The Cedars

About the House cont'd

The property is set well back from the road in a peaceful rural location, accessed off a quiet lane and is only a minutes’ walk from the primary school which is also on Back Lane. It is only about 7 minutes’ walk from other village amenities including The Red Lion public house and the nursery school and is only 12 minutes’ drive from all the amenities in the market town of Hitchin which include a wide range of shops and leisure activities, a range of schools, and commuter trains to London in just 33 minutes.

History and Heritage

The property was built in 2002 to a high specification. The vendors have remodelled and refurbished the property including replacing the original conservatory with an extended vaulted garden room with bi-fold doors to the rear garden. The vendors also refitted the kitchen in 2020, and added a link between the kitchen/breakfast room and the triple garage giving access without needing to go outside. They also remodelled the store room above the garage adding insulation, heating, and air conditioning to create more usable accommodation.

Ground Floor

The original entrance door opens into the hall which has a cloakroom, stairs to the first floor with an understairs cupboard, a built-in double cupboard, and tiled flooring. The link added by the vendors has full height windows and a wooden door to the front drive, a window and part glazed door to the rear garden, tiled flooring, and a cloakroom which is panelled to dado height. There is also a kitchen area for making drinks and snacks. It has a full height cupboard housing the boiler, a range of units and open shelving, a sink, and an undercounter fridge.

Reception Rooms

Both the principal reception rooms are accessed via glazed double doors from the hall. The dual aspect sitting room has ornate coving, windows to the side and glazed doors with wing windows to the terrace in the rear garden. There is also a feature fireplace with a wood burning stove. The dining room has a window overlooking the rear garden and is currently being used as a TV room. There is also a study which has a window to the side, and a dual aspect family room which overlooks the drive and front garden.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room

The kitchen was refitted by Howdens in 2020 and has a comprehensive range of full height, wall and base units including pull out larder cupboards and pan drawers, with Silestone work surfaces which incorporate a breakfast bar to seat four and an inset one and a half bowl stainless steel sink. Bosch appliances include a full height larder fridge and larder freezer, a dishwasher, and a microwave and there is a range cooker with a six ring gas hob with an extractor over. Tiled flooring continues into a breakfast area which has space for a dresser unit and a breakfast table to seat six.

Utility Room

The adjoining utility room has a range of base and wall units which include a pull out recycling or laundry sorting drawer. A full height unit houses a washing machine and tumble dryer, and there is a Belfast sink and a window and door to the rear garden.

Garden Room

A particular feature of the property is the light filled garden room which is open plan to the breakfast area. It was added by the vendors in place of an existing conservatory but was extended further into the garden to create a more spacious room. It has a vaulted ceiling with exposed A frames and Velux windows, a large window to the side overlooking the terrace, and bi-fold doors to the rear where a step up leads to the pool terrace. A feature fireplace with a timber beam over houses a stove allowing year round use of the room.

First Floor

The spacious first floor landing has windows to the rear, a shelved airing cupboard housing the Megaflow tank, and ample space for a seating or study area if required.

Principal Bedroom Suite

The master bedroom has dual aspect windows to the rear and side and an en suite which has an inset bath, a separate shower cubicle with an overhead shower and body jets, a vanity washbasin with an inset mirror over, a concealed cistern WC and inset display shelving. It is almost completely tiled apart from the wall with the towel radiator.

Other Bedrooms and Bathrooms

The second bedroom is also dual aspect and has an en suite shower room with a shower cubicle, a concealed cistern WC, a vanity washbasin, and a towel radiator. The three other bedrooms share a family bathroom which has a bath, a walk-in shower with jets, a vanity washbasin, a concealed cistern WC, a towel radiator and inset display shelving.

Home Office/Games Room

The space above the garage was remodelled by the vendors who added fitted cupboards, bookcases and an inset fish tank to divide the space into two separate rooms with one of the bookcases actually a hidden door between the two rooms, both of which have windows overlooking the drive and access to eaves storage. The larger room has been used as a games room/office and there is also a home office which has a fitted desk with space for two workstations.

Gardens and Grounds

The property is set well back from the road at the end of a driveway which is shared with just one other property. Automatic electric gates open to a block paved driveway which provides extensive parking in addition to the triple garage which has three automatic up and over doors, and an attached log store. There is also a lawned front garden and the property is enclosed by walls and hedges with mature trees for screening. At the rear of the property there is an extensive paved terrace for outside dining and entertaining, with a low retaining wall and steps up to a lawned garden which has established flower and shrub borders and mature trees including a crab apple and cooking apple. The paving continues around the side of the property where there is a secluded courtyard seating area with a pergola and a water feature.

Swimming Pool

The vendors added a low wall around the pool area which has a further paved terrace for loungers, a built-in brick BBQ, and access to the pump house. The swimming pool is electrically heated and has a cover for safety and insulation.

Situation and Schooling

The property is in The Hertfordshire village of Preston which has a primary school, a cricket club and The Red Lion Pub which was the first community owned pub in the country and was voted North Herts CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2018. There are a range of country walks in all directions. For a wider range of amenities, the village is less than 10 minutes’ drive from Hitchin which has a range of bars, restaurants, and shops. There are three gyms and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, three local theatres and the market square hosts many events including street food evenings and specialist markets. Hitchin has a range of schools including Hitchin Girls’ and Boys’ Secondary Schools which are both rated outstanding by Ofsted.