Vicarage Farm Wheston | | | SK178JA VICARAGE FARM

KEY FEATURES

Tideswell Village 1.3 miles; Buxton 6.5 miles; Macclesfield 18miles; Chesterfield 17.5 miles; Manchester 26.5 miles; Sheffield 19 miles; Stoke on Trent 28.5 miles

At the very heart of the , in the ancient farming hamlet of Wheston, lies the charming haven of Vicarage Farm. Consisting of only 11 properties, Wheston is located about a mile and a quarter from Tideswell, one of the original and largest market towns, owing its early wealth to lead mining and wool production. Today Tideswell is renowned for its independent artisanal food stores, pubs, and cafes and boasts an AA Rosette Restaurant, Merchant’s Yard. The prosperity of the town is evident in the splendour of its famous landmark St John the Baptist Church known as the “Cathedral of the Peak”. Built in the 14th Century, the church is filled with significant monuments, brasses and woodcarvings

Within a short distance are the larger towns of Bakewell, serenely situated on the river Wye, and Buxton, providing easy access to additional amenities. Buxton train station is only a 15-minute drive from Tideswell with buses running regularly to both Buxton and Sheffield.

Central to the High Peak District, the location of the property is ideally suited to exploring the splendour of the Peak National Park and for visiting local attractions such as St John the Baptist Church, Chatsworth House, Litton Mill and many more. Vicarage Farm borders an array of well-known walking, cycling and hiking trails. Notably, the property leads directly onto the Pennine Bridleway, one of the first and longest trails in . There is direct access to Limestone Way, Monsal Trail and many circular routes one can explore via foot, horse or cycle.

Wheston lies on what was, in former centuries, a most important road, marked by the surviving historic Wheston roadside cross; it ran from Tideswell to Buxton. Historically a church farm which provided produce for the Tideswell parish, farmers would come in from the fields and hold church services in the front room of the farmhouse before going back to work the land. In the 1980’s Vicarage Farm was taken over as a private residence and substantially extended to almost double its original footprint. At this time the conservatory was added.

The ethos of the owners of Vicarage Farm has been to provide a peaceful refuge to all who visit it and you would be hard pressed to find a more idyllic and serene location to escape the city. Whether you are looking for a tranquil family home in the countryside, or a burgeoning business opportunity with plenty of development opportunities, Vicarage Farm provides an abundance of options. Its centuries old tradition of being a gathering point for the community has in recent years been transformed as a guest lodge, holiday location and spiritual retreat.

The property itself is set on approximately “4 acres, 1 rood and 24 perches” as historically recorded which is just short of 6 acres. These are fairly equally distributed between an unspoiled woodland area, stonewalled grazing paddock and the developed residential area with lawns and landscaped gardens. The terraced gardens are immaculately maintained with well-established hedges strategically planted to provide privacy and tranquility without obscuring the views. Outdoor facilities include a children’s play area, two outdoor alfresco dining areas and a newly re-surfaced tennis court. One of the garden buildings has been converted into a small sanctuary: a space for reflection and restoration. There is also a chicken run and a pathway leading to the adjacent woodland areas safe for children to explore.

The original farmhouse is believed to pre-date Tudor times, although the footprint of the current Farmhouse is thought to date back to 1637. Built of local mellow stone, the building effortlessly blends into the surrounding landscape. A grade II listing applies to the front exterior of the original building, with its stone mullion windows which have been tenderly preserved. The owners have lovingly restored the original farmhouse to the highest specification. A sunny conservatory leads off the farmhouse kitchen, which currently has a large centre island, ideal for family gatherings. It features an Aga-Rayburn Range and Belfast sink, as well as a walk-in pantry, large enough to also be used as an office.

Leading from the kitchen are two reception rooms, the first of which is a charming sitting room with a wood-burning fireplace, window seat and beamed ceiling. The original mullion windows have been tastefully cladded with secondary glazing to provide efficient insulation yet maintain the feel of the original construction. The second multipurpose reception room is luxurious in its size and impact. Also featuring a stove in the wide fireplace with dramatic wooden mantlepiece, impactful original beams and delicate lighting, this timeless room truly is the heart of the home. There is a downstairs cloakroom with w/c, shower and sauna room. The hall links the kitchen and reception rooms to the dramatic curved stairway leading to the landing and first floor living quarters. Four well-appointed bedrooms share two upstairs bathrooms, two of which are en-suite. The master bedroom features vaulted ceilings with high exposed beams and a modern bathroom with large frameless glass shower.

