This Grade II-listed two-bedroom cottage lies in the picturesque village of Stoke Abbott, deep in the depths of the rolling west Dorset countryside. Believed to date from the 17th century, it is full of rustic charm with a thatched roof and golden Hamstone walls. The story is much the same inside, where early features including a broad inglenook fireplace have been retained. The picturesque towns of Beaminster and Bridport are close by, and the delights of the Jurassic Coast, a Unesco World Heritage Site, are in easy reach.

Setting The Scene

Stoke Abbott is a small and traditional Dorset village. The author and broadcaster Ralph Wightman described it as “a beautiful place of deep lanes, orchards and old houses, with a church of quiet charm”. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin has Norman origins and esteemed English poet, William Crowe, was the rector in the late 18th century. Today most of the current vernacular dates from the 17th and 18th centuries and is encompassed within the Stoke Abbott Conservation Area.

The Grand Tour

The house’s traditional timber door, painted a soft duck-egg hue, sits below a thatched porch canopy. Entry is to the living room, where dual-aspect, timber-framed windows illuminate exposed timber beams that contrast with an otherwise light palette. Natural stone tiles spread out underfoot. On one side, an imposing inglenook fireplace with bare Hamstone flank walls and a wood-burning stove stands ready for colder nights and winters.

Behind lies the kitchen; a clever timber-topped opening cut out in the diving wall forms a handy breakfast bar. The kitchen units are fitted with painted timber doors, oak worktops and a ceramic sink. A pantry cupboard under the stairs makes rational and discrete use of available space.

Upstairs, painted ledge and brace doors provide access to two double bedrooms and bathroom. The light-filled principal bedroom is on the corner and has dual-aspect windows; a window seat set beneath one offers an elevated view of village life and the hills beyond. A second double bedroom lies adjacent.

To the rear is a spacious bathroom with modern fittings in a classic style.

**The Great Outdoors
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The garden is to the side and raised with the contours of the land. A paved patio banked with natural stone walling provides a space to dine outside or sit in tranquility. Steps lead further up the hill to the lawn and an area of private woodland beyond.

**Out and About
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Stoke Abbott is a small but perfectly formed village with a church, village hall and pub.