Bengate House Worstead | Norfolk As Pretty As a Picture
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BENGATE HOUSE WORSTEAD | NORFOLK AS PRETTY AS A PICTURE “The attractive elevations of the pretty thatched farmhouse capture the imagination and entice you inside. With an abundance of space and extensive works completed, it’s going to be a wonderful place to reside. If you love the character of times gone by, then this period home is sure to appeal, while the delightful gardens and beautiful surroundings add to the charm and your heart it will steal!” • A wonderful Grade II Listed, Thatched Farmhouse standing in Formal Gardens and Wooded Areas in excess of 2 acres • Four Double Bedrooms; Main Bathroom and En-Suite Shower Room • Five Reception Rooms (Two in Annexe) • Spacious Breakfast Kitchen with Separate Utility • Original Character has been retained with Fireplaces and Exposed Beams • Triple Garage • Approximately 1.65 acres has been planted with a Selection of Semi-Mature Trees • The Accommodation extends to 3,069sq.ft • No EPC Required With chocolate box good looks and a rural setting, you can live your countryside dream in this beautiful home, yet you’re still close to both towns and city for day to day convenience. The current owner has carried out extensive works during his time here and the house has been lovingly and meticulously tended, offering you the opportunity to make it your own and enjoy all that it has to give. Lovingly Restored This gorgeous period home dates from around 1580 and was extended in 1610 and 1620. Originally three properties, it was opened into one large farmhouse in the late 1700s or thereabouts and is Grade II listed. A 1980s extension completes the home you see today and in recent years it has benefitted from an extensive programme of restoration and renovation, with the current owner making many improvements. These include new hardwood windows and doors, Axminster carpets with a 20-year guarantee, a new oil tank and drains, new bathrooms and more. Everything he has done is of a high standard and beautifully complements the original character. For example, the front porch has been built and fitted with a carefully sourced antique door. Another major improvement that should be noted is the restoration and replacement of roof timbers and the re-thatching of the house – this was completed just five years ago and, if well maintained, should last for a good 50 years or so from then. Authentic Charm The whole house is packed with original character features, including beautiful timbers, magnificent fireplaces and surrounds and lovely timber doors with solid iron furniture. It’s an amazing Christmas house and so cosy in winter, while in summer it remains deliciously cool and refreshing on hot days. The two generous reception rooms provide ample space, with a large Aga kitchen offering a delightful farmhouse feel, plus a separate study – and that’s just the main part of the house. The side extension is very versatile and could be put to a number of uses, perhaps as a games room or playroom. It could also be an excellent annexe, with drainage and power already in place, and could then provide useful income if rented out to holidaymakers. Enhancing The Surroundings The gardens are part walled and a real feature of the property. To the front there’s an attractive lawned area, garage and parking, while to the rear it’s totally secluded with mature leafy trees. The sunny, west facing patio is bathed in afternoon and evening sun and when sitting here you enjoy a beautiful outlook across the formal gardens. The owner has put significant work into landscaping, cutting back, creating flower and shrub borders and planting trees. There’s an orchard, herb garden, wildlife ponds and more, plus 1.65 acres of maturing woodland where children could spend many a happy hour playing out in the fresh air. You could keep chickens, pigs, sheep or goats, grow your own produce, build a barbecue or entertaining area – whatever you fancy. There’s plenty of space and the prospect of being able to spend more time out here is very appealing! Work, Rest And Play Bengate is one of a handful of hamlets around the village of Worstead, all near to the market town of North Walsham. It’s a lovely setting that perfectly balances the joys of the glorious Norfolk countryside with easy access to shops, schools and more. North Walsham offers education from nursery schools right up to and including the renowned sixth form, Paston College, and has a choice of three large supermarkets including Waitrose, as well as a train station for travel into Norwich or up to North Norfolk. Living here you’re near the A149, so travel is a breeze – you can be in North Walsham in just a couple of minutes, while head the other way and you’re in the heart of the Broads. The coastline around this way is something of a well-kept secret compared to the area further north, so it’s wonderfully unspoilt and often very quiet, but altogether well worth exploring. The Accommodation You take in the combined brick and flint and thatched elevations, before moving through into a pretty porch. You note the exposed flint and pamments to the floor. From here a further door takes you through into the… Main Reception Hall Stairs directly in front of you rise to the first floor, whilst to the left an inner hallway leads to various ground floor rooms. Sitting adjacent to the staircase is the… Study Located to the rear of the home, the study is bathed in natural light and is generous in its size, with a doorway leading to a second area where there is recessed shelving and an under stairs storage cupboard. Returning to the hall, you move through to the… Breakfast Kitchen Serving as the heart of the home, this generous space incorporates cabinets to two aspects with dark wood work surfaces found over. There is space available for a range of white goods, with a large stainless steel sink unit situated within the work surfaces, above which a window offers views over the front drive and gardens. An oil fired Aga takes pride of place within the kitchen, whilst you also notice the tiled flooring underfoot. Leading off the rear of the kitchen is a rear reception hall, with access to a rear stable door which leads to the back garden, as well as providing a boot and coat storage area. Utility Room and Separate WC A spacious utility room with a storage cupboard, stainless steel sink and light wood work surface which provides space below for laundry white goods, whilst there is also a vent for dryer. The oil fired boiler can be found within this room and provides central heating and domestic hot water. The WC is close coupled with a storage cupboard as well as a sink. Also leading off the kitchen, on the southern side, are… Two Further Reception Rooms Which the current owner has used for various purposes over the years. They could easily form part of a self-contained annexe if required or equally a games room or an additional formal reception. Beyond these two rooms is a further room that is currently used for storage. Returning to the main reception hall, you move past the staircase where you discover two further reception rooms. Dining Room This room has plenty of original character, from its fireplace with ornate timber surround to its exposed studwork. A window to the hall and a window to the rear of the dining room provide plenty of natural light as well as views of the front and rear gardens. There is also an exposed beam to the centre of the ceiling. Sitting Room Another generous room, which runs the full depth of the property. Windows and an external door offer access out to the rear gardens along with plenty of natural light, whilst within the room itself, character includes twin exposed beams and a stunning fireplace with a gas fired, log effect burner set within on a raised hearth. The decorative timber surround is a fabulous feature. The first floor accommodation consists of… Four Double Bedrooms Three of which are serviced by the main bathroom. The fourth bedroom is the master bedroom, which has its own newly renovated en-suite shower room as well as decorative timber panelling to two walls and twin exposed beams. All the bedrooms including the landing have character consisting of exposed beams and all of the bedrooms incorporate large windows facing west with fabulous views over the formal gardens and countryside beyond, whilst also providing plenty of natural light. Main Bathroom Which comes complete with an overhead shower attachment within the bath, two towel radiators, one with a separate electric thermostat for summer use and colour change ceiling lights. The Outside Situated in the rural hamlet of Bengate, the property is accessed through timber gates, with a high level brick wall acting as a boundary from the country lane. After passing through the timber gates, a shingle drive leads directly to the detached triple garage found to the right. From the drive you capture your first glimpse of the impressive thatched elevations of this stunning Grade II Listed property. The remainder of the front garden is laid to lawn, with a selection of deep garden beds found mainly to its borders along with a selection of trees including copper beech and silver birch. The rear garden consists of further formal gardens as well as a terrace which runs along the rear width of the home. A path guides you to a further terrace with a feature brick and flint wall.