The adjoining stone barn has been expertly converted into three separate holiday cottages each with independent access, providing ample accommodation for visitors to the Peak District and ensuring privacy for the occupants. The first cottage, known as Princes Seat, is a large unit suitable for accommodating 7 people in three comfortable bedrooms. A downstairs shower room includes a sauna room and w/c and upstairs is a second family bathroom. There is a generous living area with a woodburning stove in the fireplace, providing a cozy gathering point during winter months. The large family kitchen is fully equipped and has a dining area suitable for hosting up to 15 for dinner. The neatly plastered walls are contrasted again by the beautiful original wooden beams and doors, a theme featured throughout the rooms.

The second cottage, Miller’s View, provides picturesque views of Wye Valley towards Miller’s Dale. It has two bedrooms and a shower room with basin and a separate w/c. The newly renovated kitchen is fully equipped with glass-top electric hob and oven. An exposed natural stone wall is a feature of the hallway leading to the comfortable lounge / dining room. On the ground floor, prior to access to Millers View, there is the laundry area, easily accessible to guests.

A family games room is located between the second and third cottages and is equipped with table tennis and pool tables with space available for additional activities. Adjacent is a workshop and tool store; beside that a guests bike store and a log store. Upstairs is the first-floor housekeeping and linen room.

The third cottage completes the barn conversion and is aptly called Verger’s End. This unit is bathed in sunlight provided by the floor to ceiling window offering spectacular views of the gardens and the countryside. Yet the unit remains cozy in the winter months thanks to a large open- hearth fireplace. A family sized dining kitchen is well specified and recently re-furbished. Two comfortable bedrooms share a family bathroom with a shower over the bath and a private sauna room.

Across the road is a remarkable addition to the suite of properties: with its large double-opening doors giving access to an ever changing southerly view over to Miller’s Dale and the hills, is the “accessible cottage’, Hope Cross.

Built to enable a family to get away together with one member who has reduced mobility, Hope Cross was built with accessibility and comfort in mind. The outstanding design and meticulous fitting out of this stables conversion, opened in 2017, offers this, while still providing the comfortable ambience and peaceful escape to the country that able-bodied visitors have long taken for granted in the Peaks. Features include the use of solid oak in the ‘live-edge’ wide window sills, feature skirting and architraves, and the oil-finished doors; the dining and coffee tables were crafted from a tree planted in 1739.

In recognition of this it won 2018 Best Newcomer from Accessible , a nationally known charity which promotes the needs of people with disabilities/access needs. It has become well known by this community and has resulted in large group bookings for the whole place by family groups with a member with access needs. Perhaps one day, all properties will be built like this!

Accessible features include extra wide doors throughout, low thresholds and easy open handles, giving independence for disabled visitors. The open-plan lounge / dining / kitchen area provides uninterrupted views over the grazing fields towards Miller’s Dale. The double bedroom has an en- suite shower room, while the twin room features a profiling and electric tilting bed, a mobile hoist and emergency fire door system for maximum safety. The large adjacent wet room has an accessible height toilet, grab rails, non-slip floor, wheelchair accessible basin and shower with fixed and handheld heads as well as a self-propelling shower chair.

Underfloor heating throughout the cottage is zoned with independent controls for each room. The sliding living room window gives access to a wide, level patio and sensory garden, with wide paths round the entire building; the cottage is on a single level and generous parking, both directly outside right the front door as well as to the side. With an emphasis on the ‘building fabric’, the design includes an exceptional level of insulation and airtightness; it has continuous fresh air ventilation with heat recovery, and triple glazing.

This unique guest house has created its own demand since it was opened – a distinct offering of accommodation in the High Peak district. See independent reviews at Hope Cross Cottage at Vicarage Farm with Disabled Access - Euan’s Guide.

