Penny Pot

Design and Specification

The current owners have overseen the building of the house since its inception in 2020, with the intention that it should reflect heritage and local vernacular style of the Buckinghamshire architecture, and be built with concern for sustainability. The bricks, typical of the local area, were selected for their appearance and the traditional way they were made, similarly the handmade clay roof tiles. The oak porch over the front door and the timber braces of the garage pay respect to mediaeval craftmanship, the corbels, plinth and blind windows at the side reflect traditional brickwork. While authentic in appearance, the specification for the house is contemporary. It has modern insulation throughout and the flush casement windows are high specification uPVC and double glazed, the black Crittal bi-folds in the sitting/dining room are high grade aluminium. An oil-fired boiler fuels the modern, oval-tubed radiators upstairs as well as the underfloor heating on the ground floor.

Ground Floor

From the front of the red brick double gabled house, one of the most striking features is the oak porch with its authentic joinery; its outline is repeated in the triangular dormer window immediately above. Through the front door with flanking windows, the oak staircase with glazed panels turns up to the right and there is an understairs cupboard. The hallway accesses the office and the open plan kitchen/living/dining room which leads through into the utility room. From the dining area there is also a door into the play room. At the foot of the stairs off the entrance hall is the sitting room. The play room and sitting room are carpeted, while the remaining rooms are floored with Amtico Luxury Vinyl Tiles. All the internal doors, as throughout the house, are oak.

Sitting Room and Play Room

The dual aspect drawing room, to the left of the porch, has double windows overlooking the front of the house with raised windows at the side aspect which flank the chimney breast. The exposed brick fireplace has a multi fuel burner with a reclaimed Victorian cast iron mantel piece that was once part of a bread oven. The play room, accessed through the kitchen/living/dining room, has two windows overlooking the side of the house, to the right of the porch, and an exposed brick fireplace with an oak lintel above. (This is not currently in use but has a flue and could be readily converted.)

Kitchen/Living/Dining Room

The kitchen/living/dining room is single storey and open plan. Beyond the relaxed seating space in the kitchen area, and beyond the formal dining area, are matching contemporary Crittal French doors, with flanking windows, which open to the terrace. To the right of the dining area, bi-folding doors in a similar style open to the side garden overlooking a natural belt of mature trees along the bridle way. When open there is a sense of the house being part of the garden. Above, in what is a natural position for a dining table, is a longitudinal aluminium lantern skylight. The handle-less, island kitchen has navy blue base units and dove grey wall units. Inset in the quartz worksurface is an induction hob with an extractor fan set in the cupboard above and a composite sink with a chrome mixer tap. There is a pair of mid-height ovens located in the tower units and an undercounter fridge and a dishwasher. The central island, with deep pan drawers and the same quartz worksurface, has seating for four and triple pendant lights above.

Utility Room

Off the kitchen, there is a large walk-in pantry, and a WC with a window to the side. Beyond this, the utility room has base and wall units to match the kitchen, with a large inset sink and drainer. There is a washing machine, tumble dryer and room for an American style fridge/freezer. A cupboard houses the grant oil fired boiler for hot water and heating. A glazed door with a side window leads to the terrace in the rear garden.

First Floor

The first-floor landing is illuminated by the triangular dormer over the porch which offers views up the village lane. The the glazed staircase panels allow light through from the entrance hall. Off the landing there are five bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom, the other with an en suite shower room. There is a family bathroom for the remaining three bedrooms. The principal bedroom also has a dressing room, from which there is access to the loft space. Consistent with the rest of the house, the white sanitaryware in the family bathroom and the en suite shower room and bathroom are modern and of high specification; the bathroom floors are wood effect Luxury Vinyl Tiles.

Principal Bedroom and Bedroom Two

The principal bedroom overlooks the front of the house with quadruple windows and pendant lights on each side of the bed. It has an open plan dressing room that can also be accessed from a door in the landing. The en suite shower room has a bath with a shower fitting and wooden panelled side. There is a WC and a large basin raised on a modernist black metal support. The tiles, arranged in a herringbone formation, have been grouted in the same colour as the walls. Bedroom two has a pair of windows overlooking garden. It has an en suite shower room with a WC and the same herringbone tile arrangement (this time in teal), as a splashback to the basin and the shower cubicle.

Additional Bedrooms and Family Bathroom

There are three further double bedrooms on the second floor, all accessed from the landing. Bedroom three is dual aspect at the side and front, and bedrooms four and five over looks the garden. These rooms are served by the family bathroom which has a bath with an overhead shower, a large basin in a set of drawers, a WC and a cupboard. The dun paintwork on the fittings echoes the colour of the floral motifs on the tiles.

Gardens and Grounds

From the village road a gravel driveway, accessed through a iroko timber gate in curved post and rail fencing, sweeps up to the front of the house. The fencing is planted with established beech and other indigenous hedging. There is parking for ample cars in the driveway and the double garage is to the right of the house. A paved terrace extends round both sides of the house and adjacent to the entire rear of the house, curving round to meet a children’s play area, with bark chips and a large wooden climbing frame. The rear garden, which overlooks open countryside, is enclosed on two sides by timber fencing with trellising above or hedging behind, while the rest of fencing on the right-hand side is post and rail fencing alongside a bridle path with a mature belt of trees. The garden is laid mainly to lawn with a focal bed with a specimen tree and shrubs. The large rear terrace is designed for seating and outside entertaining taking in the rural views.

Double Garage and Garden Shed

The double garage with its oak wooden framing and clay tiled roof is in keeping with the house. The sides and back are clad with feather edge larch wood. The doors are electrically operated and it is fully insulated with a concrete floor as well as light and power. There is a lean-to shed with the same wooden cladding, which contains the oil tank. At the end of the garden there is a timber storage shed with two windows and a door.

Situation and Schooling

Meadle is situated approximately 2.5 miles from the market town of Princes Risborough which has a variety of shops, supermarkets, boutiques, restaurants, GP and dental surgeries, a sports centre and a railway station with services to Marylebone, Oxford and Birmingham. There is schooling for all ages and the property is in catchment for grammar schools in Aylesbury. Orchard View farm shop is about 3 minutes’ drive in the neighbouring hamlet of Little Meadle and has a café, shop, and butchery.