted with a wood-burning stove for cosy winter evenings; a wonderful spot to relax with family and friends.

A third reception room, double aspect with French doors opening into the garden, is perfect as a family room or TV room, but would also serve well as a playroom. Adjoining is a bright study, with windows overlooking the garden, an open fireplace and French doors;  a lovely, light-filled room in which to work from home or just relax with a book.

And so to bed . . .

Climb the stairs to the broad, galleried landing to access the five beautifully-presented, double bedrooms.

The fabulous master bedroom suite offers lovely views from windows on two sides and includes a sizeable dressing room, lined with fitted wardrobes, as well as a smart bathroom with twin washbasins, walk-in shower, roll-top bath and stylish, patterned floor tiles. 

The spacious second bedroom also features an en suite bathroom and lots of storage.  There are three further double bedrooms and a family bathroom.

Versatile extra space

There is a generous studio apartment above the triple garage, featuring an open-plan, vaulted living room/bedroom plus an en suite shower room.  A floor-to-ceiling picture window gives fills the room with light and gives stunning views across the gardens and fields beyond.  The apartment, accessed via it’s own separate staircase, has been run very successfully as an AirBnB holiday let but it would also make a superb annexe, home office, gym or a den for teenagers needing their own space. 

Below the apartment there are two open covered car parking spaces, an ever useful store room and a covered area to store logs.

Glorious gardens 

Surrounded by open farmland, the gardens of South Hay are peaceful and secluded, bordered by mature hedging and trees and covering 1.7 acres, mainly laid to lawn.

The front garden terrace, enclosed by a low brick wall, has a Mediterranean feel in the sunshine and is fragrant with a profusion of lavender and roses in borders and flowerbeds. There are several patio areas around the house and gardens, to capture the sun at different times of the day.

For keen gardeners, the established garden will be a delight of possibilities and there is ample space to put in a swimming pool or tennis court if desired (subject to planning consent).  For families with children, there is lots of space for ball games as well as a woodland area at the far end of the garden that would be ideal for climbing frames, swings, trampoline etc.

Round and about

South Hay is perfectly located for commuters, as Bentley (six minutes by car) and Farnham stations both offer mainline 

trains to London Waterloo in about an hour. By road there is fast access to the A3, M25 and Heathrow and Gatwick airports. 

There are a number of excellent schools nearby such as Binsted C of E primary school (Ofsted rated ‘Good’), as well as Edgeborough School, Frensham Heights, Alton School and Lord Wandsworth College. 

The refurbished and family-friendly Binsted Inn is within easy walking distance and serves food all day, every day, from breakfast to dinner. There are lots of walking trails and cycle tracks plus the ancient Alice Holt national forest ten minutes drive away. 

The Wickham Institute in the Binsted village hall offers activities such as yoga, ballroom dancing and pilates classes, as well as a weekly café. 

In the village, there are a plethora of sporting options to keep children and adults amused, including tennis, a football pitch, cricket ground and nets, a basketball ring and croquet. There are both junior and adult teams for cricket, running and weekly summer croquet. 

The nearest village shop for everyday essentials plus post office, is just three miles away in Bentley. For a wider choice of shopping, supermarkets and leisure options, the market towns of Farnham and Alton are within easy striking distance. Blacknest Golf and Country Club, three miles away, is the perfect place to get in a round or two, or just to relax in the bar, and there’s an indoor tennis centre nearby at Kingsley. 

Nearby Isington Mill was the home of war hero Field Marshal Montgomery following WWII, and his final resting place is in the graveyard of the village church, The Church of the Holy Cross.

Overview

• Picturesque country house set in a tranquil location in The South Down National Park.

• Lovely, mature gardens and grounds circa 1.7 acres

• Five Double Bedrooms

• Master Bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom

• Three large reception rooms

• Study

• Modern dining kitchen with walk-in pantry

• Separate utility room and boot room

• Studio apartment above the triple garage

• Stunning rural views over surrounding fields

• Freshly renovated

Services

• Mains power with back up generator

• Private Drainage

• Private water supply

• Fast Fibre Optic Internet - 482 mbps download, 64 mbps upload, with the annexe, also having the benefit of these fast speeds with direct wired access to the main house router

• Wood-burning stove

• Oil fired heating

• Council Tax band G £3,218

Gardens & Grounds

• Circa 1.7 acres of beautiful gardens and grounds

• Far-reaching country views

• Established lawns with mature trees and flowerbeds

• Dining terrace adjacent to the kitchen

• Private driveway parking for numerous cars

• Garaging for two cars

• Several patio areas around the house and garden

• Store room and log store

• Sizeable vegetable garden

Location

• Tranquil rural setting

• 6 minute drive to Bentley Station with trains to London Waterloo in just over an hour or 15 minutes to Farnham station with trains from 53 minutes to London Waterloo

• 10 minutes drive to Waitrose and Marks & Spencer Food in Alton

• Walking distance to the refurbished Binsted Inn, the village cricket, football pitches, tennis court and playground

• Close to lots of outdoor pursuits and country walks straight from the house

• Excellent Road link via the A31 to the M3 and A3.

• Great choice of private and local schools.