Christchurch Road, West Parley, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22

A simply stunning 7 bedroom late Victorian detached family home set in gardens and grounds extending to approximately 6 acres, enjoying a large frontage to the River Stour.

Part of the Scheduled Monument of Dudsbury Camp, an iron age fort, the property is legally protected because of its historical importance.

It was traditionally constructed in 1893, and substantially extended and modernised in 2018, and now extends to over 4,700ft² of accommodation arranged over 3 floors, with facing red brick elevations under a natural Welsh slate roof.

The house is situated at the head of a long, private driveway, in the centre of lawned and wooded grounds which includes the afore mentioned derelict detached 2-storey cottage which has planning permission to refurbish and extend to about 1100ft². Set just off Christchurch Road, this fine home enjoys easy road access to the market town of Wimborne Minster and the coastal towns of Poole and Bournemouth, both of which have mainline rail links to London Waterloo, and to nearby Bournemouth International Airport.

Beautifully appointed, the property has been re-modelled and restored to an exacting standard, and no expense has been spared in creating a fabulous family home featuring 4 reception rooms, a triple aspect kitchen/breakfast/family area with access to both the front and rear gardens, 4 large first floor bedrooms (including a superb triple aspect principal suite with dressing room and luxury en suite bath/shower room), and 3 second floor double bedrooms.

The well proportioned accommodation is complemented by character features including picture rails, cornicing, limestone flooring and original Victorian fireplaces.

A wide covered entrance porch with original Victorian quarry tiled floor and arch feature leads to a reception hall with herringbone style woodgrain floor, and double glazed casement doors to outside. There is a panelled cloakroom with curved marble vanity worktop, wash basin, WC and wall lights.

The drawing room has a stone fireplace with inset wood burning stove, and the dining room has a feature bay window, and a 2-way fireplace (with oak beam over and inset wood burning stove) also accessible from the kitchen/breakfast room. Sliding doors lead to a play room with a large fitted dresser and access to the laundry room.

Either side of the 2-way fireplace, walkways lead to a magnificent, triple aspect kitchen/breakfast/family area with doors to the garden, a large oak window seat (with storage beneath), breakfast bar and space for a table and 10 chairs. Supplied and fitted by Neptune, there is a comprehensive range of traditional hand-painted framed units, an excellent range of curved quartz work surfaces, and a large island incorporating a butler’s sink and boiling water tap. Appliances include 2 larder fridges, 2 drawer freezers, integrated dishwasher, Rangemaster range cooker (with 5 induction hotplates and 2 ovens) with a quartz backdrop, mantel and cornicing above.

There is a study with an attractive bay window overlooking the gardens, and 2 full height bookcases with cupboards beneath. From the reception hall, a door leads through to an inner hall with a limestone tiled floor, door to outside, and a boiler room housing 2 wall mounted gas boilers and pressurised hot water cylinder, and an archway to a laundry room (with oak worktops, butler’s sink, and extensive cupboards).

The ground floor shower room comprises Travertine tiled double shower cubicle, wash basin and WC.

From the hall, stairs with an oak handrail lead to a large first floor landing.

The principal bedroom suite features a superb triple aspect bedroom with views of the gardens, a dressing room with built-in wardrobes, and an impressive en suite bath/shower room (with free standing rolltop bath, marble worktops, inset twin basins, cupboards, drawers, WC, large shower area, and towel radiator.

Bedroom 2 is a large double room with a Victorian fireplace, and views over the gardens, and bedroom 3 is a smaller double room with Victorian fireplace, built-in wardrobe and views over the garden.

2 steps lead down to lower landing, off of which is bedroom 4, a double room overlooking the gardens (with a Victorian style wrought iron fireplace and fitted shelves, and a shower room with walk-in double shower, oak pedestal, ceramic basin, WC and 2 towel radiators.

Stairs lead to a long second floor landing with rooflights and storage cupboards, off of which are 2 further double bedrooms. 3 steps lead down to bedroom 7 which has 2 rooflights. There is a bath/shower room with Victorian style rolltop bath (with ball and claw feet), oak pedestal, ceramic wash basin, WC, walk-in shower, and wall lights.

Outside, the entrance to Castle Rings is through a wooden 5-bar gate which leads to a long tarmac roadway flanked by laurel and oak trees. After about 100 yards, the road forks to the right and leads to the rear of the house. The main entrance drive, which is largely unmade, and flanked by mature oak trees, continues to the left, leading into a large tarmac courtyard providing extensive parking space.

There is a derelict brick built detached cottage with detailed planning permission for extension and refurbishment, which, when complete, will amount to about 1100ft² over 2 floors. There is also a large detached garage/workshop extending to 1446ft² in need of complete renovation which, subject to planning consent, could be re-modelled and rebuilt.

At the rear of the house is a large flat lawn and a sandstone terrace. To the east side there is a further lawn, and trees including pine and oak. In front of the house there is large roundabout and parking for numerous vehicles. The main lawn gives access to the well maintained woodland which features a wealth of trees including fir and oak, and leads down to the banks of the River Stour, the curtilage extends into the River Stour and includes riparian fishing rights.

Set just off Christchurch Road, this fine home enjoys easy road access to the market town of Wimborne Minster and the coastal towns of Poole and Bournemouth, both of which have mainline rail links to London Waterloo, and to nearby Bournemouth International Airport.