4 bedroom cottage for sale

GUIDE PRICE £900,000 - £995,000ACCOMMODATIONLocated in grounds of 3/4 of an acre with outstanding countryside views to the front this stunning detached Grade II* listed home dates back to the late 16th/early 17th century. The property has been sympathetically improved to make a very desirable family home and boasts many historical features including multiple fireplaces, exposed timbers and beams. There are also half height panelled stairwells with extremely rare circa 1680-1715 paintings depicting revelling Bacchi and Satyrs. Accommodation is set over three floors, ground floor provides inner hall, cloakroom, three reception rooms and a fitted kitchen with integrated fridge, freezer and dishwasher and an oil fired aga. On the first floor there are three double bedrooms and a stunning re-fitted heritage bathroom featuring a red brick semi circular fireplace. The second floor provides the fourth double bedroom with oak crossbeams and a separate shower room. To the rear of the house is a converted brick outbuilding which provides a utility room and further cloakroom. Externally there is a shingle in and out driveway which provides significant parking facilities with enough space for caravan or motorhome as well as access to the converted cart lodge and stables which provide twin garages, open bay storage and a large office space with broadband and telephone connectivity.LOCATIONWoodham Mortimer is a small village between Danbury and Maldon. The village has a local pub (The Hurdlemakers Arms), the parish church of St Margaret’s (c.1080), a golf driving range, a village hall and a cricket club. Woodham Mortimer is only 7 miles due east of the city of Chelmsford and its excellent choice of facilities, including two outstanding grammar schools, a bustling shopping centre, a station on the main line into London Liverpool Street and access onto the A12. Closer to home, the picturesque village of Danbury also has a choice of shops, amenities and two preparatory schools (Heathcote and Elm Green) and the nearby town of Maldon has a good range of shops and other amenities.LISTED BUILDING EXTRACTC16 of earlier origin with early C18 facade and later alterations. Timber framed, red and black brick faced. Left and right red brick chimney stacks with attached octagonal shafts. Dentilled eaves cornice. 3 first floor, 2 ground floor windows all C20 small paned casements, those to ground floor with segmental arches. Casement window to return gable attic. Central vertically boarded door, flat canopy over. Internally the 2 front rooms each with angled rear corner fireplaces. Ground floor left fireplace with C17 wooden moulded surround and mantel. Sun Insurance Plaque formerly on outside wall and dated 1774 is attached to surround. Semi-circular red brick hearth. Moulded gun rack over. Panelled cupboard. First floor right fireplace, C17 moulded surround and mantel, moulded cornice, panelled cupboard. The panel over the fireplace is late C17 painted and is alleged to depict the Fire of London, with South Bank foreground, river and flames arising from buildings on the far bank, old St. Pauls with the Tower of London to right are discernable. The rear C16 staircase is inserted into an earlier building. Moulded string and handrail. The angled splat balusters follow the line of the dogleg 2 storey and attic stairs. The walls have 11 half height panels, each with a circa 1680-1715 painting depicting revelling Bacchi and Satyrs. Some paintings are of single figures with musical instruments, some are groups of figures with goats, sheep and bulls, one with a man faced leopard. 2 figures are blowing bubbles. The paintings have been inspected by Mr. Clive Rouse and staff of the British Museum, to date no other similar paintings are known. There are several moulded board doors and also vertically boarded doors. Chamfered bridging joists to original building. The building was known C18 as Salters Folly - Mr. Salter lived at Tyndales, Southend Road. Brick facade probably by Obediah Barker, Brickmaker.