For Sale3 Bedroom Detached House in Bedham, Fittleworth, West Sussex, RH20£1,500,000

A beautiful Grade II listed cottage with a swimming pool in an exquisite position within the hamlet of Bedham Believed to date from the 1600s, The Orchards has been meticulously maintained and enhanced by our client to a very high standard during their ownership. Several rounds of upgrading and maintenance have been undertaken, sympathetic to the history of the house. Works such as a small kitchen extension, allowing for the creation of a banquette seating area, installing a bespoke and hand-crafted kitchen with built-in appliances and pantry, adding underfloor heating throughout the ground floor bar the kitchen (so as not to disrupt its original brick flooring), a new drainage system in 2018, and comprehensive re-wiring scheme amongst further works. The Orchards is a stunning, quintessential Sussex cottage with good ceiling heights throughout, and a wealth of original period features which include a large inglenook fireplace, oak floors and leaded light windows, all under a clay tile, part-catslide roof. The sitting/dining room is a very much the heart of the home, with a large dining area complete with a smaller raised fireplace – an idea conceived by our clients to enhance the draw from the existing chimney – these rooms also benefit from wonderful views of the front garden, the southerly end of the room is the broad yet comfortable and cosy living area at the end of fire and tucked behind is a separate snug with built-in library and sisal carpets underfoot. Further to the ground floor are the kitchen/breakfast room, and bathroom. To the first floor are three double bedrooms, again all with good ceiling heights. The principal bedroom has a WC and sink en suite, and attractive fireplace. Gardens and Grounds The grounds of The Orchards are a perfect accompaniment to such a charming cottage. Beautifully maintained, whilst balancing the abundance of flora and fauna, they capture the true essence of a cottage garden. The stunning front and side garden designed by landscape architect and garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith OBE (multiple Chelsea Gold Medal winner) add an extra dimension the offering, with the gardens to the rear being mainly laid to lawn and feature a swimming pool, two ponds, a wild flower meadow and plentiful trees which include ten apples (cooking and eating), quinces, Cornelian cherry, plum, saucer magnolia, Japanese maple, oaks, and Chinese witch hazel. Further to the outside are ‘The Barn’ with games room and bathroom therein together with a separately accessible utility room, a car barn which features two open bays, one closed, with boarded loft space above the former. Services We are advised by our clients that the property has mains water and electricity, private drainage, LPG gas-fired central heating, and an air-source heat pump for the swimming pool.