Anyone with a passion for cooking will find Everdene, in Leigh, near Sherborne, hard to resist. This recently built property, which has been shortlisted for The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2020 and is for sale via Knight Frank at £1.75 million, has a striking kitchen and family room with vaulted ceilings, painted Neptune units and fireplace with a wood burning stove that will want to make you spend all your time there.
But there is more to this 3,036sq ft house than an amazing kitchen. Designed by green-oak-frame specialists Roderick James Architects, it is a triumph of natural materials — stone, slate and oak — and sustainable living (think super-insulation within the walls and roof, double-glazed windows, a Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system and a combination of wood burning stoves, solar panels and bio-fuel compatible boiler), making it an exceptional eco-home.
Together with the kitchen and family area, the ground floor is taken up by a separate sitting room, which enjoys fine views of the garden, and a study and music room.
Upstairs, past the galleried landing with its picture window overlooking the Blackmore Vale, are four bedrooms, including the vaulted master suite and guest bedrooms and another double bedroom that has a private balcony.
Outside, an outbuilding houses a garage and workshop on the ground floor and a studio and an office on the top floor.
Additional accommodation is available in the self-contained Everdene Lodge, which has one bedroom and a panoramic living room with vaulted ceiling.
The grounds are split into informal gardens at the front and more formal areas at the back of the house, complete with topiary lawn and a terrace for alfresco dining. Beyond the back garden and separated by a dry-stone wall are another lawn, planted with fruit trees, and a wildlife pond.
Everdene is for sale at £1.75m via Knight Frank — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Leigh: What you need to know
- Location:The small village of Leigh stands three miles from Yetminster and a little more than five miles from Sherborne
- Atmosphere:The village has an ancient history—there was a castle here, of which now nothing remains, and the local village church dates from the 15th century (although remodelled in the Victorian era). There is also a cross that stands on an ancient base. But perhaps most fascinating is the Miz Maze south of the village, where local witches were thought to meet. From horticulture to croquet, Leigh also has plenty of local clubs for people to join.
- Things to do: The local countryside is beautiful and well-worth exploring—in particular, there’s a small but delightful conservation area on the road between Leigh and Yetminster that’s rich in wildlife (and entirely maintained by volunteers). There is also a playpark in the village and of course plenty to do for both children and adults in nearby Sherborne.
- Schools: Local education is nothing short of excellent, with plenty of independent choices in the area (from Sherborne School and Sherborne School for Girls to Bryanston) and the well regarded Gryphon Church of England School in the state sector.Find more properties in the area.
Credit: Knight Frank
A house and estate with a waterfall, gym and 40 acres of the Yorkshire Dales
Penny Churchill takes a look at Roundhill, in the Nidderdale AONB.
Five superb country houses for sale, as seen in Country Life
Our regular look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life includes a wonderful residential estate
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expect
The four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
