In Summary
KEY FEATURES
A charming and versatile country cottage.
Named for the two wells which can be found in the grounds, Well Cottage dates back to the 1820, and has been extended and improved by the current owner to create a welcoming home with flexible and sociable living and working space in a peaceful garden setting.
The original part of the cottage comprises a cosy living room at the front of the property, with exposed beams, a brick-built fireplace with wood burner, and traditional timber doors giving this room a welcoming atmosphere. To one side of the ground floor, the former kitchen is currently used as a utility room, with an area partitioned for use as a study or guest bedroom. This space also benefits from a ground floor shower room, which would benefit from refurbishment, and access through a small hallway to a walkway which leads to a courtyard garden at the side of the property. Subject to planning consent, this area would work well as a self-contained annexe.
To the rear of the property is a recent ground floor extension, comprising a well-appointed ground floor shower room and a spacious kitchen / dining room leading onto the rear gardens. This room is the heart of this home, with areas for sitting, cooking and entertaining, and is light and bright thanks to a large roof lantern and French doors to the rear. With a freestanding wood burning stove in the corner of the room, a warm welcome is assured all year round.
In typical cottage style, the stairs to the first floor are concealed behind one of the ledged timber doors off the hallway, and lead up to two bedrooms and a first floor bathroom. More exposed timbers upstairs hint at the building’s heritage, whilst the first-floor bedroom also features an exposed brick wall enhancing the historic charm of the room.
The exterior of this property is just as delightful as the interior. With fields opposite, and an established garden of approximately ¼ acre (subject to measured survey), this is a home where you will spend just as much time outside as inside – if not more!
The front gardens are full of established flowers and shrubs, with off-road parking for two vehicles on the shingled driveway. To the side of the property, a courtyard garden is home to beautiful displays of roses and climbing plants, with vistas towards the green lawns and colourful wildflowers in the rear garden beyond. At the bottom of the garden, past the cherry trees, walnut trees, apple trees, fig and greengage, is a tranquil pond, with space beyond for the owner’s beehives.
Also in the gardens are two sheds – one timber and one corrugated iron – and a large multi-purpose outbuilding, which could serve as a dedicated home office, workshop, or studio. It was once a pottery, with a three-phase electricity supply, and has most recently been utilised by the current owner as a production kitchen for natural remedies, with offices, raw and finished product storage, goods out and batch production space. There’s plenty of scope for future use as productive space in this great village location, particularly as all the furniture in this building is included in the sale.
Colby is a delightful village, with a range of architecture dispersed along a network of winding lanes with a well-regarded primary school, approximately three miles from the market town of Aylsham, and twelve miles north of the city of Norwich.
With a wealth of country walks on the doorstep and the wide skies and sandy beaches of the Norfolk coast only eight miles away, there are plenty of opportunities here to get out and active, and if you’d rather spend time browsing independent stores or enjoying a relaxing coffee out with friends, the burgeoning amenities on offer in and around Aylsham’s National Trust marketplace are sure to appeal – with supermarkets, secondary schooling, medical centre and post office also to be found in this vibrant market town.
Well Cottage is a fabulous escape to the country with a wide range of facilities in close proximity. With potential for annexe or self-contained guest accommodation, subject to planning, and great home working space, this character property with no chain is sure to be popular and early viewing is highly recommended.
Inside the property
On the ground floor:
Entrance Porch
Open to front with double glazed window to side aspect, brick floor. Entrance door to:
Living Room
5.07m x 4.67m
Smooth plastered ceiling with exposed timber beams, feature brick fireplace incorporating TV shelf and fireplace with woodburner on brick hearth. Window to front aspect and feature stained glass internal window to hallway. Two radiators, built in understairs storage cupboard, fitted carpets, doors to:
Utility Room
Window to front aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with exposed timber beams, fitted units with worktop over incorporating ceramic butlers sink with mixer tap over, plumbing for washing machine, laminate flooring, radiator, door to rear lobby, space for freestanding fridge freezer, screened opening to:
Study / Bedroom Three
3.18m x 2.23m
Window to rear aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with exposed beams, radiator, fitted carpets.
Rear Lobby
Textured walls and ceiling, ceramic tiled floor, external door to side aspect, door to:
Shower Room
Tiled shower enclosure with electric shower over, inset sink unit, inset W.C., extractor fan, textured ceiling, ceramic tiled floor.
Hallway
Smooth plastered ceiling with exposed timber beams and recessed ceiling lights, exterior door to rear garden, stairs to first floor, built in cupboard housing oil-fired boiler, doors to:
Shower Room
Obscure glazed window to side aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with recessed ceiling lights, wall mounted electric heater, wall mounted heated towel rail, vanity washbasin with mixer tap over, dual flush W.C., shower cubicle, vinyl flooring.
Kitchen / Dining Room
3.94m x 5.24m max
Dual aspect room with window to side aspect and French doors to rear aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with recessed ceiling lights and roof lantern with concealed LED uplighting. Range of fitted units incorporating integrated oven and hob, integrated slimline dishwasher, 1.5 bowl stainless steel sink unit with mixer tap, integrated fridge, laminate flooring, radiator.
On the First Floor:
First Floor Landing
Window to rear aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with exposed timber beams, fitted carpets, doors to:
Bedroom One
3.21m x 3.68m
Smooth plastered ceiling with exposed beams, window to front aspect, exposed feature brick wall, radiator, fitted carpets.
Bedroom Two
2.45m x 3.70m
Window to front aspect, smooth plastered ceiling with exposed beams and loft access hatch, radiator, fitted carpets.
Bathroom
Smooth plastered ceiling, obscure glazed window to rear aspect, bath with mixer tap and shower attachment, W.C., pedestal washbasin, heated towel rail, built-in storage cupboard, fitted carpets.
Outside the property
To the front of the property
To the front of the property
A shingled driveway provides off-road parking for two vehicles. The front garden is composed of mature well-stocked beds and contains a well (owned by the neighbouring property with permission for Well Cottage to draw water).
To the rear of the property
A generous decking area is accessed from the kitchen, which leads on to the garden which is lawned, with generous wildflower planting and mature beds and borders. Mature trees include two apple trees and flowering cherry, and the garden is enclosed by hedged boundaries. A large pond is found further along the garden, with a greenhouse, two sheds and productive vegetable patches.
To the side of the property is a paved courtyard area, which gives access to a substantial outbuilding, incorporating:
Office
L-shaped room, 3.74m max x 4.94m max
Two windows to rear aspect and window to side aspect, external door to side aspect, electric storage heater, carpet and vinyl flooring. Shelved storage area to side, door to:
Production Kitchen
3.73m x 4.96m
Window to side aspect, range of fitted units with worktop over incorporating inset sink with electric water heater over, sink with drainer, vinyl flooring, two storage heaters, 3-phase electricity supply, interior windows overlooking office and store, door to:
Store
3.75m x 2.36m
Three windows to front aspect, exterior door to front aspect, plumbing for washing machine.
Tenure: Freehold
Council Tax Band: C
Disclaimer: These particulars do not constitute part or all of an offer or contract. The measurements indicated are supplied for guidance only. Potential buyers are advised to recheck measurements before committing to any expense. We have not tested any apparatus, equipment, fixtures or services and it is in the buyers interest to check the working condition of any appliances. A buyer should ensure that their legal representative confirms as soon as possible all matters relating to title including the extent and boundaries of the property and other important matters before exchange of contracts.