Blunham Court Station Road | Blunham | | MK44 3PA

Blunham COVER.indd 3 27/07/2020 09:36 BLUNHAM COURT,

Blunham Court is a Grade II listed 5 bedroom mansion home and offers flexible living accommodation set over two floors. It extends to over 6,200 Sq. Ft., forms part of the original 18th Century Blunham House and is steeped in local history; it is reputed that Winston Churchill stayed at the house during the war.

Blunham COVER.indd 4 27/07/2020 09:36 A private tree lined driveway leads up to this unique property and it sits on approx. 3.5 acres with a mixture of stunning formal gardens, a tennis court and a spinney that leads down to the . It also includes a double garage with separate workshop.

The owners have extensively renovated this beautiful home to include full rewiring, new plumbing and new windows throughout. This property has stunning period features including a beautiful sweeping oak staircase (mentioned in Pevsner’s Buildings of Books), large sash windows and shutters, panelled walls, architraves and 8 open fireplaces. The rooms are full of natural light with high ceilings and grand proportions, many boasting wonderful views over the gardens. Other modern improvements have been made such as adding an alarm and outdoor HD cameras.

Blunham PAGES.indd 1 27/07/2020 09:35 Ground Floor Entering the grand entrance hall you’ll find an open fireplace, beautiful oak flooring and a stunning sweeping oak staircase that leads up to the galleried first floor landing. This staircase is mentioned in Pevsner’s Architectural Guides: The Buildings of England Series. This series includes every building of architectural importance in every county of England.

The entrance hall also leads to the beautiful bespoke kitchen that was designed and fitted by Aisling. The kitchen has a fusion granite island and work surfaces and offers integrated Siemens appliances which include an oven, a microwave oven, a steam oven, a coffee machine, a dishwasher, a large wine fridge, a full height larder fridge and a separate full height freezer. The freezer has an ice function with a large drawer that always replenishes itself which is amazing during the summer and great for entertaining. The pantry is customised with labelled drawers and a walnut interior. The Quooker tap dispenses filtered and boiling water, there’s an integrated bin store and there’s also built in labelled chopping boards in the island. The owners have really created a bespoke, luxurious kitchen and even had customised porcelain floor tiles installed with underfloor heating.

There’s a downstairs toilet as well as a separate utility room. This large utility room is fitted with granite work surfaces and includes space for a washing machine and a tumble dryer. There is also a large pantry and a gun safe. The screen for the HD security cameras and the water softener unit can be found in the utility room as well.

From the grand entrance hall you also have access to the two other reception rooms and the separate study/playroom/gym. The stunning sitting room was designed to have an English Afternoon Tea feel to it. It has beautiful oak floors and includes a marble fireplace, original wooden panels and large sash windows that have the original window shutters that lock.

The drawing/dining room is the perfect entertainment area. It has an open fireplace, beautiful oak floors and full length sash windows throughout. The last window turns into a door and can stay open, giving full access to the outdoor terrace. This is ideal for al fresco dining, entertainment and garden parties.

Blunham PAGES.indd 2 27/07/2020 09:35 Blunham PAGES.indd 3 27/07/2020 09:35 Blunham PAGES.indd 4 27/07/2020 09:35 Blunham PAGES.indd 5 27/07/2020 09:36 Seller Insight

Forming a substantial wing of the historic Grade II listed Blunham House and set within three and a half acres of stunning gardens and grounds, this exceptional property occupies a superb tucked-away location within the delightful Bedfordshire village of Blunham. “We purchased the property back in 2018 and it’s a house that’s absolutely steeped in history – it’s believed that during the Second World War Winston Churchill stayed here on several occasions. However, I would say that one of the biggest selling points for us was the element of surprise that comes with the property as a whole,” says the owner. “It’s positioned at the end of a 400ft-long driveway, and therefore you approach not quite knowing what to expect, and then all of a sudden the view of this magnificent building in all of its glory opens up before you... I still get the occasional goosebumps when I return home.”

“I can honestly say that I immediately loved the house; it was brimming with character and original features, but it definitely needed plenty of love so we extensively renovated throughout. It was rewired, the plumbing system was overhauled, the insulation was upgraded and new windows were installed – with the guidance and approval of the local council. We also updated the bathrooms and changed the location of the kitchen as we felt that the amazing features in that room were wasted, so that is now our smaller living room. It’s been a real labour of love and we feel that the house has now been brought up to modern standards, but in a way that preserves every bit of its original character and charm.”

