Priory Cottage is located on the lower section of Monastery Hill as you enter Dunwich village itself and is approached through double gates opening onto a graveled parking and turning area, and further benefits from a timber-framed double car port. The property is flanked on one side by the original precinct wall of Greyfriars, the 12th century Franciscan friary. In more modern times the property would have been part of the Greyfriars estate, owned for many years by the Barne family.
The house itself features a generous entrance hall which leads on one side through to a sitting room divided into two by a central fireplace with double facing log burning stove, and through the other side to a utility room (and off this room a separate cloakroom WC) which in turn opens out onto a large kitchen with a vaulted ceiling and oak trussed beams. The kitchen is a lovely, light and spacious well-proportioned room and one can see this being the hub of the house. There is a large log burning stove on one end of the room and French-windows lead out directly onto a sheltered terrace area perfect for al-fresco dining in summer weeks. The kitchen itself has matching wooden shaker style wall and base units, a Belfast sink and a large gas range oven. From separate far ends of both the kitchen and the sitting room one accesses a small inner hall which leads to a guest bedroom wing with bathroom and shower. Back to the entrance, and opposite the front door as you come into the house, there is a staircase which leads straight up to the first-floor landing. Off the landing there is the master bedroom (which was once two small bedrooms but opened up to make one larger room) – this room is divided into two sections by the central chimney stack creating a bedroom area and a convenient dressing area. The master bedroom has the benefit of an en-suite shower room. Off the landing there is another smaller double bedroom and a family/guest bathroom.
The property has modern double insulated glass windows installed throughout. Hot water / heating is provided by a Worcester combination boiler (fueled by LPG - there is a tank located in the garden hedged in woven willow).
Outside and the ‘pièce de résistance’ is the spectacular walled garden which has been terraced into three main levels in a very natural way, connected by reclaimed brick paths, secluded patio areas and steps. The sunny aspect of the garden allows for classical English garden planting, full of mature shrubs, swathed of lavender and well-established blossoming fruit trees. There’s also a beautiful clear-water wildlife pond, planted with water lilies and flanked by Norfolk reeds. The garden has evolved naturally over many years and blends perfectly into the surrounding countryside.
To conclude, Priory Cottage is a rather special home, beloved and cherished by the current owner; there is no doubt it will provide an incoming purchaser with as much joy as it has given those that have visited and stayed at the house over the years.
Location:
Darsham 4 miles (branch line station to London Liverpool Street), A12 5 miles, Walberswick 6 miles, Southwold 9 miles, Saxmundham 10 miles.
Agent's note:
The property location has been checked on the environmental gov.uk flood risk information website and has been declared as 'Very low risk' for both River & Sea flooding, and also for Surface Water flooding. Results and maps can be viewed on this link:
https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/risk?address=200004663058
Very low risk is defined as follows:
Very low risk means that each year this area has a chance of flooding of less than 0.1%.
Please note that coastal erosion prevention works were conducted successfully on Dunwich Beach February/March 2007. Interested parties should view the following report:
Dunwich coastal defence demonstration project - A project to develop a low-cost technique to stabilise the beach in front of the cliffs protecting Dunwich village against further erosion:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwjuraixrP7nAhUuUhUIHWA7C3AQFjABegQIBRAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fevidence.environment-agency.gov.uk%2FFCERM%2FLibraries%2FFCERM_Project_Documents%2FSC050071_Tecnical_Report.sflb.ashx&usg=AOvVaw0iZjNNQj4-U63SZd_btLrZ
Video of the property: https://vimeo.com/user112205078/review/412435252/e95a0af99d
Accommodation comprises:Three double bedrooms; One en-suite shower room; Two bathrooms; Double sitting room; Large kitchen with central dining area; Utility room; WC cloakroom; Terrace; Large split-level garden.
Tenure: Freehold
Offers in excess of £650,000 subject to Contract
