A hopelessly idyllic 400-year-old cottage that inspired one of the great children's books of the 20th century

Few spots in Cambridgeshire are as idyllic as Kings Mill Lane. Head down this cul-de-sac in the village of Great Shelford, and you'll end up at a weir with the five-storey mill on one side and Willow End on the other.

It's a charming and characterful house, dating back four hundred years, and gradually extended over the centuries. With the owners now downsizing, it's for sale through Redmayne Arnold & Harris at £1.75 million.

As it stands today, there are three distinct wings from the different eras of Willow End's development, housing five bedrooms, an impressive vaulted reception, dining hall, a minstrels gallery, drawing room, conservatory and a wonderful breakfast kitchen. There are many period details remaining in the house, including some fine open fireplaces in the reception rooms.

The first two wings comprise the main accommodation: on entry, the side hall leads to the vaulted double reception room, which serves as both dining hall and sitting room. The kitchen and conservatory are joined and overlook the gardens; a staircase leads to the minstrel's gallery and a guest bedroom beyond.

To the left of the entrance in the ‘modern wing’ are the shower room, cloaks, butler's pantry and a side door. At the far end, stairs lead to the large master suite, and another door leads to the drawing room, with its wonderful triple aspect and French door to the garden.

This wing offers the best views of the river, especially the ‘yellow room’ which overlooks over the weir, the patio and river, and the rose-framed garden.

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The ‘thatched end’ wing of the house has three bedrooms and its own entrance, making it an ideal place to put young people.

And what a childhood you'd have growing up in a house like this — a house so charming that it inspired one of the great children’s classics of the 20th century, Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce. The book was set in King’s Mill House, where Philippa grew up as the daughter of the last manager of the working mill in the 1950s.

The gardens come to around 1/3 of an acre and are largely informal but extremely pretty and the water makes a relaxing backdrop for anyone spending time outside the house. Brown trout used to abound in these waters, and kingfishers, herons, swans, ducks and pheasants are still frequent visitors to the garden and the bordering fields – as well as the occasional otter.

Located just four miles south of Cambridge this is quite a special property. Great Shelford is a much-sought-after location in the county thanks to its location and period character.

The present owners initially put the house up for sale in 2016, but took it off the market when their chain fell through — and they ended up staying another nine years. It sounds like an idyllic place to live, and a place from which you can get all the way to Cambridge on the water.

'Canoeing down to Grantchester is a challenge, mainly because the river is simply not deep enough in parts to paddle,' the ownertold Country Life. 'But a hot day entices you to walk in the river, maybe with a small child on your shoulders.’

For sale at £1.75m via Redmayne Arnold & Harris — see more pictures and details.