“The previous owners were very keen gardeners and so the grounds are absolutely spectacular; we always say that we’re lucky enough to have our very own park,” continues the owner. “Every season our surroundings transform as there are always plant varieties coming to life and others that go into hibernation – we call them ‘seasonal surprise gifts’ – and so we essentially get a brand new garden every few months. We spend a lot of our time outside and last summer we spent most weekends entertaining friends with cocktails on the terrace and games of tennis on the tennis court... It is an incredible place and it affords us not only a fabulous quality of life but also celebrity-level privacy.”

“My husband and I have slightly different views on this,” says the owner. “He feels at home in the main living room in which he enjoys winding down after a stressful day at work. However, I love our green living room, which I feel is the place where the family comes together. It’s where our children play, where we have coffee and watch a morning show at the weekends, and the room is positioned beautifully so there’s always an abundance of sunlight, even on cloudy days.”

“I love being immersed in such leafy, green surroundings, and I also adore the feeling of community – the week after we moved here we received a wonderful letter from our neighbour, introducing himself and welcoming us to the area. Also, in terms of shops and amenities I can’t say we’re missing anything: there’s a beauty salon I absolutely adore a mere three minutes away by car, there is a local village shop for everyday items, and we have both a Waitrose and a Sainsbury’s around ten minutes away.”

“We’ve held quite a few parties here, one of the most memorable ones being our New Year’s Gatsby Party, where we had family coming from all over Europe and dressing up to the nines. It was also the perfect place for our nephew to propose to his future wife. We arranged a long path of candles leading up to the gazebo, which was beautifully decorated with white roses… It was one of the most emotional evenings of our lives!”

“We know we will never have so much space again or live in surroundings as beautiful and tranquil as this so those are both things we’ll miss greatly when we leave,” says the owner. “This has been my dream home and I can honestly say that any other future property will sadly be a bit of a compromise.”*

* 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.

Blunham PAGES.indd 6 27/07/2020 09:36 Blunham PAGES.indd 7 27/07/2020 09:36 First Floor The first floor is divided into two wings and provides spacious living accommodation with five large bedrooms, a dressing room, two en-suites and a guest bathroom.

From the staircase, when turning onto the left guest wing, you’ll find two beautiful bedrooms with views over the front gardens and marble fireplaces. There is also the guest bathroom which includes a large walk in shower and has stunning marble tiling as well as underfloor heating.

From the staircase, when turning onto the right wing of the house, you’ll find a short sweeping staircase that leads up to the main bedroom. This lovely room features a traditional fireplace, two full length sash windows with views over the garden and original shutters that can block the light almost completely. These shutters are also great insulators keeping the heat away in the summer and the cold away in the winter.

From the main bedroom, there are stairs leading down to the large en-suite which are made of Quartz! The floor is also made of large 3.2m x 1.5m Quartz slabs. These were custom made by Silestone, one of the best Quartz manufacturers in the world. Quartz is also maintenance free which is why the owners chose this instead of having marble floors. This luxurious main en-suite includes a large walk in shower, a stunning double ended bath, underfloor heating and an open fireplace.

You will also find two more spacious bedrooms on this wing which feature beautiful fireplaces, large sash windows and views over the garden. One of the bedrooms also has an en-suite shower room. This beautiful en-suite has marble floors and includes a luxury steam shower for two which includes two seats, body jets, LED lights and a radio. From this shower room there is also a door to the dressing room. This en-suite also has a door to the main hallway so it can be used as a family shower room.

Blunham PAGES.indd 8 27/07/2020 09:36 Blunham PAGES.indd 9 27/07/2020 09:36 Blunham PAGES.indd 10 27/07/2020 09:36 Blunham PAGES.indd 11 27/07/2020 09:37 Outside Blunham Court sits at the end of a 400ft private tree lined driveway and offers ample parking as well as a double garage. There’s also a separate workshop that can be found at the rear of the garage.

The grounds span approx. 3.5 acres and have a mixture of formal landscaped gardens to the front (west facing) and side of the property (south facing), a hard surface tennis court with gazebo and a spinney leading down to the river Ivel. To the side of the property is a south facing walled terrace which is ideal for al-fresco dining and outdoor entertaining.

Iron gates open to the spinney area where there is a hay barn and a timber garden shed. The previous owners owned horses and leased a paddock which can be accessed via separate gates.

