Church Cottage and Water Tower

About this property

Kimbolton 6.2 miles. Starting from humble beginnings as a two-bedroom vicarage house next to the village church, built in the early 17th Century, Church Cottage and Water Tower has been lovingly added to over the years, now presenting a unique and magical holiday home with the addition of the Water Tower built by US forces stationed in Melchbourne in 1941, to house you and your loved ones on a break to Bedfordshire. Resting in the very peaceful village of Melchbourne, it offers a secluded spot for a family holiday or a reunion of friends, providing classical interior, mixed with modern beauty, with the contemporary extension to the cottage being designed by Sterling Prize shortlisted architects Theis + Khan and has won the Bedfordshire planning department award for Best extension to a listed building. After parking up in the spacious driveway walk along the colonnade pathway to enter the house via the modern glass lobby which serves as a boot room. Wind your way into the heart of the cottage, past eighteenth-century panelled walls and wooden beams into the elegant drawing room where a woodburning stove can roar in the background as you relax into one of the chairs, surrounded by ancient wood-panelled walls. In the evenings gather within the dining area, where a long table sits before the huge double range cooker which rests in the imposing fireplace; sip wine while the evening meal cooks and catch glimpses of final preparations being made in the kitchen space through the charming hatch look-through, where a wealth of appliances awaits to assist you. On warm summer evenings serve up a feast outside using the gas-fired barbecue on the upper terrace and enjoy far-reaching views of the Grade I listed church and countryside settings, sitting in the inviting gazebo. From the glass lobby make your way down slate stone steps into the gorgeous contemporary space, boasting floor-to-ceiling glass walls allowing you to feel outside when inside! From the comfort of your arm chair you can watch the wall-mounted Smart TV or listen to the fountain in the fish-pond and enjoy the vista of nature all around you. There are plenty of family board games available to enjoy good times together, or take a dip in the indoor swimming pool which has a Fastlane endless wave machine, as used by the Brownlee brothers when training. There are also exercise machines and a yoga mat available in the underfloor heated Tower gym, or perhaps a game of table tennis (in the garage) or a gentle soak in the hot tub are more your style! When you are ready to rest your head there is a room to suit everyone; the spectacular Tower king-size bedroom is on the second floor of the Water Tower, which was built by American forces during World War II, look out on the tree canopies on all sides. In the main cottage there is a bathroom with shower and slipper bath and toilet on the first floor of this secret escape, while in the main cottage, a super-king size bedroom looks out over the church and a king-size bedroom has views of the rose garden, each have dramatic high, beamed ceilings and full ceiling to floor curtains, as well as benefiting from sharing a beamed bathroom with shower cubicle and separate bath. A double en-suite bedroom is accessed by its own staircase off the lobby area, while the fifth bedroom is on the ground floor, accessed by secret bookcase door off the sitting room, offering a king-size bed, shower en-suite and views of the patio, pond and church. When you must tear yourself away from this superb retreat for supplies, travel to the nearby village of Kimbolton or for a wider selection visit Rushden Lakes where all your favourite supermarkets can be found including high street favourites like Marks & Spencers, House of Fraser, Boots and White Stuff along with eateries like Wagamama's, or for an evening entertainment take in a film at the Cineworld. Delve into an H.E Bates novel to get a feel for the area, or head out and uncover the nearby history first-hand, with Cambridge just a scenic drive to the East, here you can visit The Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon on your way, while Bletchley Park can be found to the West, step back in time to the code breakers of WWII with the original Enigma Machine in place with Olney, home of the famous pancake race and composer of "Amazing Grace", also en-route. There are plenty of stunning villages and small towns to visit all over, with Kimbolton, Odell & Harrold Country Park, Wadenhoe and Oundle, Carlton, Old Warden & Aircraft Museum all within easy reach too. Spend time outdoors in the Bedfordshire countryside on foot with many luscious nature reserves and country parks scattered in the vicinity, such as Little Paxton Pits Nature Reserve known for its bird life, or the Nene Wetlands Nature Reserve, all offering beautiful scenery and landscapes, or take part in the country sports and activities the area has to offer, like clay-pigeon shooting, archery and horse-riding. Within a 20 minute driving radius, there are a number of traditional high-end country pubs, such as The Plough at Bolnhurst, The Pheasant at Keyston, The Royal Oak, Carlton alongside a lovely Italian called Vesuvio in Sharnbrook, as well as The Compasses in Upper Dean, The White Horse in Tilbrook, The Mermaid at Ellington, The Bell in Odell and The Falcon at Bletsoe. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities all around you, with walking around the Three Shires Way, a lovely undiscovered route passing through villages in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, it runs within a mile of the cottage whilst numerous shorter trails can be accessed from the back garden too! Enjoy sailing, canoeing and biking at Grafham Water, a 280 acre nature reserve and reservoir, with golfing at Pavenham Park too. Within easy reach of the larger towns and cities of Bedford, Cambridge, Kettering, Northampton and Milton Keynes, Church Cottage and Water Tower offers a group of ten a fantastic and unforgettable retreat in Bedfordshire.

Riseley is a delightful village resting in the heart of England, in the charming county of Bedfordshire. The village itself is host to a local convenience store, a pub, a church and a village hall, with a scattering of quaint cottages and properties inhabiting this idyllic country spot. Within easy reach is the bustling county town of Bedford, where a wider selection of shops can be found, along with restaurants and pubs, amongst the country park, local history museums and the growing young student scene.

Accommodation

Main house: Four of five bedrooms: 1 x ground floor king-size bedroom with ensuite, WC, basin and walk-in shower, 1 x super king-size bedroom and 1 x king-size bedroom sharing a bathroom with shower cubicle, bath, WC and basin, 1 x double-bedroom with ensuite walk-in shower, WC and basin.

Kitchen/diner.

Utility in cellar.

Sitting room with wood burning stove and TV.

Lounge with Smart TV.

Drawing room with TV and woodburning stove.

Water Tower: Over the first and second floor: 1 x second-floor king-size bedroom, first-floor bathroom with freestanding slipper bath, separate walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC
Main house: central heating with woodburning stove.

Double oven range cooker with electric hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, 2 x TV, WiFi, and a selection of books and games.

Fuel, power and wood for woodburning stove included in rent.

Bed linen and towels included in rent.

Off-road parking for four to five cars.

Large enclosed lawn and patio garden with furniture, gazebo, summerhouse, gas fired barbecue, fire pit, pond, in door heated swimming pool with fast lane machine and hot tub.

Table tennis and a selection of indoor games.

Two well behaved pets welcome.

Sorry, no smoking.

Shop within 3.5 miles, pub within 0.4 miles.

Note: There are steps within the property on all levels and a steep, winding staircase to the first floor, please take care.

Note: Low beams in bathroom, mind your head.

Note: Pond in garden, children to be supervised at all times.

Water Tower, central heating.

Fridge/freezer in gym.

Off-road parking included with cottage.

Separate lawned area and access to main house's facilities with large enclosed lawn and patio garden with furniture, summerhouse, barbecue, fire pit, pond, in door heated swimming pool with fast lane machine and hot tub.

Gym room with underfloor heating.

No smoking.

Note: The Water Tower is accessed via a set of stairs and therefore may unfortunately not be suitable for those with limited mobility.

Please be mindful of noise as the property is in a close neighbourhood.

This property has a 4pm check in time