Listed for £1,350,000
September 2, 2024
Sold for £660,000
2014
Sold for £441,000
2003
Sunnymead is a fine example of a stone-built Grade II-listed detached home located in the village of Long Ashton, on the rural edge of the city.
Within easy reach of the city, the detached property sits on a 0.24-acre wrap-around plot and has immediate views across open farmland, with Dundry Hill in the distance.
The house was constructed in the 17th Century onwards, yet many of its origins can be traced back to an earlier dwelling built in 1403. Recognised for its historic interest, it has featured in national press, magazine articles and publications.
The current owners have completed an extensive 10-year programme of sympathetic restoration and upgrades to the house and have rejuvenated the formal gardens to complement the existing features such as the 200-year-old knot garden.
The result is a comfortable family home that exhibits well-preserved character and meets the requirements of modern living.
Upon entering the home, you are welcomed by a panelled entrance hall that sets the tone for the rest of the property. The hall leads into a meticulously hand-crafted kitchen, designed with both form and function in mind.
The kitchen features granite work surfaces, providing ample space for food preparation, while integrated appliances offer modern convenience. A utility room and cloakroom are located at the back of the kitchen and a stable door provides access to the garden.
The study is connected to the kitchen via a charming archway, enhancing the flow between the spaces. The study has beautiful stripped oak flooring and a secondary glazed sash window.
At the front of the property, three versatile reception rooms offer flexibility of accommodation. These rooms are currently utilised as a dining room, family room and living room, each providing a distinct ambience.
The dining room has a bay window overlooking the front garden. It features stunning honey-coloured oak parquet flooring, an ornate fireplace with a wrought iron pot belly stove and bespoke fitted cabinets signed by the craftsman dated 1739 on either side of the chimney breast.
The family room is spacious and features a casement window facing the front garden and a doorway leading to the garden room at the back of the property. A connecting door leads up two steps into the dual-aspect living room which has a central brick arch fireplace with wood burner, windows overlooking the front and back gardens and a stable door opening onto the frontage.
The garden room brings the outdoors in, featuring double-glazed timber casement windows, a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams, stone walls and French doors that open directly onto the rear garden. This space is perfect for enjoying the garden year-round, whether for dining or entertaining or for simply taking in the surrounding beauty of this secluded side of the house.
Ascending to the first floor, you’ll find two well-proportioned bedrooms, each offering picturesque views via the secondary glazed sash windows over All Saints Church, the surrounding open farmland and Dundry Hills. These rooms are light-filled and offer a serene retreat.
The middle landing provides access to a larger double sash windowed bedroom with original shutters and a well-appointed family bathroom.
The middle landing also leads to the master suite, a private space at the end of the house that includes a generously sized bedroom. The master bedroom features window seats, perfectly positioned to take in the views of the front and rear gardens and the countryside beyond via the shuttered sash window. There is an ornate fireplace with built-in wardrobe storage to either side. The spacious en-suite bathroom is fitted with a bath nestled in the corner and a separate shower.
The top floor of the property houses an attic room, characterised by its cosy and intimate feel due to the reduced ceiling height down to the eaves. This space is ideal for use as a guest suite, teenage bolthole, additional study or occasional bedroom. It’s accessed via a turned staircase and trap door and has its own ensuite bathroom.
The garden studio has been carefully refurbished by the current owners to meet the requirements of a full-time home office and storage space. The studio features independent access from the house, via a set of flag stone steps accessed from the top of the garden. Beneath the studio is an undeveloped cellar providing further outdoor storage and potential.
The exterior of the property is breathtakingly beautiful. The front of the house is framed by landscaped formal gardens including a 200-year-old knot garden and wisteria, jasmine and roses trail along the stone facade. Meticulously maintained and thoughtfully planted, the borders that run the perimeter of both front and back gardens have been designed with ease of maintenance in mind. These gardens provide a tranquil setting and are complemented by two off-street parking spaces on the flagstone frontage, accessed via bespoke hardwood electric gates.
A wildlife pond dating back to the 1700's, adds a natural element to the landscape, attracting local fauna and creating an idyllic environment.
At the rear of the property, the garden continues to impress with a level lawn, perfect for outdoor activities or simply enjoying the outdoors.
A beautiful magnolia tree takes central stage in the garden and a white picket fence separates the main lawn from the lower garden from which the garden room and patio are accessed. The garden has opened for various fundraising events, including the National Garden Scheme, and is well-established, blending traditional and modern planting schemes, and features a variety of fruiting and flowering trees. Whether you’re interested in gardening, outdoor entertaining, or simply enjoying nature, the various outdoor spaces of this home will cater to all.
This fantastic home wants for nothing and offers a true sense of countryside living on the outskirts of the city in an active village community. Total accommodation of the main house and studio extends to 2782 sq ft and there is ample off-street parking for 2+ cars with convenient electric charging point.
Vendor Comments:
"The best commute ever - walking up the garden (20 meters to ‘The Pod’ an outbuilding we did up with heat, power, light and a great garden view), or off on my electric Brompton to Bristol Temple Meads within 15 minutes, on office days".
"They really don’t build them like this anymore. It’s an amazing property and a real privilege to have lived here and experienced Sunnymead. You will love it!"
Our son says: his favourite thing about Sunnymead as a house, is all the different rooms, and space. As for the garden, it’s all about the different areas to play, as well as the quietness and calm, ‘from all the trees and plants’.
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