Blunham PAGES.indd 12 27/07/2020 09:37 Blunham PAGES.indd 13 27/07/2020 09:37 History Blunham house was originally constructed in 1727 for Thomas Bromsall and his wife Margaret, who were small landowners in the area and were the only people ever regarded as Squires in the village. The property was inherited by John Orlebar, the Bromsalls nearest relative in 1755. He lived there for 13 years, after which time he sold the property to Colonel John Campbell together with 240 acres of arable land. The Campbells made alterations to the house and its grounds, enlarging the property in the late 18th century. When the fields of Blunham were enclosed in 1796, they extended their land to the river, providing it with a river frontage. The road, which had once run alongside the River Ivel, was moved by the Campbells to form what is now called Station Road.

In 1840 the house was bought by Sir Peter Payne Bart, a local radical MP. Blunham House became the Paynes family seat for almost a century and many of them are buried at the local village church. It remained in the family until it was sold in 1922 to by Sir Sidney Henn, also a former MP. In the period before the Second World War, the house changed ownership comparatively quickly. In 1926 it was sold to Mr and Mrs Anderson who remained there for only two years. Its next occupant was Brigadier General Newton, who lived in the house until 1952 and it is believed that Winston Churchill stayed at the property on several occasions during the war. In 1952 it was purchased by Mr La Barre whose idea it was to convert the property into two wings. Blunham Court is in the impressive formal portion of the property. In 1956 Blunham Court in its refurbished form was bought by Mr and Mrs Lawrence and by Mr and Mrs Heckler in 1976.

Blunham PAGES.indd 14 27/07/2020 09:37 Blunham PAGES.indd 15 27/07/2020 09:38 LOCAL AREA

Blunham Court occupies a delightful position on the edge of the village with views across to the church. The village sits on the Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire border and has a range of local amenities including a popular pub, a local shop and a primary school. Blunham has a lively and welcoming community with regular yoga classes and more! There are riverside walks available right from the garden and the surrounding countryside is easily accessible which offers great opportunity for walking.

More varied and comprehensive shopping facilities are available in nearby Sandy (3 miles away), (7.5 miles away) and St. Neots (8 miles away) as well as excellent schooling for all age groups. can also easily be reached via the A428.

Blunham is also well positioned for London commuters. The closest train station is in Sandy which is just over 3 miles away and has direct services to Kings Cross, St Pancras International, Blackfriars and London Bridge.

There are also some charming historic villages nearby such as , and the market town of .

Blunham PAGES.indd 16 27/07/2020 09:38 Blunham PAGES.indd 17 27/07/2020 09:38 INFORMATION

Services Mains gas, electricity, water & drainage.

Tenure Freehold

Local Authority Council

Viewing Arrangements Strictly via the vendors sole agents Fine & Country on 07393997427

Website For more information visit www.fineandcountry.com/uk/bedford

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday – 9.00am - 5.30pm Saturday - 9.00am - 4.30pm Sunday - By appointment only

Fine & Country Bedford is a Partnership. copyright © 2020 Fine & Country Ltd.

Blunham PAGES.indd 18 27/07/2020 09:38 EPC Exempt

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: 27.07.2020

Blunham PAGES.indd 19 27/07/2020 09:38 Blunham PAGES.indd 20 27/07/2020 09:38 MARIE FRITZ FINE & COUNTRY ASSOCIATE AGENT Fine & Country is a global network of estate agencies Fine & Country Northampton specialising in the marketing, sale and rental of luxury 07393997427 residential property. With offices in the UK, Australia, [email protected] Egypt, France, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Namibia, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, The Channel Islands, UAE, USA and West Africa we combine the widespread exposure Marie has been in the real estate industry for many years and brings a bespoke of the international marketplace with the local expertise and tailored marketing strategy for each of her clients, understanding that each and knowledge of carefully selected independent property property has its own story. Marie believes maximising the value of the clients professionals. property is important but that the high level of customer service offered throughout the journey is as important. Fine & Country appreciates the most exclusive properties require a more compelling, sophisticated and intelligent presentation - leading to a common, yet uniquely exercised YOU CAN FOLLOW MARIE ON and successful strategy emphasising the lifestyle qualities of the property.

This unique approach to luxury homes marketing delivers high quality, intelligent and creative concepts for property promotion combined with the latest technology and marketing techniques.

We understand moving home is one of the most important decisions you make; your home is both a financial and emotional investment. With Fine & Country you benefit from the local knowledge, experience, expertise and contacts of a well trained, educated and courteous team of professionals, working to make the sale or purchase of your property as stress free as possible. 6

Blunham COVER.indd 6 27/07/2020 09:36 Fine & Country Tel: +44 (0) 1234 607 999 [email protected] 38 Mill Street | Bedford | Bedfordshire | MK40 3HD

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