The property is being sold with most of the furnishings, linen, cutlery, crockery, televisions and equipment required to run the holiday business. The personal furniture of the management couple will be removed and these will be specified on request. Vicarage Farm has a well-established regular clientele and consistently receives excellent guest reviews, whether for its self-catering cottages or the high-end Bed and Breakfast. Whilst run on as a commercial business, the objective of the owners and managers was also to provide a place of well-being and retreat/refuge for individuals and families who had experienced great demands in their vocation or work; they chose not to maximise the commercial earnings of the property. There is room to grow the occupancy of the cottages which enjoy all year-round demand. Their website can be viewed on www.vicaragefarm.co.uk. They are also happy to share their financial records with the purchaser.

SELLER INSIGHT

Having thoroughly loved their time at Vicarage Farm, Ann & Gordon are sad to leave the small community they have been an integral part of for the past 10 years. Wheston is a small farming neighbourhood with only 11 dwellings comprising 6 homes and 5 farms. They found Vicarage Farm after searching the length and breadth of the country and felt that it was meant to be when they discovered Vicarage Farm. The property provided everything they were looking for: a tranquil, private, peaceful, and lush piece of unspoiled countryside with the accommodation they required to fulfil their dream of creating a retreat and a sanctuary for people needing restoration, refreshing and renewal. They also found a place to call home, particularly enjoying the beautiful gardens and the endless views of the surrounding farmlands.

They moved into the farmhouse and set about making it their own. They renovated the three existing cottages by putting in new kitchens, updating the bathrooms, flooring and developed the existing business. Their vision was to create a place where people of all faiths could find a place of sanctuary; for some it would be a place of rest and reflection; for others a gathering point; and for some a place of festivity. The property lends itself to shared celebrations which Ann and Gordon feel privileged to have shared in with their guests. Gordon affectionately reflects on a particular soldier who needed a place to refuge after having been at war in Afghanistan as well as a special family wedding that was held in the gardens.

It was always part of their plan to have accommodation for guests with complex disabilities and special needs. They took on the onerous task of obtaining planning permission to convert the existing stable block into an exclusive bespoke cottage which enables wider families to come together with a loved ones who require special facilities and enabling them to share together in the beauty of soundings. Every detail was considered in this careful design which is one of a kind in the Peak District.

Ann who manages the bookings for the cottages reflects: “what strikes me is how many people say they have had a lovely time because it is quiet and it’s peaceful. And it certainly that. We don’t even have streetlights here. There is very little traffic other than the farm traffic going past. There are the most amazing walks and wildlife and scenery”.

Reflecting on their time at Vicarage Farm, Gordon says for him the best room in the house is the kitchen as he enjoys cooking and entertaining. They have appreciated meeting people from all over the world and experiencing different cultures and faiths with their guests. They are ready to hand over the sanctuary they have created to a new owner who can take this thriving business and grow it even further. Vicarage Farm place is ideal for a family looking for a countryside home with a profitable business on its doorstep. *

* These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.

Property Details:

Land 4 Acres, 1 root and 24 perches

Farmhouse 4 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms (2 en suite and 1 with sauna) 2 Reception rooms Dining Kitchen and pantry Conservatory Boiler room

Cottage 1 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms (1 with sauna) 1 Reception room 1 Dining Kitchen

Cottage 2 2 Bedrooms 1 Bathroom 1 Reception room 1 Kitchen

Games Room

Store Room 1

Store Room 2

Cottage 3 2 Bedrooms 1 Bathrooms 1 Sauna 1 open plan lounge/dining/kitchen on ground floor

Cottage 4 2 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms (1 with sauna) 1 Reception room open plan with Dining and Kitchen Serviced by sceptic tank

Outdoor Tennis Court Sanctuary Parking area approximately 6 – 8 vehicles plus parking for another 5-6 vehicles beside Hope Cross.

BUXTON

Described as “the gateway to the Peak District National Park”, Buxton is close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south. Buxton has a history as a spa town due to its geothermal spring which provides therapeutic mineral water at a constant 28 degrees piped to St Ann’s Well. It is now also home to the largest spa in the UK, Buxton Crescent. Not only does the town derive revenue from the bustling local tourist trade, the water is also bottled and exported internationally. Another landmark is Poole’s Caven and the Devonshire Dome which now forms part of the University of Derby. Buxton station is a short 1-hour commute to Manchester Piccadilly.

Registered in England and Wales. Company Reg. No. 7160201 Registered office address: 500 Hartshill Road, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6AD copyright © 2020 Fine & Country Ltd. Detached House

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Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Printed 09.12.2020

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