A Suffolk house with an idyllic natural pool where you can swim among the waterlilies
The natural pool at Warren Lodge is one of those perfect little spots where nature has been given just enough of a helping hand.
This beautiful house on the market at £1.25m in the Suffolk village of Little Saxham – around three miles from Bury St Edmunds – is equal parts modern comfort and wondrous throwback to a long-gone time.
For starters, it’s only accessible by bridlepath; how nice, never to be disturbed by the sound of churning pistons as you relax at home.
And even more romantic is the lovely natural swimming pool – you can swim among the waterlilies as if you’re recreating a scene from Cider with Rosie, and at 12.5m by 3.5m it’s big enough for serious swimmers to use on a daily basis..
The rustic aspect is tempered, however, by the creation of a poolside deck and a walls to ensure that the pool is simple to enjoy as a fully man-made equivalent.
Fed by a bore-hole on the property itself, the pool is self-cleaning – the correct gravel and water plants were used when it was created seven years ago – and largely maintenance free.
If you feel the need to dip in fresher water, there’s a hot tub and a terrific two-storey pool house at the other end from the house.
Inside, the house has a similar mix of old and new. Originally the gamekeeper’s cottage serving Ickworth House, the Grade II-listed Warren Lodge was later extended to become a spacious country house with six bedrooms.
There is a large kitchen-diner with an Aga as its centrepiece, while there are also drawing and dining rooms.
There is also a graceful, curving staircase in the hallway, a hand-made feature which adds a huge amount of character to a house originally built in 1865.
Among the other highlights is the garden room looking out over the pond, while there is also a covered outdoor area.
Separate to the main house is the two-bedroom guest annexe, with its own private access, while there is also a brick-built garage-cum-workshop where the present owners have indulged their love of carpentry.
They clearly have a love of gardening as well: within the 1.5 acres of the plot is a small orchard – with pear, apple and plum trees – while there is also a vegetable patch and plenty of lawned areas.
Warren Lodge is on the market with Sheridans, who are inviting offers around £1.25 million.