Beech House

History and Heritage

The property was given Grade II listed status in 1987 as a property of particular historic and architectural interest. The original house dates back to 1818. It is stucco on brick with a hipped steep slate roof and was originally symmetrical with a three window wide façade until an extension was added on one side in 1938. The vendors purchased the property in 2016 and have undertaken a comprehensive restoration and refurbishment programme including upgrading the plumbing, heating, and electrics, and remodelling the interior to improve the flow through the space for modern family life and entertaining. Sanitary ware in the bathrooms and cloakroom was upgraded and a new bespoke kitchen was added in the open plan kitchen/dining room. Georgian period features including fireplaces, sash windows with shutters, and ornate coving has been retained and successfully blended with modern fixtures and fittings.

Ground Floor

A solid timber front door with a radial fanlight opens into the entrance hall which has dado rails, and original ornate coving and ceiling rose. There are stairs to the first floor and wood flooring which continues into the kitchen/dining room. The boot room has a door to the drive, space for coat and shoe storage, and a contemporary two piece cloakroom. Hatches in the floor lead to stairs down to the cellar.Porcelain wood effect tiled flooring continues through an opening from the boot room to a rear hall which has a door to a terrace in the rear garden and access to the boiler room which houses the Viessmann water tank and boiler.

Principal Reception Rooms

The sitting room has a shuttered sash window to the front and a feature open fireplace. The games room has space for a pool table and porcelain tiled flooring with underfloor heating which continues through an opening into the Orangery/family room which has a large lantern skylight with blinds, windows with views over the rear garden and French doors to a paved terrace.

Study and Home Office

The home office is accessed off the entrance hall and has a window to the side and a door to the drive allowing separate access without disturbing the house, for clients if running a business from home. The study is accessed via the rear hall and has the same Porcelain wood effect flooring. There are windows overlooking the rear garden and French doors to the Orangery terrace. There is a fitted L-shaped wood desktop with space for two work stations.

Kitchen/Dining Room

The kitchen has a shuttered sash window to the front, and is fitted with a range of contemporary black Bulthaup full height units and a large central island which incorporates a stainless steel sink and has a separate Illimani hot, sparkling and chilled water tap. Gaggenhau appliances include an induction hob, an integrated dishwasher and freezer in the island, and the full height units incorporate a wine fridge, a larder fridge, and an array of four ovens with two warming drawers below. The dining area has a sash window to the front and a glazed door with radial fanlight to a terrace in the walled side garden. There is a feature open fireplace with built-in storage in the chimney recesses either side.

Utility Room

The utility room is accessed via the games room and the annexe. It has porcelain tiled flooring with underfloor heating and a comprehensive range of full height, wall and base units with granite work surfaces incorporating a butler sink. There is space and plumbing for a washing machine.

First Floor

The first floor landing has a walk-in shelved linen cupboard and access to four bedrooms and a family bathroom.

Principal Bedroom Suite

The principal suite is accessed via a dressing room which has a window to the front and a comprehensive range of built-in wardrobes and drawers spanning two walls as well as a central unit with further drawers. The bedroom has dual aspect windows overlooking the front and side gardens, a feature fireplace and an en suite with dual aspect windows, a Gerberit concealed cistern WC, Artelinea twin vanity washbasins and a walk-in shower with rainwater and hand held showers.

Other Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Bedroom two has a window to the front, exposed wood flooring and an en suite shower room. There is a door to a dressing room which can also be accessed from the landing and has a window to the front and a range of built-in wardrobes and drawers.There are two further double bedrooms, one with a range of built-in wardrobes. These bedrooms share a family bathroom which has a freestanding bath, a concealed cistern WC, an Artelinea vanity washbasin, inset shelves and a towel radiator.

Self Contained Annexe

The annexe has its own entrance via a door from the rear to a side hall which has a door into the annexe kitchen/sitting room which has exposed wood flooring, a seating area with a window to the side, and a kitchen area with a range of wall and base units, tiled splashbacks, and complementary work surfaces incorporating a stainless steel sink and drainer under a window overlooking the Orangery terrace. There is an oven with hob and extractor fan over. An opening from the sitting area leads into a dining room which has built-in cupboards and display shelves, and French doors to the terrace in the side garden. A door from the sitting area leads to a double bedroom which has a range of built-in wardrobes spanning one wall, French doors to the terrace, and an en suite shower room.

Annexe cont'd

The annexe would work well for multi generational families who want to live together while maintaining some independence. Alternatively, the side hall also has access to the utility room in the main house allowing the annexe accommodation to be incorporated as part of the main house if desired.

Gardens and Grounds

The property is set back from the road with an in/out gravel drive in front with shaped hedges and a circular box tree bed. A wisteria climbs up the front of the house.Electric gates at the side open to a further gravel driveway which leads to an extensive gravel parking area in addition to the carport which has space for four cars.The rear garden has a 90 ft historic well, and lawned gardens with mature trees interspersed and a gazebo over a paved seating area. A metal gate leads to the walled side garden which has an extensive paved terrace outside the dining room and annexe for al fresco dining and entertaining. There is a fig tree, a rock garden, and established herbaceous borders. The rest of the garden is lawned with an ornamental pond with a waterfall feature, and a raised Koi carp pond with a further paved seating area adjoining.The gardens are very secluded and private with the encircling paddocks preventing overlooking.

Outbuildings

Attached to the annexe there are three separate store rooms all with doors to the drive. One of these is currently used as a gym and one has stairs to an over 44ft. storage area over the annexe and store rooms.

Equestrian Facilities

The drive continues behind the house to a five bar gate which leads into the stable yard with five stables and a tack room in two blocks in an L-shape round the yard. Five bar gates give access to the paddocks and there is also a manège bordered by hedges, and a horse walker.

Location

The property is located just outside the village of Little Wymondley which has a local pub and a primary school, while a wider variety of amenities can be found in the market town of Hitchin, or Stevenage, which are both within 10 minutes’ drive. Both offer an excellent selection of shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as supermarkets and leisure activities. Schooling in the area includes the Hitchin Girls’ and Boys’ Schools which are both rated outstanding by Ofsted, several outstanding primary schools, and independents such as Kingshott School, St. Christopher School and St. Francis College.Stevenage mainline station offers services to London St. Pancras in just 23 minutes, while the A1(M), only 3 minutes’ drive from the property, provides excellent access to the M25 and London.